The verb to forgive · Conjugation
Present Perfect of forgive
The answer: have / has forgiven
B1
A past action with a link to the present.
Quick answer
The Present Perfect of the verb to forgive is have / has forgiven.
Example: I have already forgiven him.
Full conjugation in the Present Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | have forgiven | I've forgiven |
| You | have forgiven | You've forgiven |
| He / She / It | has forgiven | He's / She's / It's forgiven |
| We | have forgiven | We've forgiven |
| You (pl.) | have forgiven | You've forgiven |
| They | have forgiven | They've forgiven |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I have seen him yesterday ❌
Do not use the Present Perfect with a finished time (yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago). Use the Past Simple: I saw him yesterday. With forgive, use forgave with a finished time and have forgiven without one.
2. I live here since 2020 ❌
Some situations started in the past and are still true now. For them, use the Present Perfect: I have lived here since 2020, I have known her for three years. Use since + a starting point (since Monday, since 2020). Use for + a length of time (for two weeks, for a long time).
3. I have forgave ❌
After have or has, use the past participle, not the Past Simple: I have forgiven. The Past Simple of forgive is forgave, and the past participle is forgiven. Learn the three forms together: forgive, forgave, forgiven.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate forgive in the Present Perfect?+
Use have or has + the past participle forgiven. Use has with he, she and it. Use have with I, you, we and they: I have forgiven, she has forgiven. Short forms: I've forgiven, she's forgiven.
What is the past participle of forgive?+
The past participle of forgive is forgiven. You use it after have, has and had. It is different from the Past Simple. Learn the three forms together: forgive, forgave, forgiven.
When do you use the Present Perfect of forgive?+
Use it for a past action that is connected to now, with no exact time. Use it for experiences in your life: Have you ever forgiven…? Use it for a recent action with a result now, often with just: I have just forgiven… Use it also for a situation that started in the past and continues: I have lived here since 2020.
What is the difference between I forgave and I have forgiven?+
I forgave (Past Simple) goes with a finished time: yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago. I have forgiven (Present Perfect) has no finished time, and the result is important now. Signal words: ever, never, already, just, yet.
How do you make the negative and the question of forgive in the Present Perfect?+
Negative: I haven't forgiven, she hasn't forgiven. Question: put have or has before the subject: Have you forgiven…?, Has she forgiven…? The word yet often goes at the end of a negative or a question: Have you finished yet?
Related pages: forgive Present Perfect
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/forgive/present-perfect
© 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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