Irregular verb
The verb to hit
hit → hit → hit
B1Meaning: to touch something hard and fast; to crash into · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they hit·he/she/it hits - Past Simple:
hit(the same as the base form) - Past participle:
hit(all three forms are the same) - -ing form:
hitting(double t)
Conjugation of the verb to hit
Present Simple
| I | hit |
| You | hit |
| He / She / It | hits |
| We | hit |
| You (pl.) | hit |
| They | hit |
Past Simple
| I | hit |
| You | hit |
| He / She / It | hit |
| We | hit |
| You (pl.) | hit |
| They | hit |
All the forms of the verb to hit
Present Simple
Full pagehit / hits
“He hits the ball hard.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are hitting
“I am hitting the ball right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagehit
“The car hit a tree.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were hitting
“I was hitting the ball when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has hit
“I have already hit the ball.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad hit
“She had already hit the ball when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill hit
“I will hit the ball tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to hit
“I'm going to hit the ball this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould hit
“I would hit the ball if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to hit
1. Hitting someone or something
- Don't hit your sister!
- The car hit a tree.
2. Reaching a target
Hit can also mean to reach something. When a film hits cinemas, it comes out.
- The arrow hit the target.
- The film hit theaters last week.
3. Other meanings: a hit / hit it off
A hit is a big success. Hit it off means to like each other at once.
- The song was a big hit.
- We hit it off immediately.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. We hit them 3-0 ❌
Hit = to touch something hard, often one time: She hit the ball. Beat = to hit many times, or to win against someone: We beat them 3-0. For a match, always use beat.
2. Hit me up: a phrasal verb
Hit me up is slang (very informal English). It means “contact me”: Hit me up tomorrow. It has nothing to do with hitting! Use it only with friends.
What's next?
You can conjugate to hit. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of hit?+
The Past Simple of hit is hit: it does not change. The past participle is also hit. Hit → hit → hit. Other verbs like this: cut, hurt, let, put, set, shut.
Is it hiting or hitting?+
Say hitting, with two t's. A short verb that ends in consonant + vowel + consonant doubles the last letter before -ing: hit → hitting, cut → cutting, run → running.
What is the difference between hit and beat?+
Hit is usually one hard touch: He hit the ball. Beat means to hit many times, or to win against someone in a game: We beat them 3-0.
What is a hit song?+
A hit is something very successful, like a song or a film. A hit song is a song that a lot of people buy and listen to. The film was a box-office hit means a lot of people went to see it.
Is it hit or hitted?+
Say hit. The verb never takes -ed: hit → hit → hit. Hitted is a mistake: Yesterday, the ball hit the window.
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/hit
© 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.