The verb to plead · Conjugation
Past Simple of plead
The answer: pleaded
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to plead is pleaded.
Example: He pleaded guilty.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | pleaded |
| You | pleaded |
| He / She / It | pleaded |
| We | pleaded |
| You (pl.) | pleaded |
| They | pleaded |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Pleaded or pled?
Both are accepted. Pled is more American and used mostly in law. Pleaded works everywhere.
2. Plead ≠ beg
Plead means to ask very strongly (formal), or to answer a charge in court (legal). Beg means to ask very strongly in everyday speech, or to ask people for money in the street.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of plead?+
Pleaded (regular, standard) or pled (informal American English, often in law).
What do plead guilty and plead not guilty mean?+
Plead guilty means to say in court that you did the crime. Plead not guilty means to say that you did not. These are very important legal words.
What does plead with someone mean?+
Plead with someone means to ask a person very strongly, almost crying. I pleaded with him to stay.
What does plead the Fifth mean in English?+
Plead the Fifth (US) means to use the Fifth Amendment: you refuse to answer because your answer could show you are guilty. It is a very American legal expression.
Is it pled or pleaded?+
Both are correct in the US. Pled is shorter, more American and common in law. Pleaded is the standard form everywhere, so it is the safest choice.
Related pages: plead 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/plead/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 plead are coming soon.