How to Use Sleeped or Slept (Irregular Verb Forms)

What's the past tense of "sleep"?

The past tense of sleep is slept. The past participle is also slept. Sleep is an irregular verb, meaning it doesn't follow the regular -ed pattern for past forms. The form "sleeped" is incorrect.

Definition of sleep

To sleep means to rest with your eyes closed and your mind and body not active; to be in a state of sleep. It can also mean to provide beds for a particular number of people.

The past tense of sleep is slept.
The past participle of sleep is slept.

Verb forms of 'sleep'

Simple Cont. Perfect Perfect Cont.

Present

I/you/they sleep • He/she/it sleeps

Past

I/you/they slept • He/she/it slept

Future

I/you/they will sleep • He/she/it will sleep

Present

I am/you are sleeping • He/she/it is sleeping

Past

I was/you were sleeping • He/she/it was sleeping

Future

I/you will be sleeping • He/she/it will be sleeping

Present

I/you have slept • He/she/it has slept

Past

I/you had slept • He/she/it had slept

Future

I/you will have slept • He/she/it will have slept

Present

I have been sleeping • He/she/it has been sleeping

Past

I had been sleeping • He/she/it had been sleeping

Future

I will have been sleeping • He/she/it will have been sleeping

Is "sleep" a regular or irregular verb?

Sleep is an irregular verb. Instead of forming the past tense by adding -ed (as regular verbs do), sleep changes to slept for both the simple past tense and the present or past perfect) is characteristic of irregular verb patterns in English.

When to use "slept"

I slept for eight hours last night.

She has slept through the entire movie.

The verb sleep uses the same form slept 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 slept can stand alone in sentences, whereas participles require an auxiliary verb.

Similar irregular verbs

Sleep follows a pattern common to several other irregular verbs where the past tense and past participle are identical. These verbs typically involve a vowel change from the present form.

sleep

Past: slept

Past part: slept

Sentence examples: sleep, slept, slept

Sleep (present tense)

• I usually sleep eight hours a night.

• The baby sleeps through the night now.

• She sleeps with the window open.

Slept (past simple)

• I slept for ten hours last night.

• She slept through the thunderstorm.

• He slept on the couch after the argument.

Slept (present or past perfect)

• I have slept better since changing my mattress.

• She has slept through three alarms this morning.

• They have slept in that bed for twenty years.

Synonyms & nearby words

Synonyms for sleep

rest slumber doze nap snooze drowse repose

Nearby phrases

sleep in sleep over sleep on it sleep through fall asleep

FAQs

Is "sleeped" correct?

No, "sleeped" is not correct. The past tense of "sleep" is "slept," not "sleeped."

What is the past tense of "sleep"?

The past tense of "sleep" is "slept."

What is the past participle of "sleep"?

The past participle of "sleep" is "slept."

Is "sleep" a regular or irregular verb?

"Sleep" is an irregular verb, which means it doesn't follow the standard -ed pattern for past tense formation.

Why do people say "sleeped"?

Some people incorrectly apply the regular verb pattern (-ed) to "sleep," but it's an irregular verb that changes to "slept."

Sources

"Sleep, V." Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, March 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/1199038215.
Harper, Douglas. "Etymology of sleep." Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/sleep. Accessed 18 December, 2022.