The verb to sell · Conjugation
Past Simple of sell
The answer: sold
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to sell is sold.
Example: I sold my old car.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | sold |
| You | sold |
| He / She / It | sold |
| We | sold |
| You (pl.) | sold |
| They | sold |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Selled ❌
Sell is an irregular verb. Its Past Simple is sold, never selled. It is the same for tell → told.
2. The concert is sold ❌
The expression is sold out, with out: The concert is sold out. The book is sold out. Here sold out works as an adjective: there is nothing left to buy.
3. I sold to him my car ❌
There are two patterns: I sold him my car (person + thing, with no preposition) or I sold my car to him (thing + to + person). When the person comes first, don't put to before it.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of sell?+
The Past Simple of sell is sold. The past participle is the same: sold. Sell → sold → sold.
Why is it not selled?+
Because sell is an irregular verb. Its Past Simple is sold, never selled. It is the same for tell → told.
Is it sell or buy?+
Sell: you give something and get money. Buy: you give money and get something. They are opposites. I sold my bike to Tom. Tom bought my bike.
What does sold out mean?+
Sold out means there is nothing left to buy. The concert is sold out means there are no tickets left. The tickets are sold out means all the tickets have been sold.
What does sell well mean?+
Sell well means that a lot of people buy something: The product sells well. Don't confuse it with sell yourself, which means to show people your skills and good points, for example in a job interview.
Related pages: sell 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/sell/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 sell are coming soon.