Irregular verb
The verb to forbid
forbid → forbade → forbidden
B2Meaning: to say someone must not do something · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they forbid·he/she/it forbids - Past Simple:
forbade(said /fəˈbæd/ or /fəˈbeɪd/) - Past participle:
forbidden(with -en) - -ing form:
forbidding(double d)
Conjugation of the verb to forbid
Present Simple
| I | forbid |
| You | forbid |
| He / She / It | forbids |
| We | forbid |
| You (pl.) | forbid |
| They | forbid |
Past Simple
| I | forbade |
| You | forbade |
| He / She / It | forbade |
| We | forbade |
| You (pl.) | forbade |
| They | forbade |
All the forms of the verb to forbid
Present Simple
Full pageforbid / forbids
“The rules forbid running.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are forbidding
“I am forbidding phones in class right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageforbade
“My parents forbade me to go.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were forbidding
“I was forbidding phones in class when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has forbidden
“I have already forbidden phones in class.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad forbidden
“She had already forbidden phones in class when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill forbid
“I will forbid phones in class tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to forbid
“I'm going to forbid phones in class this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould forbid
“I would forbid phones in class if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to forbid
1. Forbidding (formal)
Forbid someone to do something or forbid someone from doing something.
- I forbid you to leave.
- She forbade her son from playing video games.
2. Forbidden (signs and rules)
Mostly in writing, in the passive: is forbidden, are forbidden.
- Smoking is forbidden here.
- Photography is forbidden in the museum.
3. God forbid!
An expression that means “I really hope this never happens”.
- God forbid!
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Forbidded ❌
Forbid → forbade → forbidden: three different forms, never forbidded. It follows the same pattern as give → gave → given and forgive → forgave → forgiven.
2. Forbidden fruit
Forbidden fruit comes from the Bible. It means something you are not allowed to have: because it is forbidden, people want it even more.
What's next?
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Related pages: forbid
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of forbid?+
The Past Simple of forbid is forbade (said /fəˈbæd/ or /fəˈbeɪd/). The past participle is forbidden (with -en). Forbid → forbade → forbidden: three different forms.
How do you pronounce forbade?+
There are two correct pronunciations. /fəˈbæd/ rhymes with bad: it is the older one, common in British English. /fəˈbeɪd/ rhymes with made: it is more modern, common in American English. Choose one and stay with it.
Is it forbid someone to do or from doing?+
Both patterns exist. (1) Forbid someone to do something: I forbid you to leave. (2) Forbid someone from doing something: I forbid you from leaving. The from + -ing pattern is more modern, especially in American English. The to pattern is more traditional.
What is the difference between forbid and ban?+
Forbid means to say that something is not allowed. It is formal: a parent or a rule can forbid something. Ban means to forbid something officially, often with a law. Smoking is forbidden here. Smoking is banned in restaurants. Ban sounds more official.
What does God forbid mean?+
God forbid! means “I really hope this does not happen”. People say it when they talk about something bad that could happen. God forbid he gets ill! means I really hope he does not get ill.
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/forbid
© 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.