The verb to believe · Conjugation
Past Simple of believe
The answer: believed
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to believe is believed.
Example: I believed her story.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | believed |
| You | believed |
| He / She / It | believed |
| We | believed |
| You (pl.) | believed |
| They | believed |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Believe in
For faith or trust, use the preposition in: I believe in you. Without in, I believe you means I think you are telling the truth.
2. Beliefs or believes?
Noun: beliefs. Her beliefs are important to her. Verb: believes. She believes you.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of believe?+
The Past Simple of believe is believed (regular verb).
Is it believe or believe in?+
Believe in someone or something = to have faith or trust in them. Believe someone = to think their words are true. I believe in God. I believe you.
What is the plural of belief?+
A belief is an idea you think is true. The plural is beliefs, not believes.
What is a believer?+
A believer is a person who believes in something, often in a religion.
What does make-believe mean?+
Make-believe means imaginary, often in children's games. The children live in a make-believe world.
Related pages: believe 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/believe/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 believe are coming soon.