Irregular verb
The verb to see
see → saw → seen
A1Meaning: to notice with your eyes; to understand; to meet someone · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 10 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they see·he/she/it sees - Past Simple:
saw - Past participle:
seen - -ing form:
seeing
Conjugation of the verb to see
Present Simple
| I | see |
| You | see |
| He / She / It | sees |
| We | see |
| You (pl.) | see |
| They | see |
Present Perfect
| I | have seen | I've seen |
| You | have seen | You've seen |
| He / She / It | has seen | He's / She's / It's seen |
| We | have seen | We've seen |
| You (pl.) | have seen | You've seen |
| They | have seen | They've seen |
All the forms of the verb to see
Present Simple
Full pagesee / sees
“I see a bird in the tree.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are seeing
“I see the sea (not I am seeing the sea).”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagesaw
“I saw a great film yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were seeing
“I saw the sea (not I was seeing the sea).”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has seen
“I have seen this film three times.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad seen
“I had never seen the sea before that day.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill see
“I will see the sea tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to see
“I'm going to see the sea this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould see
“I would see the sea if the window were open.”
See the pageHow to use to see
1. Seeing with your eyes
- I can see the mountains from here.
- Did you see that?
2. Understanding something
I see can mean "I understand".
- I see what you mean.
- Oh, I see!
3. Meeting or visiting someone
I'm seeing my friend tomorrow means we have a plan to meet.
- I'm seeing my friend tomorrow.
- I need to see the doctor.
4. Common expressions
See you later means goodbye for now. I'll see means I will think about it. See for yourself means look and check it yourself.
- see you later / soon
- I'll see
- see for yourself
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I see TV every evening ❌
See = your eyes notice something. Look (at) = you choose to turn your eyes to something. Watch = you follow something that moves, for some time. Look at the moon ✓ / Watch the film ✓ / I watch TV every evening ✓.
2. I am seeing a bird ❌
When see means to notice with your eyes, it does not take -ing: I see a bird ✓, not I am seeing a bird. But I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow ✓ is correct: it is a planned meeting.
3. I see = I understand
In a conversation, I see on its own often means I understand, not I can see it. Oh, I see! means "Oh, OK, now I understand!"
Going further
Conjugating to see 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.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to see. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
Practise to see on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersReady-made activities to practise to see in class
The Academy offers self-marking exercises and progress tracking for each student: your class practises, and you see who has got it and who needs more help.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
Related pages: see
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of see?+
The Past Simple of see is saw. It is the same for every person: I saw, he saw, they saw. The past participle is seen. See → saw → seen.
What is the difference between see, look and watch?+
See means your eyes notice something, even when you don't try: I can see the bird. Look (at) means you choose to turn your eyes to something: Look at this picture. Watch means you look at something for some time, usually something that moves: watch TV, watch the match.
Why do you say I'm seeing the doctor but not I'm seeing a bird?+
When see means to notice with your eyes, it is not used in the -ing form: I see a bird. When it means to meet someone, seeing is fine: I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow (I have an appointment). I'm seeing someone means I have a boyfriend or a girlfriend.
What does I see mean in a conversation?+
On its own, I see usually means "I understand" or "OK". It shows that you follow what the other person says. It has nothing to do with your eyes here. It is very common when people speak.
What does see you later mean?+
See you is a friendly way to say goodbye: See you later, See you soon, See you tomorrow. It is a short form of I will see you later. In text messages, people sometimes write CU later.
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/see
© 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.