The verb to beat · Conjugation
Past Simple of beat
The answer: beat
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to beat is beat.
Example: We beat the other team 3-1.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | beat |
| You | beat |
| He / She / It | beat |
| We | beat |
| You (pl.) | beat |
| They | beat |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Past Simple = base form
The Past Simple beat looks exactly like the base form. But the past participle is different: beaten. Learn the three forms together: beat → beat → beaten.
2. We won the other team ❌
Beat + the other side (a person, a team). Win + a thing (a match, a prize). Say We beat the team and We won the match.
3. Beated ❌
Beat is irregular: there is no -ed form. The Past Simple is beat, and the past participle is beaten.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of beat?+
The Past Simple of beat is beat, the same as the base form. The past participle is beaten. Beat → beat → beaten.
What is the difference between beat and beaten?+
Beat is the Past Simple, used alone: We beat them. Beaten is the past participle, used after have / has: We have beaten them.
Is it beat or beated?+
Beat is irregular. Its Past Simple stays beat (no -ed), and its past participle is beaten. Never beated.
What is the difference between beat and win?+
Beat + a person or a team (the other side). Win + a thing (a match, a prize). We beat the other team. We won the match.
What does “beats me” mean?+
Beats me! (informal) means I have no idea. It beats me means I don't understand it. You say it when you don't know the answer to a question.
Related pages: beat Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/past-simple
© 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.
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More forms of the verb to beat are coming soon.