Irregular verb
The verb to hide
hide → hid → hidden
B1Meaning: to put something where nobody can find it; to go where nobody can find you · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they hide·he/she/it hides - Past Simple:
hid - Past participle:
hidden(not the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
hiding
Conjugation of the verb to hide
Present Simple
| I | hide |
| You | hide |
| He / She / It | hides |
| We | hide |
| You (pl.) | hide |
| They | hide |
Past Simple
| I | hid |
| You | hid |
| He / She / It | hid |
| We | hid |
| You (pl.) | hid |
| They | hid |
All the forms of the verb to hide
Present Simple
Full pagehide / hides
“The cat hides under the bed.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are hiding
“I am hiding the present right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagehid
“I hid the present in the closet.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were hiding
“I was hiding the present when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has hidden
“I have already hidden the present.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad hidden
“She had already hidden the present when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill hide
“I will hide the present tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to hide
“I'm going to hide the present this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould hide
“I would hide the present if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to hide
1. Hiding something
- I hid the gift under the bed.
- She hides her feelings.
2. Hiding (with no extra word)
Hide alone, with no myself or yourself.
- The cat is hiding under the sofa.
- Let's play hide and seek!
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I hide me ❌
Hide works alone, with no extra word: I'm hiding. The cat is hiding under the sofa. Hide me means someone else hides you. Hide yourself exists, but it is rarer and stronger.
2. A hid treasure ❌
As an adjective, use hidden: a hidden treasure, a hidden door. Hidden is very common as an adjective.
What's next?
You can conjugate to hide. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of hide?+
The Past Simple of hide is hid. The past participle is hidden. Three forms: hide → hid → hidden.
Do you say hide or hide yourself?+
Usually just hide, with no other word: I'm hiding. The cat is hiding under the bed. You don't need myself or itself.
What is the difference between hide and cover?+
Hide means to put something where nobody can see or find it. Cover means to put something on top of something else. I hid the keys. I covered the keys with a book.
What is hide and seek?+
Hide and seek is a children's game: the other players hide, and one player looks for them. Let's play hide and seek! It is a fixed expression: learn it as one block.
Is it hided or hid?+
Say hid. Hide is an irregular verb: its Past Simple is hid and its past participle is hidden. Hided is never correct.
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/hide
© 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.