Irregular verb
The verb to hurt
hurt → hurt → hurt
B1Meaning: to cause pain or injury; to feel pain · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they hurt·he/she/it hurts - Past Simple:
hurt(the same as the base form) - Past participle:
hurt(all 3 forms are the same) - -ing form:
hurting
Conjugation of the verb to hurt
Present Simple
| I | hurt |
| You | hurt |
| He / She / It | hurts |
| We | hurt |
| You (pl.) | hurt |
| They | hurt |
Past Simple
| I | hurt |
| You | hurt |
| He / She / It | hurt |
| We | hurt |
| You (pl.) | hurt |
| They | hurt |
All the forms of the verb to hurt
Present Simple
Full pagehurt / hurts
“My head hurts.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are hurting
“I am hurting my knee right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagehurt
“I hurt my knee yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were hurting
“I was hurting my knee when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has hurt
“I have already hurt my knee.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad hurt
“She had already hurt my knee when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill hurt
“I will hurt my knee tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to hurt
“I'm going to hurt my knee this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould hurt
“I would hurt my knee if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to hurt
1. Feeling pain (the body part is the subject)
- My head hurts.
- My back hurts.
2. Hurting yourself
Hurt + a part of the body: hurt my knee, hurt your back.
- I hurt my knee.
- Don't hurt yourself.
3. Hurting someone's feelings
- You hurt my feelings.
- It hurts to see you sad.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. It hurts = it is painful
A very common expression: It hurts. To ask, say Does it hurt? Doctors and nurses use it all the time: Where does it hurt?
2. Hurt ≠ be in pain
My leg hurts is general: you feel some pain. I'm in pain is stronger and sounds more medical: the pain is serious. She was in a lot of pain after the operation.
What's next?
You can conjugate to hurt. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of hurt?+
The Past Simple of hurt is hurt, the same as the base form. The past participle is also hurt. It belongs to a family of verbs that never change: cut, hit, hurt, let, put, set, shut.
Is it my head hurts or I have a headache?+
Both are correct. My head hurts is very natural, and so is I have a headache. For other parts of the body, use the same pattern: My back hurts. My stomach hurts. The part of the body is the subject of the sentence.
What is the difference between hurt and injure?+
Hurt is general: the pain can be small. Injure is about a serious injury, often in sport or in an accident. I hurt my finger (a little). He was injured in the accident (badly).
Can hurt be about feelings?+
Yes! Hurt someone's feelings means to make someone sad or upset. It hurts to lose means that losing is painful. This figurative meaning is very common.
Is it hurt or hurted?+
Always hurt. The verb does not change in the Past Simple or in the past participle: hurt → hurt → hurt. Hurted does not exist.
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/hurt
© 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.