117 Common Irregular Verbs in English (With Tenses & Examples)

24 September 2026

Author:

Berlitz

Editor:

Berlitz

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Learning English verb conjugation is far easier than it sounds - even when irregular verbs enter the picture. While the word irregular may feel intimidating, English actually has fewer conjugation rules than many other languages like Spanish, French, or German.

In fact, many irregular verbs don’t change much at all. Some stay exactly the same across tenses, meaning there’s very little memorization involved. The real challenge lies in recognizing which verbs are irregular so you can avoid common mistakes.

In this guide, you’ll learn: What irregular verbs are The four main types of irregular verbs A complete list of 117 of the most common irregular verbs Proven strategies to learn and remember them Let’s dive in. What Are Irregular Verbs in English?
Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the standard - ed rule in the past simple or past participle form. While English has around 200 irregular verbs, many are rarely used. That’s why focusing on the most common ones is the most effective approach. The 4 Types of Irregular Verbs in English
Understanding patterns makes learning much easier. Irregular verbs fall into four main categories. 1. Same Base Form, Past, and Past Participle
These verbs never change. Examples: bid → bid → bid set → set → set broadcast → broadcast → broadcast 2. Same Past Tense and Past Participle
Only one change from the base form. Examples: bend → bent → bent build → built → built get → got → got 3. Same Base Form and Past Participle
The simple past is different, but the past participle stays the same as the base form. Examples: run → ran → run become → became → become overcome → overcame → overcome 4. Completely Different Forms
All three forms change. Examples: eat → ate → eaten write → wrote → written freeze → froze → frozen 117 Most Common Irregular Verbs in English
5 Proven Strategies for Learning Irregular Verbs
1. Group them by type
Before you set out to memorize all irregular verbs without a structure, you should group the ones you want to learn by type. Of course, you won’t memorize 100+ irregular verbs in one go, so selecting the verbs that are most important to you and grouping them by type will make it much easier for you to remember what makes that verb irregular. That way, you’ll know if you’ll need to change the entire verb or if you get to keep the stem, and if you should change them in all verb tenses or just one or two. 2. Recite the infinitive, simple past, and past participle forms
Memorizing irregular verbs can be easier if you memorize all three verb conjugations in one go. Not only will it make it easier to remember which conjugations need special attention, but you’ll also be able to create a fun rhyme in your head, which will increase your chances of remembering all three conjugations. For example, try saying the following conjugations very quickly: Freeze, froze, frozen Begin, began, begun Sing, sang, sung Stink, stank, stunk Wear, wore, worn Isn’t it kinda fun? It’s almost like you’re saying a short little tongue twister! 3. Always check if a verb is irregular
Of course, not all verbs are irregular. An overwhelming majority of English verbs are regular, so you can just follow regular conjugation rules then. However, one of the most common mistakes English learners make is conjugating irregular verbs assuming that they can be conjugated like regular verbs. Thus, any time you learn a new verb, make sure to look it up in the dictionary to double - check whether you’re dealing with a regular on an irregular verb! 4. Use spaced repetition software for hard verbs
Every now and then, you’ll run into some particularly difficult verbs that will make you mess up over and over again - and that’s totally okay! When that happens, simply add the word and its conjugations to your favorite spaced repetition software (SRS) and keep reviewing it until you’ve got it! If you don’t have an SRS tool yet, check out Anki, which is one of the favorite tools of language learners. 5. Listen to music with irregular verbs
Let’s face it, studying a new language is much more effective when it’s fun! That’s why it’s such a good idea to use music to learn a language, even for things like irregular verbs. Some fun songs that include a healthy amount of irregular verbs include: Return to Sender by Elvis Presley Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion All three of the songs above will help you memorize some helpful irregular verbs as each one contains many irregular verbs that can be easily burned into your psyche after a few listens. Skip the headaches with this handy list of English irregular verbs
For structured practice, Berlitz UAE can help - whether you learn at the Berlitz Berlitz Jumeirah Centre or the Berlitz JLT Centre in Dubai. English isn’t a conjugation - heavy language, so make sure you don’t make the easily avoidable mistakes of conjugating an irregular verb as if it were a regular verb! In this article, we’ve covered some of the most common irregular verbs, the four types of irregular verbs, and five unmissable tips to memorize all these irregular verbs!