The verb to slay · Conjugation
Past Simple of slay
The answer: slew
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to slay is slew.
Example: St George slew the dragon.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | slew |
| You | slew |
| He / She / It | slew |
| We | slew |
| You (pl.) | slew |
| They | slew |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Slay → slew → slain
This is the classic pattern. The Past Simple looks like blow → blew, but the past participle ends in -ain: slain.
2. Slay in modern slang
You slay! means you are amazing! It is very popular with young people. In this meaning, the Past Simple is slayed: You slayed that song!
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of slay?+
Slew. The past participle is slain. Slay → slew → slain.
What does you slay mean?+
In today's slang, slay means to do something brilliantly. You slay! means you are amazing! Young people use it a lot. With a task or a challenge, it means you did it very well: She slayed that exam!
What does slay mean in old stories?+
In the classic meaning, slay means to kill, often in a heroic way: slay a dragon. It is fantasy vocabulary.
Slew or slayed: which one is correct?+
For the classic meaning (to kill), the Past Simple is slew. For the slang meaning (to do something brilliantly), it is slayed (regular): She slayed her performance!
What is a vampire slayer?+
A vampire slayer is a person who kills vampires, like the hero of the famous TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Related pages: slay 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/slay/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 slay are coming soon.