Irregular verb
The verb to find
find → found → found
A2Meaning: to discover something, often after looking; to think something is (easy, fun…) · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they find·he/she/it finds - Past Simple:
found - Past participle:
found(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
finding
Conjugation of the verb to find
Present Simple
| I | find |
| You | find |
| He / She / It | finds |
| We | find |
| You (pl.) | find |
| They | find |
Past Simple
| I | found |
| You | found |
| He / She / It | found |
| We | found |
| You (pl.) | found |
| They | found |
All the forms of the verb to find
Present Simple
Full pagefind / finds
“I find this exercise easy.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are finding
“I am finding the answer right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagefound
“I found my keys under the sofa.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were finding
“I was finding the answer when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has found
“I have already found the answer.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad found
“She had already found the answer when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill find
“I will find the answer tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to find
“I'm going to find the answer this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould find
“I would find the answer if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to find
1. Finding something (by chance or after looking)
- I found a coin on the street.
- Can you find your way?
2. Giving an opinion
Use find + something + adjective to say what you think.
- I find this book interesting.
- She finds maths difficult.
3. Phrasal verb: find out
Find out means to discover or learn a piece of information.
- I found out the truth.
- How did you find out?
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I'm finding my keys ❌
When you are searching, use look for: I'm looking for my keys. Find is the result: I found my keys under the sofa. First you look for, then you find.
2. I founded my keys ❌
Find → found → found: three forms, only two words. Don't confuse it with the verb found (to start a company), which is regular: founded. So: I found my keys, but They founded a company.
Going further
Conjugating to find 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 find. Now say it out loud.
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Related pages: find
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of find?+
The Past Simple of find is found. It is the same for every person. The past participle is also found. Find → found → found.
What is the difference between find and look for?+
Look for is the search (the action in progress). Find is the result (the search is over). I'm looking for my phone. I found my phone! First you look for something, then you find it.
How do you use find to give an opinion?+
Use find + something + adjective: I find it interesting. I find this book boring. I find English easy. It gives your personal opinion, from your own experience.
What does find out mean?+
Find out is a phrasal verb. It means to discover or learn a piece of information: I found out the truth. It is more specific than find: you find an object, but you find out information.
Is found also a verb?+
Yes, be careful. Found is the past of find, but to found is also a different verb: it means to start or create (a company, a school). To found is regular: found → founded → founded. The company was founded in 1990.
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/find
© 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.