Irregular verb
The verb to swim
swim → swam → swum
B1Meaning: to move through water using your arms and legs · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they swim·he/she/it swims - Past Simple:
swam - Past participle:
swum(different from the Past Simple) - -ing form:
swimming(double m)
Conjugation of the verb to swim
Present Simple
| I | swim |
| You | swim |
| He / She / It | swims |
| We | swim |
| You (pl.) | swim |
| They | swim |
Past Simple
| I | swam |
| You | swam |
| He / She / It | swam |
| We | swam |
| You (pl.) | swam |
| They | swam |
All the forms of the verb to swim
Present Simple
Full pageswim / swims
“I swim every weekend.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are swimming
“I am swimming in the lake right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageswam
“I swam in the sea last summer.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were swimming
“I was swimming in the lake when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has swum
“I have already swum in the lake.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad swum
“She had already swum in the lake when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill swim
“I will swim in the lake tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to swim
“I'm going to swim in the lake this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould swim
“I would swim in the lake if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to swim
1. Swimming
- I swim every Saturday.
- Fish swim in the sea.
2. Go swimming
Go swimming = to go to the pool, the sea or a lake to swim, often as a hobby.
- Let's go swimming!
- I go swimming on weekends.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Swiming ❌
Like all short verbs that end in consonant + vowel + consonant, swim doubles its final consonant before -ing: swim → swimming, never swiming.
2. Swimming = the sport
As a noun, swimming is the name of the sport. Swimming is my favourite sport. Don't add the: say I love swimming, not I love the swimming.
What's next?
You can conjugate to swim. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
Practise to swim on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersReady-made activities to practise to swim in class
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of swim?+
The Past Simple of swim is swam. The past participle is swum. Swim → swam → swum (like sing).
Is it swam or swum?+
Swam is the Past Simple, for an action at a definite time: I swam yesterday. Swum is the past participle, after have / has: I have swum in this lake many times.
Is it swim or go swimming?+
Both are correct. Swim is the action: I can swim. Go swimming is for an activity you do regularly: I go swimming twice a week. Swimming is also the name of the sport.
Why does swimming have two m's?+
Spelling rule: when a short verb ends in consonant + vowel + consonant (w-i-m in swim), you double the last consonant before -ing. It is the same with run → running and sit → sitting.
Is it swam or swimmed?+
Always swam. Swim is irregular, with the same vowels as sing → sang → sung: swim → swam → swum. Swimmed does not exist.
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/swim
© 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.