Irregular verb
The verb to split
split → split → split
B1Meaning: to divide into parts; to share; to break apart · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they split·he/she/it splits - Past Simple:
split(no change) - Past participle:
split(the same) - -ing form:
splitting(double t)
Conjugation of the verb to split
Present Simple
| I | split |
| You | split |
| He / She / It | splits |
| We | split |
| You (pl.) | split |
| They | split |
Past Simple
| I | split |
| You | split |
| He / She / It | split |
| We | split |
| You (pl.) | split |
| They | split |
All the forms of the verb to split
Present Simple
Full pagesplit / splits
“Let's split the bill.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are splitting
“I am splitting the cake into pieces right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagesplit
“They split the cake in half.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were splitting
“I was splitting the cake into pieces when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has split
“I have already split the cake into pieces.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad split
“She had already split the cake into pieces when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill split
“I will split the cake into pieces tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to split
“I'm going to split the cake into pieces this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould split
“I would split the cake into pieces if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to split
1. Dividing or sharing something
Split the bill means each person pays a part.
- Let's split the bill.
- They split the cake into four.
2. Separating (a couple or a group)
Split up means to end a relationship.
- They split up after two years.
3. Breaking along a line
- The wood split under the axe.
4. Expressions
A splitting headache is a very bad headache. Split hairs means to argue about tiny details.
- I've got a splitting headache.
- Don't split hairs.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Split is also a noun
A split is a crack or a separation: There is a split in the wood. A split second means a very short moment: It all happened in a split second.
2. They splitted the money ❌
Split is in a family of verbs that never change: split, cut, put, hit, let, set, shut, bet, hurt, cost. Their Past Simple and past participle look like the base form. Say They split the money.
What's next?
You can conjugate to split. Now say it out loud.
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Related pages: split
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of split?+
The Past Simple of split is split: the form does not change. The past participle is also split. Split → split → split. It is like cut, put, hit, let and set.
What does split up mean?+
Split up means to stop being together. We use it for a couple, a group or a team. They split up last year. The band split up after ten years.
What does split the bill mean?+
Split the bill means to share the cost of a meal, so each person pays a part. In the US, people often say split the check. Let's split the bill. The idiom go Dutch is close: each person pays for their own food.
What does split hairs mean?+
Split hairs is an idiom. It means to argue about very small differences that are not important. Don't split hairs: the two answers mean the same thing!
Is it splitting or spliting?+
Write splitting, with two t's. When a verb ends in a short, stressed vowel + one consonant, the consonant doubles before -ing. Spliting is wrong, and so is splitted (the past form is split). Splitting is also an adjective in a splitting headache (a very bad headache).
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/split
© 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.