What's the past tense of "hear"?
The past tense of hear is heard. The past participle is also heard. Hear is an irregular verb, meaning it doesn't follow the regular -ed pattern for past forms.
Definition of hear
To hear means to perceive sound with the ear; to listen to; to be informed or aware of something.
- The past tense of hear is heard.
- The past participle of hear is heard.
Verb forms of 'hear'
Is "hear" a regular or irregular verb?
Note: Regular verbs end in -ed in the past tense. Any other verb ending is considered irregular.
Hear is an irregular verb. Instead of forming the past tense by adding -ed (as regular verbs do), hear changes to heard for both the simple past tense and the present or past perfect) is characteristic of irregular verb patterns in English.
When to use "heard"
I heard a strange noise outside the window.
We've heard this song many times before.
The participle form of a verb (shown in the second sentence) uses the auxiliary verb have as a contraction, I've.
When auxiliaries like have or had appear in the same sentence as a past participle verb form, this indicates that the verb's aspect is in the present or past perfect, and not the simple past tense.
Remember, a participle always uses a helper verb to form the complete tense or aspect. Simple tenses, on the other hand, can stand on their own.
Sentence examples: hear, heard, heard
• Can you hear me now?
• I barely hear the hum of the fridge at night.
• We hear from our neighbors every holiday.
• I heard the announcement on the radio.
• We heard about the change yesterday.
• She heard a strange noise outside the window.
• Have you heard from her yet?
• We've heard this song many times before.
• They had heard the news before anyone else.
Synonyms & nearby words
Synonyms for hear
Nearby phrases
Common phrases with "hear"
Hear from
Hear of/about
Hard of hearing
Hear out
Origin of the verb/word, hear
From Old English hieran/heran "to perceive by the ear; hearken," from Proto-Germanic root shared with Old High German hōren.
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.
FAQs
What is the past tense of "hear"?
What is the past participle of "hear"?
Is "hear" a regular or irregular verb?
What's the difference between "heard" and "herd"?
Can "hear" be used in the continuous form?
Sources
- Oxford English Dictionary, entry for "hear."
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "hear."
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