The Verb "Misunderstand" in English

Conjugation of "To Misunderstand"

The verb "misunderstand" is an irregular verb. (This means that "misunderstand" 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 Misunderstand"

FormmisunderstandAlternative Name
Base FormmisunderstandInfinitive Form
The -S FormmisunderstandsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormmisunderstoodSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormmisunderstandingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formmisunderstood[no alternative name]

"To Misunderstand" in All the Tenses

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