Irregular verb
The verb to spread
spread → spread → spread
B1Meaning: to cover a surface; to move to more places · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they spread·he/she/it spreads - Past Simple:
spread(the same as the base form) - Past participle:
spread(all 3 forms are the same) - -ing form:
spreading
Conjugation of the verb to spread
Present Simple
| I | spread |
| You | spread |
| He / She / It | spreads |
| We | spread |
| You (pl.) | spread |
| They | spread |
Past Simple
| I | spread |
| You | spread |
| He / She / It | spread |
| We | spread |
| You (pl.) | spread |
| They | spread |
All the forms of the verb to spread
Present Simple
Full pagespread / spreads
“I spread butter on toast.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are spreading
“I am spreading butter on the bread right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagespread
“The fire spread quickly.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were spreading
“I was spreading butter on the bread when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has spread
“I have already spread butter on the bread.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad spread
“She had already spread butter on the bread when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill spread
“I will spread butter on the bread tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to spread
“I'm going to spread butter on the bread this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould spread
“I would spread butter on the bread if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to spread
1. Spreading butter or jam
- Spread butter on the bread.
- She spread jam on her toast.
2. Moving to more places or people
- The fire spread quickly.
- Rumors spread fast.
3. Opening something wide
Spread your wings, spread out a map: open it wide.
- The bird spread its wings.
- Spread out the map on the table.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Spreaded ❌
No -ed: spread stays spread in the Past Simple and as a past participle. It is in the family of verbs that never change: cost, cut, hit, hurt, let, put, set, shut, spread.
2. Chocolate spread
As a noun, a spread is a soft food that you put on bread with a knife. Chocolate spread is a sweet chocolate cream for bread. Cheese spread is soft cheese for bread.
What's next?
You can conjugate to spread. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of spread?+
The Past Simple of spread is spread, the same as the base form. The past participle is also spread. It is in the family of verbs that never change: cost, cut, hit, hurt, let, put, set, shut, spread.
What are the meanings of spread?+
All the meanings are about making something cover a bigger area. 1. To put a thin layer on something: spread butter. 2. To make news go to many people: spread rumours. 3. To move into more places: The fire spread. 4. To open something wide: spread your wings, spread out a map.
Can spread be a noun?+
Yes! A spread is: 1. a soft food you put on bread (chocolate spread); 2. the movement of something into more places (the spread of a disease); 3. two pages side by side in a magazine (a two-page spread). The noun and the verb have the same form.
What does spread the word mean?+
Spread the word means to tell many people about something. Please spread the word about our school concert! means please tell everyone you know about it.
Is it spread or spreaded?+
Say spread. Spread → spread → spread: the verb never changes, so spreaded is wrong. Learn it with the family of verbs that never change.
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/spread
© 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.