Irregular verb
The verb to steal
steal → stole → stolen
B1Meaning: to take something that is not yours · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they steal·he/she/it steals - Past Simple:
stole - Past participle:
stolen(not the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
stealing
Conjugation of the verb to steal
Present Simple
| I | steal |
| You | steal |
| He / She / It | steals |
| We | steal |
| You (pl.) | steal |
| They | steal |
Past Simple
| I | stole |
| You | stole |
| He / She / It | stole |
| We | stole |
| You (pl.) | stole |
| They | stole |
All the forms of the verb to steal
Present Simple
Full pagesteal / steals
“Some people steal cars.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are stealing
“I am stealing the ball right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagestole
“Someone stole my bike.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were stealing
“I was stealing the ball when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has stolen
“I have already stolen the ball.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad stolen
“She had already stolen the ball when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill steal
“I will steal the ball tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to steal
“I'm going to steal the ball this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould steal
“I would steal the ball if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to steal
1. Stealing something
Steal something (from someone).
- Someone stole my wallet.
- He stole the candy from the store.
2. Figurative meanings: stealing the show, stealing time
Steal the show means to get the most attention. Steal a few minutes means to find a little time for yourself.
- She stole the show.
- I stole a few minutes to read.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. He stole me ❌
Steal = to take a thing. Rob = to take from a person or a place (often with threats). He stole my phone. He robbed me. He stole me means he took you away!
2. They stole me my bike ❌
English often uses the passive here: My bike was stolen. It is more natural than Someone stole my bike. With steal, the person goes after from: They stole my bike from me.
What's next?
You can conjugate to steal. 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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Related pages: steal
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of steal?+
The Past Simple of steal is stole. The past participle is stolen. Steal → stole → stolen.
What is the difference between steal and rob?+
Steal is for the thing you take: steal money, steal a car. Rob is for the person or the place, often with violence: rob a bank, rob someone. They stole money. They robbed a bank.
How do you say someone stole your phone?+
The most natural way is the passive: My phone was stolen. You can also say Someone stole my phone. To focus on the victim, say I was robbed. I was robbed of my phone is formal.
What does steal the show mean?+
Steal the show means to get more attention than everyone else, because you are very good. She stole the show with her performance.
Is it stealed or stole?+
Say stole. Steal is an irregular verb: its Past Simple is stole and its past participle is stolen. Stealed is never correct.
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/steal
© 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.