Most of this post focuses on the irregular verb hear and its past forms, but we’ll also clearly distinguish it from the noun (and verb) herd.
Heard is the simple past and past participle of hear. By contrast, herd is usually a noun that means “a group of animals,” and it can also be a verb meaning “to gather or move (animals or people) together.”
“Heard” or “herd” — which one is correct?
Use heard when you’re talking about sound and listening (it’s the past of hear): “I heard your message.” Use herd when you mean a group of animals (or the action of moving a group): “A herd of cattle crossed the road,” “Please herd the kids onto the bus.”
They’re homophones in most accents (they sound the same), but they’re not interchangeable.
When to use “heard” vs. “herd”?
- Hear is the base verb; heard is its simple past and past participle.
- Herd is a noun (“a group of animals”) and a verb (“to gather or move as a group”).
Hear, heard, heard (verb conjugations)
What’s the difference between heard and herd?
I heard a strange noise outside the window.
A herd of deer crossed the meadow at dusk.
Remember: heard = past of hear (sound); herd = group of animals (noun) or to gather/move them (verb).
Sentence examples: hear, heard, heard
| Word choice | Example sentences |
|---|---|
| hear | |
| hear |
Can you hear me now? I barely hear the hum of the fridge at night. We hear from our neighbors every holiday. |
| heard |
I heard the announcement on the radio. We heard about the change yesterday. Have you heard from her yet? |
| herd | |
| herd (noun) |
A herd of elephants moved quietly through the trees. The herd scattered at the sound of the truck. |
| herd (verb) |
We need to herd the kids back inside. The farmer herded the sheep into the barn before the storm. |
Phrases with “hear” and “herd”
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hear from | receive communication from someone | Have you heard from Mia since she moved? |
| hear of/about | to be aware of; learn information | I’ve heard of that author but never read her work. |
| hard of hearing | having partial hearing loss | He’s hard of hearing, so speak clearly. |
| herd mentality | the tendency of people to follow the crowd | Investors sometimes show a herd mentality during market swings. |
| herd immunity | population-level protection when enough individuals are immune | Public health officials discussed herd immunity thresholds. |
| like herding cats | extremely difficult to organize or control | Coordinating ten schedules is like herding cats. |
Origin of “hear” and “herd”
hear — from Old English hieran/heran “to perceive by the ear; hearken,” Proto-Germanic root shared with Old High German hōren.
herd — from Old English heord “a flock or herd,” Proto-Germanic hurda-; verb sense “to drive or gather” developed from the noun.
Practice: Heard vs. Herd
I ______ the doorbell but no one was there.
A ______ of goats grazed on the hillside.
We finally ______ back from the editor.
The rancher ______ the cattle into the pen.
She is ______ of hearing, so speak up.
Sources
- Oxford English Dictionary, entries for “hear” and “herd.”
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “hear” (v.), “herd” (n./v.).
Yash, D. "How to Use the Past Tense of Hear (Explained, Usage & Quiz)." Grammarflex, Sep 13, 2025, https://grammarflex.com/hear-past-tense/.
