Regular verb
The verb to hope
hope → hoped → hoped
A2Meaning: to want something to happen · Type: regular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
hope / hopes - Past Simple:
hoped - Past participle:
hoped - -ing form:
hoping
Conjugation of the verb to hope
Present Simple
| I | hope |
| You | hope |
| He / She / It | hopes |
| We | hope |
| You (pl.) | hope |
| They | hope |
Past Simple
| I | hoped |
| You | hoped |
| He / She / It | hoped |
| We | hoped |
| You (pl.) | hoped |
| They | hoped |
All the forms of the verb to hope
Present Simple
Full pagehope / hopes
“I hope you're well.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are hoping
“I am hoping for good weather right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagehoped
“I hoped to see you.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were hoping
“I was hoping for good weather when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has hoped
“I have already hoped for good weather.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad hoped
“She had already hoped for good weather when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill hope
“I will hope for good weather tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to hope
“I'm going to hope for good weather this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould hope
“I would hope for good weather if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to hope
1. Hoping for something
- I hope you're well.
2. Hope so / hope not
I hope so means I hope the answer is yes. I hope not means I hope the answer is no.
- Will it rain? / I hope not.
A common mistake
1. I hope it ❌
To answer a question, say I hope so (yes) or I hope not (no): Will you come to the party? I hope so! I hope it and I hope yes are not correct.
Going further
Conjugating to hope is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to hope. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
Practise to hope on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersReady-made activities to practise to hope in class
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Related pages: hope
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of hope?+
The Past Simple of hope is hoped. It is a regular verb: hope already ends in e, so you just add -d.
What is the difference between hope and wish?+
Hope is for something real and possible. Wish is often for something that is not real, or not possible. I hope I pass the test (it is possible). I wish I could fly (it is not possible).
What do I hope so and I hope not mean?+
I hope so means I hope the answer is yes. I hope not means I hope the answer is no. These short answers are very useful: Is it going to rain? I hope not.
What is the difference between hopeful and hopeless?+
They are opposites. Hopeful means full of hope, positive about the future. Hopeless means with no hope at all. A hopeful situation. A hopeless case.
How do you use I hope you're well?+
I hope you're well is a polite way to start an email or a letter. I hope this email finds you well is more formal.
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/hope
© 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.