What is the past tense of "achieve"?

The past simple of "achieve" is "achieved". With hard work, she achieved her dream of becoming a doctor.

What is the past participle of "achieve"?

The past participle of "achieve" is "achieved". Use it after have/has/had: "I have achieved".

What is a common mistake with "achieve"?

Wrong: "She achieve her goals last month.". Correct: "She achieved her goals last month.". Third-person singular past tense needs '-ed': 'achieved', not 'achieve'.

How do you pronounce "achieve"?

/əˈtʃiːv/ — Starts with schwa 'uh', then 'CHEEV': ə-CHEEV, not ah-CHEE-v.

Conjugation of "Achieve" — All Forms, Examples, and Usage

Q: Is "achieve" regular or irregular?

"Achieve" is a regular English verb. Both past simple and past participle are formed by adding -ed.

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All 12 Tenses of "Achieve"

Quick reference table — every tense form of "achieve" with the first-person example and a link to the grammar guide for that tense.

Tense	Example (I)	Quick rule
Simple Present	`I achieve`	Used for habits, facts, routines, and permanent situations. Full rule →
Simple Past	`I achieved`	Used for completed actions at a specific time in the past. Full rule →
Simple Future	`I will achieve`	Used for predictions, decisions made at the moment, and promises. Full rule →
Present Continuous	`I am achieving`	Used for actions happening right now or temporary situations. Full rule →
Past Continuous	`I was achieving`	Used for actions in progress at a specific moment in the past. Full rule →
Future Continuous	`I will be achieving`	Used for actions that will be in progress at a specific future time. Full rule →
Present Perfect	`I have achieved`	Used for past actions with present relevance, life experiences, or unfinished situations. Full rule →
Past Perfect	`I had achieved`	Used for an action that was completed before another past action. Full rule →
Future Perfect	`I will have achieved`	Used for an action that will be completed before a specific future time. Full rule →
Present Perfect Continuous	`I have been achieving`	Used for actions that started in the past and continue now, with focus on duration. Full rule →
Past Perfect Continuous	`I had been achieving`	Used for ongoing actions in the past that continued up to another past moment. Full rule →
Future Perfect Continuous	`I will have been achieving`	Used for actions that will have been ongoing up until a specific future time. Full rule →

Past Tense of "Achieve" — Achieved

The past simple of "achieve" is "achieved" — formed by adding "-ed". Use it for actions that were completed at a specific time in the past, such as "yesterday", "last week", or "in 2020". For the full grammar of this tense, see our simple past tense guide.

With hard work, she achieved her dream of becoming a doctor. B2
The athletes achieved excellent results in the competition. B1
He finally achieved success after years of effort. B1

Past Participle of "Achieve" — Achieved

The past participle of "achieve" is "achieved" — the same form as the past simple, since "achieve" is a regular verb. Use it after "have/has/had" for perfect tenses ("I have achieved") and after "be" for passive voice ("It was achieved").

With hard work, she achieved her dream of becoming a doctor. B2
The athletes achieved excellent results in the competition. B1
He finally achieved success after years of effort. B1

Is "Achieve" Regular or Irregular?

"Achieve" is a regular English verb. Its past simple and past participle are both formed by adding "-ed" to give "achieved". The 3rd-person singular present is "achieves" and the gerund/present participle is "achieving".

Conjugation pattern: regular

How to Pronounce "Achieve" and Its Forms

Achieve: /əˈtʃiːv/ — Stress pattern: oO

Starts with schwa 'uh', then 'CHEEV': ə-CHEEV, not ah-CHEE-v.

Common mispronunciation of "achieve"

Stress on first syllable: AH-chieve instead of uh-CHIEVE.

Syllable breakdown: a · chieve

How to Use "Achieve" — Common Grammar Patterns

Use achieve for goals and ambitions; use accomplish for concrete tasks.

achieve + noun
achieve + success/goal/balance

Example Sentences with "Achieve" in Different Tenses

Simple Past: With hard work, she achieved her dream of becoming a doctor. B2

Common Collocations with "Achieve"

achieve a goal
achieve success
achieve balance

When to Use "Achieve" vs Similar Verbs

"achieve" vs "accomplish"

Both show success, but achieve = reaching a goal, accomplish = completing a task.

Smart synonyms — when to use each one

reach — For arriving at or touching a target level
attain — For reaching a difficult goal after sustained effort
obtain — For getting or acquiring something needed
gain — For acquiring an advantage or improvement

Common Mistakes with "Achieve"

Wrong: She achieve often.
Correct: She achieves often.
Add "s" to the verb when the subject is third-person singular (he/she/it).

Origin and Etymology of "Achieve"

From Old French 'achever'; from 'a' + 'chief' (head, end).

Other Forms of "Achieve"

Noun: achievement

Conjugation Tables for "Achieve"

Negative Forms

Simple present: I do not achieve · He does not achieve
Simple past: I did not achieve · She did not achieve
Present perfect: I have not achieved · He has not achieved

Question Forms

Simple present: Do you achieve? · Does he achieve?
Simple past: Did you achieve?
Present perfect: Have you achieved?

Passive Voice (where applicable)

Simple present passive: It is achieved
Simple past passive: It was achieved
Present perfect passive: It has been achieved

Frequently Asked Questions About "Achieve"

Is "achieve" regular or irregular?: "achieve" is a regular verb. Add -ed for past simple and past participle: "achieved".
What is the past tense of "achieve"?: The simple past of "achieve" is "achieved".
When do I use simple present vs present continuous with "achieve"?: Use simple present for habits, facts, and routines: "I achieve every day." Use present continuous for actions happening right now: "I am achieving right now."