Irregular verb
The verb to foretell
foretell → foretold → foretold
B2Meaning: to say what will happen in the future · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they foretell - Past Simple:
foretold(like tell → told) - Past participle:
foretold - -ing form:
foretelling
Conjugation of the verb to foretell
Present Simple
| I | foretell |
| You | foretell |
| He / She / It | foretells |
| We | foretell |
| You (pl.) | foretell |
| They | foretell |
Past Simple
| I | foretold |
| You | foretold |
| He / She / It | foretold |
| We | foretold |
| You (pl.) | foretold |
| They | foretold |
All the forms of the verb to foretell
Present Simple
Full pageforetell / foretells
“Prophets foretell the future.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are foretelling
“I am foretelling the future right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageforetold
“The oracle foretold his fate.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were foretelling
“I was foretelling the future when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has foretold
“I have already foretold the future.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad foretold
“She had already foretold the future when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill foretell
“I will foretell the future tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to foretell
“I'm going to foretell the future this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould foretell
“I would foretell the future if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to foretell
1. Predicting (a prophecy)
- The prophet foretold the storm.
2. Being a sign of something
Here, foretell means to show that something will happen: Dark clouds foretell rain.
- Dark clouds foretell rain.
A common mistake
1. Foretelled ❌
Foretell changes like tell: foretell → foretold → foretold. The oracle foretold his fate.
What's next?
You can conjugate to foretell. 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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For teachersReady-made activities to practise to foretell in class
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of foretell?+
The Past Simple of foretell is foretold. Foretell is fore (before) + tell, so it changes like tell → told. Foretell → foretold → foretold.
Is it foretell or predict?+
Both mean to say what will happen. Foretell is for magic, prophecies or a strong feeling: it is a literary word, common in fantasy stories. Predict is the everyday word, often based on facts: Scientists predict a hot summer.
What is a fortune teller?+
A fortune teller is a person who says they can see your future, for example with cards or by looking at your hand. A fortune teller tells fortunes. You often find this word in stories and at fairs.
What does foretold mean?+
Foretold means announced before it happened, by signs or by a prophecy. It was foretold means someone said long ago that it would happen. The signs foretold a disaster.
Is it foretold or foretelled?+
Say foretold. Foretell = fore + tell, and it follows the irregular verb tell (told). Foretelled is wrong.
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/foretell
© 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.