The Verb "Clothe" in English

Conjugation of "To Clothe"

The verb "clothe" is an irregular verb. (This means that "clothe" 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 Clothe"

FormclotheAlternative Name
Base FormclotheInfinitive Form
The -S FormclothesThird Person Singular Form
Past Formclad (also clothed)Simple Past Tense
The -ING FormclothingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formclad (also clothed)[no alternative name]

"To Clothe" in All the Tenses

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