Irregular verb
The verb to strive
strive → strove → striven
B2Meaning: to try very hard to do something · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they strive·he/she/it strives - Past Simple:
strove(or strived in the US) - Past participle:
striven(or strived) - -ing form:
striving
Conjugation of the verb to strive
Present Simple
| I | strive |
| You | strive |
| He / She / It | strives |
| We | strive |
| You (pl.) | strive |
| They | strive |
Past Simple
| I | strove |
| You | strove |
| He / She / It | strove |
| We | strove |
| You (pl.) | strove |
| They | strove |
All the forms of the verb to strive
Present Simple
Full pagestrive / strives
“I strive for excellence.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are striving
“I am striving for success right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagestrove
“She strove to succeed.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were striving
“I was striving for success when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has striven
“I have already striven for success.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad striven
“She had already striven for success when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill strive
“I will strive for success tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to strive
“I'm going to strive for success this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould strive
“I would strive for success if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to strive
1. Striving for something
- We strive for quality.
2. Fighting against something
Strive against = to fight against something difficult.
- She strove against poverty.
A common mistake
1. Strive for to succeed ❌
Use strive for + noun, or strive to + verb. These are two different patterns: strive for success, strive to succeed.
What's next?
You can conjugate to strive. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of strive?+
The classic Past Simple is strove (UK). In the US, the regular strived is also accepted. The past participle is striven (classic) or strived. It works like drive → drove → driven.
What is the difference between strive and try?+
Strive means to try very hard, for a long time. It is formal and literary. Try is the everyday word. We strive for excellence (formal). Try to be kind to your sister (everyday).
Is it strive for or strive to?+
Both are common. Use strive for + noun: strive for excellence (aim for the best). Use strive to + verb: strive to succeed (try hard to succeed).
What does striving mean as an adjective?+
As an adjective, striving means ambitious, always trying to do better. A striving company is an ambitious company. It sounds positive and active. This use is quite rare, and mostly written.
What is the difference between strive, struggle and fight?+
Strive (formal) means to work hard to reach a goal. Struggle means to have problems with something difficult. Fight means to battle against something. Strive for success. Struggle with stress. Fight injustice.
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/strive
© 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.