Top 10 Irregular Verbs You Must Memorize

If you're learning English, you've probably noticed that not every verb follows the same rule. While regular verbs simply add -ed in the past tense (like walk → walked), irregular verbs change in different ways. Some change completely, while others stay the same.

The good news? You don't have to memorize hundreds of irregular verbs all at once. Start with the most common ones that native speakers use every day. Mastering these verbs will make your conversations, writing, and grammar much more natural.

Here are the top 10 irregular verbs every English learner should memorize.

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1. Be

Base Form: be
Past Simple: was / were
Past Participle: been

Examples:

• I am happy today.
• She was at school yesterday.
• They have been friends for years.

The verb be is the most important verb in English. It's used in everyday conversations and many grammar structures.

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2. Have

Base Form: have
Past Simple: had
Past Participle: had

Examples:

• I have a new phone.
• We had dinner together.
• She has had this car since 2022.

You'll use have to talk about possession and in many perfect tenses.

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3. Do

Base Form: do
Past Simple: did
Past Participle: done

Examples:

• I do my homework every night.
• He did his best.
• Have you done your assignment?

This verb is also used to form questions and negative sentences.

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4. Go

Base Form: go
Past Simple: went
Past Participle: gone

Examples:

• We go to work every day.
• They went to Japan last summer.
• She has gone home.

Notice that went looks completely different from go, making it one of the most important irregular verbs to remember.

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5. Get

Base Form: get
Past Simple: got
Past Participle: got (or gotten in American English)

Examples:

• I usually get up at 6 a.m.
• We got lost.
• She has got a new job.

The verb get has many meanings, making it one of the most useful verbs in English.

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6. See

Base Form: see
Past Simple: saw
Past Participle: seen

Examples:

• I see my friends every weekend.
• We saw a beautiful sunset.
• Have you seen this movie?

Remember: seen is always used with helping verbs like have or has.

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7. Come

Base Form: come
Past Simple: came
Past Participle: come

Examples:

• Please come here.
• She came early.
• They have come to help.

Even though the past participle returns to come, many learners mistakenly say came after have.

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8. Take

Base Form: take
Past Simple: took
Past Participle: taken

Examples:

• Please take a seat.
• I took lots of pictures.
• She has taken the exam.

This verb appears in many everyday expressions like take a break, take a shower, and take a photo.

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9. Make

Base Form: make
Past Simple: made
Past Participle: made

Examples:

• My mother makes delicious cakes.
• I made a mistake.
• They have made great progress.

One of the most common expressions is make a mistake, so this verb is worth memorizing early.

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10. Eat

Base Form: eat
Past Simple: ate
Past Participle: eaten

Examples:

• We eat breakfast every morning.
• I ate too much yesterday.
• She has eaten already.

This is one of the first irregular verbs English learners encounter because it's used in everyday conversations.

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Tips for Memorizing Irregular Verbs

Learning irregular verbs doesn't have to be difficult. Try these simple strategies:

• Learn only 5–10 verbs each week.
• Create your own example sentences.
• Read English books, blogs, or news articles.
• Watch English movies with subtitles.
• Practice speaking every day.
• Review the verbs regularly instead of memorizing them once.

Consistency is much more effective than trying to memorize a long list in one sitting.

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Final Thoughts

Irregular verbs are a key part of English grammar. Although they don't follow a simple pattern, many of them appear in everyday conversations. By memorizing these ten verbs first, you'll build a strong foundation for speaking, writing, and understanding English more confidently.

Keep practicing, use these verbs in real conversations, and don't worry if you make mistakes. Every sentence you speak brings you one step closer to fluency.

Quick Review Table

Base Verb	Past Simple	Past Participle
be	was / were	been
have	had	had
do	did	done
go	went	gone
get	got	got / gotten
see	saw	seen
come	came	come
take	took	taken
make	made	made
eat	ate	eaten

Frequently Asked Questions

What are irregular verbs?
Irregular verbs are verbs that do not form their past tense by simply adding -ed. Instead, they change in unique ways, such as go → went → gone.

How many irregular verbs are there in English?
There are over 200 irregular verbs, but learning the most common 50–100 will help you understand most everyday English.

What's the best way to memorize irregular verbs?
Practice them in sentences, review them regularly, and use them in conversations instead of memorizing long lists.