Irregular verb
The verb to bind
bind → bound → bound
B2Meaning: to tie something tightly; to make someone keep a promise · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they bind·he/she/it binds - Past Simple:
bound(i → ou, said /baʊnd/) - Past participle:
bound(the same) - -ing form:
binding
Conjugation of the verb to bind
Present Simple
| I | bind |
| You | bind |
| He / She / It | binds |
| We | bind |
| You (pl.) | bind |
| They | bind |
Past Simple
| I | bound |
| You | bound |
| He / She / It | bound |
| We | bound |
| You (pl.) | bound |
| They | bound |
All the forms of the verb to bind
Present Simple
Full pagebind / binds
“The contract binds both parties.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are binding
“I am binding the pages together right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagebound
“They bound his hands.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were binding
“I was binding the pages together when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has bound
“I have already bound the pages together.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad bound
“She had already bound the pages together when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill bind
“I will bind the pages together tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to bind
“I'm going to bind the pages together this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould bind
“I would bind the pages together if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to bind
1. Tying someone or something
- They bound his hands with rope.
2. Making people keep an agreement
Here, bind means that a contract or a promise forces people to do something.
- The contract binds both parties.
3. Bound for (going to a place)
Bound for + place means going to that place.
- The train is bound for London.
4. Bound to (almost certain)
Bound to + verb means almost certain to happen.
- It's bound to rain.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Bound: four meanings
Bound has many meanings, so always read the context. Bound (tied), to bound (to jump, a regular verb), bound for (going to a place), bound to (almost certain).
2. Binder
A binder can be (1) a ring binder for school papers, (2) something that makes ingredients stick together, in cooking or chemistry, or (3) a person who puts books together (also a bookbinder).
What's next?
You can conjugate to bind. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
Practise to bind on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersReady-made activities to practise to bind in class
The Academy offers self-marking exercises and progress tracking for each student: your class practises, and you see who has got it and who needs more help.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
English contestConjugating to bind is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of bind?+
The Past Simple of bind is bound (said /baʊnd/). The past participle is bound too. Bind → bound → bound. Other verbs in -ind work the same way: find → found, grind → ground, wind → wound.
What does bound mean?+
Bound has four main meanings. (1) Tied: the past participle of bind. (2) To jump forward: this is a different, regular verb (bound, bounded). (3) Going to a place: bound for London. (4) Almost certain: bound to happen. The context tells you which one it is.
What does bound to mean?+
Bound to + verb means almost certain to happen. It's bound to rain means it will very probably rain. He's bound to win means he will almost certainly win. You use it to talk about the future.
What does bound for mean?+
Bound for + place means travelling to that place: The train is bound for London. You see it mostly with trains, planes and ships. In everyday English, you can also say heading for or heading to.
What is a binder?+
A binder has several meanings. (1) A ring binder: a hard cover with rings for your school papers. (2) Something that makes ingredients stick together, in cooking or in chemistry. (3) A person who puts books together (also a bookbinder).
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/bind
© 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.