How to Use Dealed or Dealt? (Irregular Verb Forms)

What's the past tense of "deal"?

The simple past tense of deal is dealt, and the past participle is also dealt. Use dealt for both simple past and past participle forms.

Definition of deal

The Collins Dictionary defines deal as "if you make a deal, do a deal, or cut a deal, you complete an agreement or an arrangement with someone, especially in business." Also, "if you deal playing cards, you give them out to the players in a game of cards."

• The past tense of deal is dealt.

• The past participle of deal is dealt.

Verb forms of 'deal'

Is "deal" a regular or irregular verb?

The verb deal is irregular. Its past tense and past participle forms are both dealt, not “dealed.” This is a pattern shared with a small group of English verbs, and it’s important to recognize when using "deal" in different contexts.

When to use "dealt" (past) vs. "dealt" (participle)

She dealt the cards quickly.

I've dealt with this issue before.

The verb deal uses the same form for both simple past tense and present or past perfect), it requires an auxiliary verb like have, has, or had. The simple past doesn't use a helper verb since it's a complete tense, so dealt can stand alone in sentences, whereas participles require an auxiliary verb.

Similar irregular verbs

Sentence examples: deal, dealt, dealt