The Verb "Forgive" in English

by Craig Shrives

Conjugation of "To Forgive"

The verb "forgive" is an irregular verb. (This means that "forgive" 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 Forgive"

FormforgiveAlternative Name
Base FormforgiveInfinitive Form
The -S FormforgivesThird Person Singular Form
Past FormforgaveSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormforgivingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formforgiven[no alternative name]

"To Forgive" in All the Tenses

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