What is the past tense of "hear"?

The past simple of "hear" is "heard". I can hear the music from the concert.

What is a common mistake with "hear"?

Wrong: "I heard the bird singing in the garden.". Correct: "I heard the bird sing in the garden.". Hear takes base form (sing) not gerund; the verb form changes after hear

How do you pronounce "hear"?

/hɪr/ — Rhymes with 'beer' and 'year'; use long 'ee' plus 'r' sound

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

Q: What is the past participle of "hear"?

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

Q: Is "hear" regular or irregular?

"Hear" is an irregular English verb. Pattern: ablaut: hear-heard-heard.

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All 12 Tenses of "Hear"

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

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

Past Tense of "Hear" — Heard

The past simple of "hear" is "heard". Use it for completed actions at a specific past time. Because "hear" is irregular, "heard" is not formed by adding -ed — you have to memorize this form. See our simple past tense guide for a deeper explanation of the simple past.

She heard the news about the job promotion yesterday. A2

Past Participle of "Hear" — Heard

The past participle of "hear" is "heard". Use it after "have/has/had" for the perfect tenses ("I have heard"), and after "be" for passive constructions ("It was heard"). Because "hear" is irregular, "heard" is not the same as the past simple — students often confuse the two forms.

She heard the news about the job promotion yesterday. A2

Is "Hear" Regular or Irregular?

"Hear" is an irregular English verb. Its principal parts are: base form "hear", past simple "heard", and past participle "heard". The 3rd-person singular present is "hears" and the present participle/gerund is "hearing". Conjugation pattern: ablaut: hear-heard-heard.

Conjugation pattern: ablaut: hear-heard-heard

How to Pronounce "Hear" and Its Forms

Hear: /hɪr/ — Stress pattern: O

Rhymes with 'beer' and 'year'; use long 'ee' plus 'r' sound

How to Use "Hear" — Common Grammar Patterns

Can be followed by a noun or gerund; 'hear about/from' means learn by hearing

S + hear + noun
S + hear + about/from + person/thing
S + hear + gerund

Example Sentences with "Hear" in Different Tenses

Simple Present: I can hear the music from the concert. A1
Simple Past: She heard the news about the job promotion yesterday. A2

Common Collocations with "Hear"

hear a sound
hear news
can't hear
hear about
hear from someone

When to Use "Hear" vs Similar Verbs

"hear" vs "listen"

Hear is passive (sound reaches your ear); listen is active (you pay attention)

Smart synonyms — when to use each one

listen — when implying intentional attention to sound deliberately
perceive — in formal writing when stressing sensory awareness of
catch — when describing overhearing something unintentionally said briefly

Common Mistakes with "Hear"

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

Origin and Etymology of "Hear"

From Old English 'hieran', related to Old Norse 'heyra'

Other Forms of "Hear"

Noun: hearing

Conjugation Tables for "Hear"

Negative Forms

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

Question Forms

Simple present: Do you hear? · Does he hear?
Simple past: Did you hear?
Present perfect: Have you heard?

Passive Voice (where applicable)

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

Frequently Asked Questions About "Hear"

Is "hear" regular or irregular?: "hear" is an irregular verb. Its past simple is "heard" and past participle is "heard". You must memorize these forms.
What is the past tense of "hear"?: The simple past of "hear" is "heard".
Are the past simple and past participle the same for "hear"?: Yes, for this irregular verb, both the past simple and past participle are "heard".