What's the past tense of "know"?
The simple past tense of know is knew, and the past participle is known. Use knew for simple past tense and known for past participle forms.
Definition of know
The Oxford English Dictionary defines know as "to have information in your mind as a result of experience or because you have learned or been told it." It's an irregular verb that doesn't follow the standard "-ed" pattern for past tenses.
- The past tense of know is knew.
- The past participle of know is known.
Verb forms of 'know'
Is "know" a regular or irregular verb?
Note: Regular verbs end in -ed in the past tense. Any other verb ending is considered irregular.
The verb know is irregular. Its past tense form is knew and past participle is known, not "knowed." This is a pattern shared with a small group of English verbs, and it's important to recognize when using "know" in different contexts.
When to use "knew" vs. "known"
I knew the answer to the question.
I had known the answer, but it slipped my mind.
The participle form of a verb (shown in the second sentence) uses the auxiliary verb have.
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.
Similar irregular verbs
Sentence examples: know, knew, known
• I know the answer to this question.
• She knows when she should be home.
• They know what they want for their birthday.
• I knew I would forget to bring a sweater.
• They knew she didn't like scary movies.
• We knew our way back home.
• They had known about the party.
• If I had known you were coming, I would have baked a cake!
• I have known him since we were children.
Synonyms & nearby words
Synonyms for know
Nearby phrases
Practice: "Know" conjugations
She ______ the answer to the question immediately.
He had ______ about the surprise party for weeks.
Everyone in the class ______ the rules of the game.
She smiled, ______ that her hard work had finally paid off.
I don't ______ how to solve this difficult puzzle.
FAQs
What is the past tense of "know"?
What is the past participle of "know"?
When do I use "known" in a sentence?
What's the difference between "knew" and "known"?
Is "know" a regular or irregular verb?
Sources
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Simpson, J. A., and E. S. C. Weiner. "Know, v." Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Date of access 15 Jan. 2025.
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Huddleston, Rodney, and Geoffrey K. Pullum. "The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language." Cambridge University Press, 2002. Date of access 15 Jan. 2025.
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