The verb to hit · Conjugation
Past Simple of hit
The answer: hit
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to hit is hit.
Example: The car hit a tree.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | hit |
| You | hit |
| He / She / It | hit |
| We | hit |
| You (pl.) | hit |
| They | hit |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Hitted ❌
Hit → hit → hit: the three forms are the same. Other verbs like this: cut, hurt, let, put, set, shut. Look at the time words to see if it is the past: Yesterday, the car hit a tree.
2. Hiting ❌
Double the t before -ing: hit → hitting. The verb is short and ends in consonant + vowel + consonant.
3. Hit is also a noun
As a noun, a hit can mean (1) one hard touch, or (2) a big success: a hit song. The second meaning is very common.
Practice quiz
What's next?
Master the Past Simple of hit when you speak, not just on paper
The conjugation is clear in your head. On PLAY, you practise it in a game, with instant feedback, until it comes out on its own.
Practise the Past Simple of hit on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersYour whole class practises the Past Simple of hit, and you follow each student
The Academy has self-marking activities on this form, with a dashboard for each student: you see at a glance who is falling behind.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
English contestThe English contest tests the Past Simple of hit in real sentences
Instead of a single school exercise, your students meet this tense in context, in a contest that really motivates them.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of hit?+
The Past Simple of hit is hit, the same as the base form! The past participle is also hit. All three forms are the same: hit → hit → hit.
Is hitted correct?+
No. Hit is irregular, and it never changes. Other verbs like this: cut, hurt, let, put, set, shut. There is no -ed form.
Why does hitting have two t's?+
Hit ends in consonant + vowel + consonant (h-i-t). Short verbs like this double the last consonant before -ing: hit → hitting.
Hit or beat: which one do I use?+
Hit is one hard touch: I hit the ball. Beat means to hit many times, or to win against someone in a game: He beat me at chess.
What does hit mean as a noun?+
A hit is a big success, like a song or a film: The song was a big hit. It can also mean one hard touch, for example in boxing.
Related pages: hit 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/hit/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.
Keep learning
More forms of the verb to hit are coming soon.