The Verb "Hit" in English

Conjugation of "To Hit"

The verb "hit" is an irregular verb. (This means that "hit" does not form its simple past tense or its past participle by adding "-ed" or "-d" to the base form.)

The Five Forms of "To Hit"

FormhitAlternative Name
Base FormhitInfinitive Form
The -S FormhitsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormhitSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormhittingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formhit[no alternative name]

"To Hit" in All the Tenses

The tables below show how "hit" conjugates in the past, present, and future tenses.

Past Tenses

PersonSimple PastPast Progressive TensePast Perfect TensePast Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • hit
  • hit
  • hit
  • hit
  • hit
  • hit
The simple past tense is for a completed activity that happened in the past.
  • was hitting
  • were hitting
  • was hitting
  • were hitting
  • were hitting
  • were hitting
The past progressive tense is for an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
  • had hit
  • had hit
  • had hit
  • had hit
  • had hit
  • had hit
The past perfect tense is for emphasizing that an action was completed before another took place.
  • had been hitting
  • had been hitting
  • had been hitting
  • had been hitting
  • had been hitting
  • had been hitting
The past perfect progressive tense is for showing that an ongoing action in the past has ended.

Present Tenses

PersonSimple PresentPresent Progressive TensePresent Perfect TensePresent Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • hit
  • hit
  • hits
  • hit
  • hit
  • hit
The simple present tense is mostly for a fact or a habit.
  • am hitting
  • are hitting
  • is hitting
  • are hitting
  • are hitting
  • are hitting
The present progressive tense is for an ongoing action in the present.
  • have hit
  • have hit
  • has hit
  • have hit
  • have hit
  • have hit
The present perfect tense is for an action that began in the past. (Often, the action continues into the present.)
  • have been hitting
  • have been hitting
  • has been hitting
  • have been hitting
  • have been hitting
  • have been hitting
The present perfect progressive tense is for a continuous activity that began in the past and continues into the present (or finished very recently).

Future Tenses

PersonSimple FutureFuture Progressive TenseFuture Perfect TenseFuture Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • will hit
  • will hit
  • will hit
  • will hit
  • will hit
  • will hit
The simple future tense is for an action that will occur in the future.
  • will be hitting
  • will be hitting
  • will be hitting
  • will be hitting
  • will be hitting
  • will be hitting
The future progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will occur in the future.
  • will have hit
  • will have hit
  • will have hit
  • will have hit
  • will have hit
  • will have hit
The future perfect tense is for an action that will have been completed at some point in the future.
  • will have been hitting
  • will have been hitting
  • will have been hitting
  • will have been hitting
  • will have been hitting
  • will have been hitting
The future perfect progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will be completed at some specified time in the future.

Most Common Irregular Verbs

The two most common irregular verbs in English are "be" and "have." These pages give more details about these two verbs: Here are the next 10 most common irregular verbs in English:

Most Common Irregular Verbs

The two most common irregular verbs in English are "be" and "have." These pages give more details about these two verbs: Here are the next 10 most common irregular verbs in English:
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This page was written by Craig Shrives.