The verb to leave · Conjugation
Past Simple of leave
The answer: left
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to leave is left.
Example: She left the office at 6.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | left |
| You | left |
| He / She / It | left |
| We | left |
| You (pl.) | left |
| They | left |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Leaved ❌
Leave is irregular. Its Past Simple is left, never leaved.
2. Leaveing ❌
The -ing form drops the final e: leave → leaving, never leaveing.
3. Left = Past Simple AND past participle
Like have / had, the Past Simple and the past participle are the same: left. I left early. I have left my coat at school.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of leave?+
The Past Simple of leave is left, the same for every person. The past participle is also left (the same as the Past Simple).
How do you say you forgot something at home?+
Use leave: I left my book at home. Here, leave means to let something stay in a place. Leave also means to go away from a place.
What is the difference between leave and go?+
Leave means to go away from a place or a person. Go means to move towards a place. I left the party at 10 (I went away from the party). I went home at 10 (home was where I was going).
How do you make leave negative in the past?+
Use didn't + leave: He didn't leave a message. After didn't, the verb stays in its base form (leave, not left).
Is it left or leaved?+
Say left. Leave is an irregular verb, so its Past Simple is left, never leaved. It is a common mistake.
Related pages: leave 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/leave/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.
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More forms of the verb to leave are coming soon.