The Verb "Dream" in English

Conjugation of "To Dream"

The verb "dream" is an irregular verb. (This means that "dream" 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 Dream"

FormdreamAlternative Name
Base FormdreamInfinitive Form
The -S FormdreamsThird Person Singular Form
Past Formdreamt (also dreamed)Simple Past Tense
The -ING FormdreamingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formdreamt (also dreamed)[no alternative name]

"To Dream" in All the Tenses

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