Irregular verb
The verb to bite
bite → bit → bitten
B1Meaning: to cut into something with your teeth · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they bite·he/she/it bites - Past Simple:
bit(short form) - Past participle:
bitten(with -en, different from the Past Simple) - -ing form:
biting(without the final e)
Conjugation of the verb to bite
Present Simple
| I | bite |
| You | bite |
| He / She / It | bites |
| We | bite |
| You (pl.) | bite |
| They | bite |
Past Simple
| I | bit |
| You | bit |
| He / She / It | bit |
| We | bit |
| You (pl.) | bit |
| They | bit |
All the forms of the verb to bite
Present Simple
Full pagebite / bites
“My dog never bites.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are biting
“I am biting into the apple right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagebit
“The dog bit the postman yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were biting
“I was biting into the apple when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has bitten
“I have already bitten into the apple.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad bitten
“She had already bitten into the apple when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill bite
“I will bite into the apple tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to bite
“I'm going to bite into the apple this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould bite
“I would bite into the apple if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to bite
1. Biting (with your teeth)
- The dog bit my leg.
- Mosquitoes always bite me.
2. Biting into food
Bite into something means to put your teeth into food and take a piece.
- She bit into the apple.
3. Idioms
Bite the bullet means to accept something difficult. His bark is worse than his bite means he sounds angry, but he is not really dangerous.
- Just bite the bullet.
- His bark is worse than his bite.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I have bit ❌
Bite → bit → bitten: three different forms. After have, use bitten. The past participle ends in -en, like write → written and eat → eaten.
2. Bite is also a noun
A bite is a small piece of food that you bite, or the mark of a bite. Have a bite to eat means to eat something small and quick.
What's next?
You can conjugate to bite. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of bite?+
The Past Simple of bite is bit, the same for every person. The past participle is bitten (with -en). Bite → bit → bitten. In the Present Simple: bite / bites.
Is it bit or bitten?+
Bit is the Past Simple: a finished action in the past. Bitten is the past participle: use it after have, has, had or in the passive. The dog bit me. I have been bitten by a dog.
Do mosquitoes bite or sting?+
Mosquitoes bite: I was bitten by a mosquito or I got bitten by a mosquito. Bees and wasps sting: A bee stung me.
What does bite the bullet mean?+
Bite the bullet is an idiom: it means to accept a difficult situation and do the hard thing. I bit the bullet and told my parents the truth. The expression probably comes from war: soldiers bit on a bullet when doctors treated them without medicine for the pain.
Is it bit or bited?+
Always bit. Bite is an irregular verb: its Past Simple is bit and its past participle is bitten. Bited does not exist in standard English.
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/bite
© 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.