Regular verb
The verb to clean
clean → cleaned → cleaned
A2Meaning: to remove dirt from something · Type: regular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
clean / cleans - Past Simple:
cleaned - Past participle:
cleaned - -ing form:
cleaning
Conjugation of the verb to clean
Present Simple
| I | clean |
| You | clean |
| He / She / It | cleans |
| We | clean |
| You (pl.) | clean |
| They | clean |
Past Simple
| I | cleaned |
| You | cleaned |
| He / She / It | cleaned |
| We | cleaned |
| You (pl.) | cleaned |
| They | cleaned |
All the forms of the verb to clean
Present Simple
Full pageclean / cleans
“I clean my room.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are cleaning
“I am cleaning the kitchen right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagecleaned
“I cleaned the kitchen.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were cleaning
“I was cleaning the kitchen when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has cleaned
“I have already cleaned the kitchen.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad cleaned
“She had already cleaned the kitchen when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill clean
“I will clean the kitchen tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to clean
“I'm going to clean the kitchen this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould clean
“I would clean the kitchen if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to clean
1. Cleaning
- Clean your room!
2. Clean up
Clean up after yourself means to clean the mess that you made.
- Clean up after yourself.
A common mistake
1. Saying clean-ed in two syllables ❌
The -ed of cleaned does not add a syllable: say /kliːnd/. Only verbs that end in a t or d sound add a syllable: wanted, needed.
Going further
Conjugating to clean 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.
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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to clean. Now say it out loud.
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Related pages: clean
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of clean?+
Cleaned. Clean is a regular verb: add -ed. Say it in one syllable: /kliːnd/.
What is the difference between clean and tidy?+
Clean = to remove dirt, dust or marks. Tidy (mostly British) = to put things in the right place. They are not the same! Clean the kitchen (remove the dirt) and Tidy your room (put your things away).
What does clean up mean?+
Clean up means to clean a place after a mess. Clean up the juice you spilled. Clean up after yourself means clean the mess that you made.
What is a cleaner?+
A cleaner is (1) a person whose job is cleaning houses or offices, or (2) a product for cleaning: a bathroom cleaner. The context tells you which one.
What is spring cleaning?+
Spring cleaning is a big clean of the whole house in spring. It is a tradition in many countries. It can also mean to sort things and throw away what you don't need (papers, clothes).
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/clean
© 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.