Irregular verb
The verb to leave
leave → left → left
A2Meaning: to go away from a place; to let something stay · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they leave·he/she/it leaves - Past Simple:
left - Past participle:
left(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
leaving(without the final e)
Conjugation of the verb to leave
Present Simple
| I | leave |
| You | leave |
| He / She / It | leaves |
| We | leave |
| You (pl.) | leave |
| They | leave |
Past Simple
| I | left |
| You | left |
| He / She / It | left |
| We | left |
| You (pl.) | left |
| They | left |
All the forms of the verb to leave
Present Simple
Full pageleave / leaves
“I leave home at 8 every morning.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are leaving
“I am leaving the house right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageleft
“She left the office at 6.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were leaving
“I was leaving the house when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has left
“I have already left the house.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad left
“She had already left the house when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill leave
“I will leave the house tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to leave
“I'm going to leave the house this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould leave
“I would leave the house if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to leave
1. Going away from a place
- I'm leaving now.
- She left the party early.
2. Leaving something or someone
Leave me alone! means go away and don't disturb me.
- I left my keys at home.
- Leave me alone!
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Leave or let?
Leave means to let something stay somewhere, or to go away: Leave your bag here. Let means to allow someone to do something: Let me go! Don't mix them up.
2. Left has two meanings
Left is the Past Simple and past participle of leave. It is also a direction: the opposite of right. Turn left is not the same as I left.
Going further
Conjugating to leave 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 leave. Now say it out loud.
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Related pages: leave
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of leave?+
The Past Simple of leave is left, the same for every person. The past participle is also left. Leave → left → left.
How do you use leave a message?+
Say leave a message: Can you leave a message for my brother? On a phone: Please leave a message after the beep.
What is the difference between leave and let?+
Leave means to go away, or to let something or someone stay in a place. Let means to allow. Leave me alone! means go away and don't disturb me. Let me go! means allow me to go.
Why does left also mean the opposite of right?+
The spelling is the same by chance. Left can be: 1. the Past Simple or past participle of leave; 2. a direction, the opposite of right. Turn left is not the same as I left. The context shows the meaning.
What does left mean in there are five minutes left?+
Here, left means still there, not used yet. It comes from the past participle of leave. There are five minutes left. How much time is left? Is there any cake left?
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/leave
© 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.