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Irregular verb

The verb to slide

slide → slid → slid

B1Meaning: to move smoothly over a surface · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs

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Key points to remember

  • Present Simple: I/you/we/they slide · he/she/it slides
  • Past Simple: slid (with a short i)
  • Past participle: slid (the same)
  • -ing form: sliding (without the final e)

Conjugation of the verb to slide

Present Simple

Islide
Youslide
He / She / Itslides
Weslide
You (pl.)slide
Theyslide

Past Simple

Islid
Youslid
He / She / Itslid
Weslid
You (pl.)slid
Theyslid

How to use to slide

1. Moving smoothly

  • The kids slid down the hill.
  • I slid on the ice.

2. Making something slide

Slide + thing: to move something smoothly across a surface.

  • She slid the note across the table.

3. Slide into / out of

Slide into a place means to move into it smoothly. Slide into someone's DMs means to send them a private message (slang).

  • He slid into the booth.
  • She slid into his DMs.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Slide is also a noun

A slide can be (1) a slide in a playground, (2) a page of a presentation, (3) a sliding movement. Show me the slides means show me the pages of your presentation.

2. Let it slide

Let it slide is an idiom: it means to ignore a small mistake. I'll let it slide this time means I won't make a problem of it this time.

What's next?

You can conjugate to slide. Now say it out loud.

This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.

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For teachersReady-made activities to practise to slide in class

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple of slide?+

The Past Simple of slide is slid. The past participle is also slid. Slide → slid → slid. The long vowel sound /aɪ/ becomes a short /ɪ/.

What does slide into someone's DMs mean?+

It is internet slang. Slide into someone's DMs means to send a private message to someone on social media, often someone you don't know well. DMs means direct messages. It is very informal.

What does slide mean as a noun?+

A slide has several meanings. It can be a slide in a playground, one page of a presentation, or a sliding movement.The kids played on the slide. Show me the next slide.

What does let it slide mean?+

Let it slide is an idiom. It means to ignore a small mistake and not make a problem of it. I'll let it slide this time. People often use it for small mistakes they choose to forget.

What is the difference between slide and slip?+

Slide means to move smoothly over a surface, on purpose or not. Slip means to slide by accident and lose your balance. I slid across the ice (a movement). I slipped on the ice (I almost fell, or I fell).

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 →