Irregular verb
The verb to beat
beat → beat → beaten
B1Meaning: to win against someone; to hit again and again · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they beat·he/she/it beats - Past Simple:
beat(the same as the base form!) - Past participle:
beaten(different) - -ing form:
beating
Conjugation of the verb to beat
Present Simple
| I | beat |
| You | beat |
| He / She / It | beats |
| We | beat |
| You (pl.) | beat |
| They | beat |
Past Simple
| I | beat |
| You | beat |
| He / She / It | beat |
| We | beat |
| You (pl.) | beat |
| They | beat |
All the forms of the verb to beat
Present Simple
Full pagebeat / beats
“My heart beats fast.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are beating
“I am beating the other team right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagebeat
“We beat the other team 3-1.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were beating
“I was beating the other team when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has beaten
“I have already beaten the other team.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad beaten
“She had already beaten the other team when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill beat
“I will beat the other team tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to beat
“I'm going to beat the other team this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould beat
“I would beat the other team if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to beat
1. Beating someone (sport, games)
- We beat the other team.
- I beat my brother at chess.
2. Beating (heart, drum)
Here beat means to make the same sound or movement again and again.
- My heart beats fast.
- He beats the drum.
3. Hitting again and again
Beat often means hitting someone or something many times (more than hit).
- Don't beat him!
Common mistakes to avoid
1. We have beat them ❌
Beat → beat → beaten. The Past Simple is the same as the base form, but the past participle is beaten. In standard English, say We have beaten them.
2. Beats me!
Beats me! means I have no idea. It is an informal answer to a question: Where's John? Beats me!
What's next?
You can conjugate to beat. Now say it out loud.
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Related pages: beat
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of beat?+
The Past Simple of beat is beat, the same as the base form. The past participle is beaten. Beat → beat → beaten. This pattern is unusual: learn it by heart.
What is the difference between beat and win?+
Beat + a person or a team (the other side). Win + a thing (a match, a game, a prize). We beat them. We won the game. Never say We won them.
Is it beat someone at chess or in chess?+
Say beat someone at + a game or a sport. I beat him at chess. She always beats me at tennis.
What does beats me mean?+
Beats me! is informal and means I have no idea. You say it when you don't know the answer to a question. Where did Tom put the keys? Beats me! It means the same as I have no idea.
Is it beat or beated?+
Always beat. Beat is irregular: its Past Simple stays beat (no -ed), and its past participle is beaten. Beated does not exist.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/beat
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.