Irregular verb
The verb to feed
feed → fed → fed
B1Meaning: to give food to a person or animal · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they feed·he/she/it feeds - Past Simple:
fed(the vowel ee becomes e) - Past participle:
fed(the same) - -ing form:
feeding
Conjugation of the verb to feed
Present Simple
| I | feed |
| You | feed |
| He / She / It | feeds |
| We | feed |
| You (pl.) | feed |
| They | feed |
Past Simple
| I | fed |
| You | fed |
| He / She / It | fed |
| We | fed |
| You (pl.) | fed |
| They | fed |
All the forms of the verb to feed
Present Simple
Full pagefeed / feeds
“I feed my dog twice a day.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are feeding
“I am feeding the cat right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagefed
“I fed the cat this morning.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were feeding
“I was feeding the cat when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has fed
“I have already fed the cat.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad fed
“She had already fed the cat when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill feed
“I will feed the cat tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to feed
“I'm going to feed the cat this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould feed
“I would feed the cat if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to feed
1. Feeding a person or an animal
- I feed my cat every day.
- She fed the baby.
2. Feeding a machine or an idea
You can feed paper into a machine. Don't feed the trolls means don't answer rude people online.
- Feed the printer with paper.
- Don't feed the trolls.
3. Fed up (idiom)
Fed up means annoyed or bored with something.
- I'm fed up!
4. Feed (noun)
A feed is the list of new posts on a social network.
- My Instagram feed.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Don't feed the trolls = don't answer them
This is advice for the internet, not about animals. A troll writes rude messages to make people angry. If you don't answer, you don't feed the troll, and it usually stops.
2. I food my cat ❌
Food is a noun (what you eat). Feed is the verb (to give food): I feed my cat every morning. You can also say I give food to my cat. On social media, your feed (or newsfeed) is the list of new posts.
What's next?
You can conjugate to feed. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
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Related pages: feed
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of feed?+
The Past Simple of feed is fed. The past participle is also fed. Feed → fed → fed. Some other verbs follow the same pattern (ee becomes e): bleed → bled, breed → bred, flee → fled.
What does fed up mean?+
Fed up is an idiom: it means annoyed or bored with something that has lasted too long. I'm fed up with this! In British English, you can also say fed up of: I'm fed up of waiting. Fed up with is correct everywhere: I'm fed up with waiting. It is very useful in everyday English.
What does feed mean as a noun?+
A feed has several meanings. (1) Food for animals: cattle feed. (2) The list of new posts on a social network: my Instagram feed. (3) A meal of milk for a baby: the baby's next feed. (4) The way paper or power goes into a machine: the paper feed.
What is the difference between breastfeed and bottle-feed?+
Breastfeed means to feed a baby with milk from the mother's breast. Bottle-feed means to feed a baby with milk from a bottle. She decided to breastfeed her baby.
What does don't feed the trolls mean?+
It is advice for life online. A troll is a person who writes rude or angry messages to get a reaction. Don't feed the trolls means don't answer them. Trolls want a reaction: if you ignore them, they usually go away.
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/feed
© 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.