Irregular verb
The verb to slay
slay → slew → slain
B2Meaning: to kill, often in a heroic way; (slang) to do brilliantly · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they slay·he/she/it slays - Past Simple:
slew - Past participle:
slain - -ing form:
slaying
Conjugation of the verb to slay
Present Simple
| I | slay |
| You | slay |
| He / She / It | slays |
| We | slay |
| You (pl.) | slay |
| They | slay |
Past Simple
| I | slew |
| You | slew |
| He / She / It | slew |
| We | slew |
| You (pl.) | slew |
| They | slew |
All the forms of the verb to slay
Present Simple
Full pageslay / slays
“Heroes slay dragons.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are slaying
“I am slaying the dragon right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageslew
“St George slew the dragon.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were slaying
“I was slaying the dragon when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has slain
“I have already slain the dragon.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad slain
“She had already slain the dragon when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill slay
“I will slay the dragon tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to slay
“I'm going to slay the dragon this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould slay
“I would slay the dragon if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to slay
1. Killing (in fantasy stories)
- The knight slew the dragon.
2. Slang: doing something brilliantly
In slang, slay means to do something brilliantly. In this meaning, the past is slayed.
- You slayed that presentation!
A common mistake
1. He has slew the dragon ❌
After have / has, use the past participle slain, not the Past Simple slew: He has slain the dragon. Slay → slew → slain.
What's next?
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of slay?+
Slew (the classic form). The past participle is slain. Slay → slew → slain. In modern slang (to do something brilliantly), the Past Simple is slayed (regular).
What does slay mean in slang?+
In today's slang, slay means to do something brilliantly. You slay! means you are amazing! You slayed that performance! It is very popular with young people. In this meaning, the past is slayed.
What is the difference between slay and kill?+
Slay is an old, literary word for stories and fantasy: to kill in a heroic or dramatic way. Kill is the general word. The dragon was slain (an epic story) and The fly was killed (everyday life). Slay is more dramatic.
What is a dragon slayer?+
A slayer is a hero who kills a monster. A dragon slayer kills dragons (in old stories). A vampire slayer kills vampires, like Buffy in the TV series. It is classic fantasy vocabulary.
Is it slayed or slew?+
It depends on the meaning. To kill (classic): slew (irregular). To do something brilliantly (modern slang): slayed (regular). Compare: She slew the dragon and She slayed her audition.
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/slay
© 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.