The Verb "Overhear" in English

Conjugation of "To Overhear"

The verb "overhear" is an irregular verb. (This means that "overhear" 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 Overhear"

FormoverhearAlternative Name
Base FormoverhearInfinitive Form
The -S FormoverhearsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormoverheardSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormoverhearingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formoverheard[no alternative name]

"To Overhear" in All the Tenses

The tables below show how "overhear" 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
  • overheard
  • overheard
  • overheard
  • overheard
  • overheard
  • overheard
The simple past tense is for a completed activity that happened in the past.
  • was overhearing
  • were overhearing
  • was overhearing
  • were overhearing
  • were overhearing
  • were overhearing
The past progressive tense is for an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
  • had overheard
  • had overheard
  • had overheard
  • had overheard
  • had overheard
  • had overheard
The past perfect tense is for emphasizing that an action was completed before another took place.
  • had been overhearing
  • had been overhearing
  • had been overhearing
  • had been overhearing
  • had been overhearing
  • had been overhearing
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
  • overhear
  • overhear
  • overhears
  • overhear
  • overhear
  • overhear
The simple present tense is mostly for a fact or a habit.
  • am overhearing
  • are overhearing
  • is overhearing
  • are overhearing
  • are overhearing
  • are overhearing
The present progressive tense is for an ongoing action in the present.
  • have overheard
  • have overheard
  • has overheard
  • have overheard
  • have overheard
  • have overheard
The present perfect tense is for an action that began in the past. (Often, the action continues into the present.)
  • have been overhearing
  • have been overhearing
  • has been overhearing
  • have been overhearing
  • have been overhearing
  • have been overhearing
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 overhear
  • will overhear
  • will overhear
  • will overhear
  • will overhear
  • will overhear
The simple future tense is for an action that will occur in the future.
  • will be overhearing
  • will be overhearing
  • will be overhearing
  • will be overhearing
  • will be overhearing
  • will be overhearing
The future progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will occur in the future.
  • will have overheard
  • will have overheard
  • will have overheard
  • will have overheard
  • will have overheard
  • will have overheard
The future perfect tense is for an action that will have been completed at some point in the future.
  • will have been overhearing
  • will have been overhearing
  • will have been overhearing
  • will have been overhearing
  • will have been overhearing
  • will have been overhearing
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.