Irregular verb
The verb to lean
lean → leaned/leant → leaned/leant
B2Meaning: to bend your body forward or sideways; to rest against something; to depend on someone · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they lean·he/she/it leans - Past Simple:
leaned(US) orleant(UK, /lent/) - Past participle:
leanedorleant - -ing form:
leaning
Conjugation of the verb to lean
Present Simple
| I | lean |
| You | lean |
| He / She / It | leans |
| We | lean |
| You (pl.) | lean |
| They | lean |
Past Simple
| I | leaned / leant |
| You | leaned / leant |
| He / She / It | leaned / leant |
| We | leaned / leant |
| You (pl.) | leaned / leant |
| They | leaned / leant |
All the forms of the verb to lean
Present Simple
Full pagelean / leans
“I lean against the wall.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are leaning
“I am leaning against the wall right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageleaned (US) / leant (UK)
“She leaned forward.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were leaning
“I was leaning against the wall when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has leaned
“I have already leaned against the wall.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad leaned
“She had already leaned against the wall when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill lean
“I will lean against the wall tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to lean
“I'm going to lean against the wall this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould lean
“I would lean against the wall if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to lean
1. Leaning forward or against something
- She leaned forward.
2. Depending on someone
Lean on someone means to depend on them for help and support.
- I lean on my family.
A common mistake
1. Lean in business
Lean startup and lean management are English names for methods that companies use all over the world. Here lean means with no waste.
What's next?
You can conjugate to lean. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of lean?+
There are two forms: leaned (US, regular) and leant (UK, irregular, pronounced /lent/). Both are correct. Some other verbs also have a British and an American form: learnt / learned, spelt / spelled.
Is it lean on or lean against?+
Lean on someone means to depend on them for help and support (figurative). Lean against something means to rest your body on it (physical). I lean on my friends in difficult times. I leaned against the wall.
What does lean mean as an adjective?+
Lean (adjective) means thin, but strong and healthy: it is positive. Lean meat has very little fat. A lean body is muscular, with little fat. It is different from skinny (very thin, often negative).
Why is it called the Leaning Tower of Pisa?+
Because it leans: it is not straight. This famous tower is in Pisa, in Italy. Here leaning is an adjective in -ing that means going to one side.
What does lean startup mean?+
Lean is also a business word. A lean startup is a way to start a company: you test your idea quickly, improve it and avoid waste. The method comes from Eric Ries (2011). Lean management means managing with no waste, an idea from the car maker Toyota.
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/lean
© 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.