The verb to forbid · Conjugation
Past Simple of forbid
The answer: forbade
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to forbid is forbade.
Example: My parents forbade me to go.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | forbade |
| You | forbade |
| He / She / It | forbade |
| We | forbade |
| You (pl.) | forbade |
| They | forbade |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Forbid → forbade → forbidden
Three different forms, never forbidded. It works like give → gave → given and take → took → taken.
2. Smoking is forbid ❌
After is or are (the passive), use the past participle forbidden: Smoking is forbidden ✓, never Smoking is forbid.
3. A formal verb
When people speak, they often say not allowed or banned. Forbid is more formal and more common in writing. In conversation, Smoking is not allowed sounds more natural than Smoking is forbidden.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of forbid?+
The Past Simple of forbid is forbade (said /fəˈbæd/ or /fəˈbeɪd/). The past participle is forbidden (with -en). Forbid → forbade → forbidden.
How do you pronounce forbade?+
There are two correct pronunciations: /fəˈbæd/ (it rhymes with bad, the older one) and /fəˈbeɪd/ (it rhymes with made, more modern). Both are correct.
Is it forbid someone to do or forbid someone from doing?+
Both patterns exist. Forbid someone to do something: I forbid you to leave. Forbid someone from doing something: I forbid you from leaving. The from pattern is more common in modern American English.
Is it didn't forbid or didn't forbade?+
Say didn't forbid: They didn't forbid the trip. After didn't, the verb goes back to its base form (forbid, not forbade).
What does forbidden fruit mean?+
Forbidden fruit is an expression from the Bible (the story of Adam and Eve). It means something you are not allowed to have. The idea: when something is forbidden, people want it even more.
Related pages: forbid Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/past-simple
© 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.
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More forms of the verb to forbid are coming soon.