Irregular verb
The verb to breed
breed → bred → bred
B2Meaning: to keep animals to produce young ones; to have babies (animals) · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they breed·he/she/it breeds - Past Simple:
bred(the vowel ee becomes e) - Past participle:
bred(the same) - -ing form:
breeding
Conjugation of the verb to breed
Present Simple
| I | breed |
| You | breed |
| He / She / It | breeds |
| We | breed |
| You (pl.) | breed |
| They | breed |
Past Simple
| I | bred |
| You | bred |
| He / She / It | bred |
| We | bred |
| You (pl.) | bred |
| They | bred |
All the forms of the verb to breed
Present Simple
Full pagebreed / breeds
“Farmers breed cattle.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are breeding
“I am breeding rabbits right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagebred
“He bred horses for racing.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were breeding
“I was breeding rabbits when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has bred
“I have already bred rabbits.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad bred
“She had already bred rabbits when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill breed
“I will breed rabbits tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to breed
“I'm going to breed rabbits this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould breed
“I would breed rabbits if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to breed
1. Breeding animals
- They breed Labrador puppies.
2. Having babies (animals)
- Rabbits breed quickly.
3. Causing something (figurative)
Here, breed means to cause or create something, often something bad.
- Poverty breeds crime.
4. Breed (noun) = a type of animal
- What breed is your dog?
Common mistakes to avoid
1. A crossed dog ❌
A dog whose parents are two different breeds is a cross-breed (or a cross), not a crossed dog. You can also say a mixed-breed dog. Mongrel means the same, but it often sounds negative.
2. Familiarity breeds contempt
A proverb: when you know someone or something very well, you can lose your respect for it (sometimes). Here, breed means to create or cause.
What's next?
You can conjugate to breed. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of breed?+
The Past Simple of breed is bred. The past participle is also bred. Breed → bred → bred. A few verbs in -eed follow the same pattern: feed → fed, bleed → bled. Flee → fled is similar.
Is it breed or race for a dog?+
Use breed for animals: a type of dog, cat or horse. What breed is your dog? Race is for a competition (a horse race) or for groups of people. So What race is your dog? is wrong.
What does well-bred mean?+
Well-bred has two meanings. (1) For people: polite, with good manners: a well-bred young lady. (2) For animals: from a good breed: a well-bred horse.
What does breeding ground mean?+
A breeding ground is (1) a place where animals have their young: a breeding ground for birds. (2) A place or situation where something bad grows easily: Poverty is a breeding ground for crime.
What is the difference between cross-breed and mixed breed?+
A cross-breed is a dog whose parents are two different known breeds: a labradoodle is a Labrador + a poodle. A mixed breed is a dog with several breeds, often unknown. Mongrel also means a dog of mixed breed, but it often sounds negative.
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/breed
© 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.