The verb to like · Conjugation
Past Simple of like
The answer: liked
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to like is liked.
Example: I liked the movie.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | liked |
| You | liked |
| He / She / It | liked |
| We | liked |
| You (pl.) | liked |
| They | liked |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She looks like happy ❌
Like can be a verb (I like music), a preposition (She looks like her mum) or a noun (a like on social media). As a preposition, it goes before a noun, not before an adjective. So say She looks happy, but She looks like a princess.
2. I liked it, like, a lot ❌
In casual speech, like is often a filler word: It was, like, really good. Many young people say it, but it is not for writing. In a text or an exam, write I liked it a lot.
Practice quiz
Going further
The English contest tests the Past Simple of like in real sentences
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of like?+
Like is regular: its Past Simple is liked, the same for every person. We liked the film.
Can you say I like cooking and I like to cook?+
Yes, both are correct. The -ing form focuses on the fun of the activity: I like cooking with my dad. To + verb focuses more on a choice: I like to cook my own lunch.
Is love stronger than like?+
Yes. Like = to enjoy. Love = to enjoy very much. I like pizza is fine, but I love pizza means it is one of your favourite foods.
What is a like on social media?+
Here, a like is a noun: you click a button to show that you enjoy a post. Her video got 500 likes. The verb works too: He liked my photo.
What does look like mean?+
Look like means to be similar to someone or something when you see them: She looks like her mum. Here like is a preposition, not the verb like.
Related pages: like 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/like/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.
Keep learning
More forms of the verb to like are coming soon.