Irregular verb
The verb to dwell
dwell → dwelt → dwelt
B2Meaning: to live in a place (formal); to keep thinking about something bad · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they dwell·he/she/it dwells - Past Simple:
dwelt(UK) ordwelled(US) - Past participle:
dweltordwelled - -ing form:
dwelling
Conjugation of the verb to dwell
Present Simple
| I | dwell |
| You | dwell |
| He / She / It | dwells |
| We | dwell |
| You (pl.) | dwell |
| They | dwell |
Past Simple
| I | dwelt / dwelled |
| You | dwelt / dwelled |
| He / She / It | dwelt / dwelled |
| We | dwelt / dwelled |
| You (pl.) | dwelt / dwelled |
| They | dwelt / dwelled |
All the forms of the verb to dwell
Present Simple
Full pagedwell / dwells
“They dwell in the mountains.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are dwelling
“I am dwelling on the problem right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagedwelt (UK) / dwelled (US)
“She dwelt on her mistakes for weeks.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were dwelling
“I was dwelling on the problem when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has dwelt
“I have already dwelt on the problem.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad dwelt
“She had already dwelt on the problem when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill dwell
“I will dwell on the problem tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to dwell
“I'm going to dwell on the problem this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould dwell
“I would dwell on the problem if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to dwell
1. Living somewhere (literary)
- They dwell in the mountains.
2. Dwelling on something
Dwell on it = to keep thinking about something bad.
- Don't dwell on it.
A common mistake
1. A dwelling
A dwelling = a place where people live (an official, legal word). Don't use it in conversation: say house or home.
What's next?
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of dwell?+
The Past Simple of dwell is dwelt (UK) or dwelled (US). Both are correct. Other verbs have two forms like this: burned / burnt, learned / learnt.
What does dwell on mean?+
Dwell on something means to think about it for too long, especially something bad or sad. Don't dwell on the past means stop thinking about things that happened before.
What is the difference between dwell and live?+
Live is the normal, everyday word. Dwell means the same, but it is formal and old-fashioned: you find it in poems, old stories and religious texts. When you speak, always use live.
What is a dwelling?+
A dwelling is a formal word for a place where people live: a house or a flat. It is used in official and legal texts. In everyday English, say house, home or flat.
What is a dweller?+
A dweller is a person who lives in a certain place. A city dweller lives in a city. A cave dweller lives in a cave. It is often used in compound words, and the plural is dwellers.
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/dwell
© 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.