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The Verb "Forget" in English

Conjugation of "To Forget"

The verb "forget" is an irregular verb. (This means that "forget" 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 Forget"

FormforgetAlternative Name
Base FormforgetInfinitive Form
The -S FormforgetsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormforgotSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormforgettingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formforgotten[no alternative name]

"To Forget" in All the Tenses

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

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