Irregular verb
The verb to spoil
spoil → spoiled/spoilt → spoiled/spoilt
B2Meaning: to ruin something; to give a child everything they want · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they spoil·he/she/it spoils - Past Simple:
spoiled(US) orspoilt(UK) - Past participle:
spoiled(US) orspoilt(UK) - -ing form:
spoiling
Conjugation of the verb to spoil
Present Simple
| I | spoil |
| You | spoil |
| He / She / It | spoils |
| We | spoil |
| You (pl.) | spoil |
| They | spoil |
Past Simple
| I | spoiled / spoilt |
| You | spoiled / spoilt |
| He / She / It | spoiled / spoilt |
| We | spoiled / spoilt |
| You (pl.) | spoiled / spoilt |
| They | spoiled / spoilt |
All the forms of the verb to spoil
Present Simple
Full pagespoil / spoils
“Grandparents always spoil their grandkids.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are spoiling
“I am spoiling the surprise right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagespoiled (US) / spoilt (UK)
“The rain spoiled our picnic.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were spoiling
“I was spoiling the surprise when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has spoiled
“I have already spoiled the surprise.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad spoiled
“She had already spoiled the surprise when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill spoil
“I will spoil the surprise tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to spoil
“I'm going to spoil the surprise this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould spoil
“I would spoil the surprise if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to spoil
1. Ruining a moment or an event
- The rain spoiled the picnic.
- Don't spoil the surprise!
2. Giving too much (to children or to yourself)
Here, spoil means to give someone a lot of nice things, or everything they want.
- Grandparents spoil their grandkids.
- I spoiled myself with a spa day.
3. Going bad (food)
When food spoils, it is not good to eat or drink any more.
- The milk has spoiled.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Spoiler: telling the ending
A spoiler is information that ruins the surprise of a film, a series or a book. Spoiler alert! means warning: the next sentence tells you what happens.
2. Spoiled rotten
Spoiled rotten means very, very spoiled. That kid is spoiled rotten: his parents give him everything he wants.
What's next?
You can conjugate to spoil. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of spoil?+
There are two forms: spoiled (American English) and spoilt (common in British English). The past participle is the same. Spoil → spoiled/spoilt → spoiled/spoilt. Some other verbs also have two forms: burned/burnt, learned/learnt, smelled/smelt.
Is it spoiled or spoilt?+
Both are correct. American English prefers spoiled (a spoiled child, spoiled milk). British English often uses spoilt (a spoilt child, spoilt milk). Neither one is a mistake.
What is a spoiler?+
A spoiler is information that tells you the end of a film, a series or a book before you see it. Spoiler alert! means warning: I am going to tell you what happens. No spoilers, please! means don't tell me the ending!
What does spoil yourself mean?+
Spoil yourself means to do something nice just for you. Go on, spoil yourself! means go on, treat yourself! I spoiled myself with a new book.
Is food spoiled or rotten?+
Spoiled milk is milk that is not good to drink any more. A rotten apple is an apple that has gone soft and brown. Rotten is stronger: you can see that the food is going bad. In British English, you can also say off: The milk has gone off.
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/spoil
© 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.