The verb to swim · Conjugation
Present Perfect of swim
The answer: have / has swum
B1
A past action with a link to the present.
Quick answer
The Present Perfect of the verb to swim is have / has swum.
Example: I have already swum in the lake.
Full conjugation in the Present Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | have swum | I've swum |
| You | have swum | You've swum |
| He / She / It | has swum | He's / She's / It's swum |
| We | have swum | We've swum |
| You (pl.) | have swum | You've swum |
| They | have swum | They've swum |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I have seen him yesterday ❌
Do not use the Present Perfect with a finished time (yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago). Use the Past Simple: I saw him yesterday. With swim, use swam with a finished time and have swum without one.
2. I live here since 2020 ❌
Some situations started in the past and are still true now. For them, use the Present Perfect: I have lived here since 2020, I have known her for three years. Use since + a starting point (since Monday, since 2020). Use for + a length of time (for two weeks, for a long time).
3. I have swam ❌
After have or has, use the past participle, not the Past Simple: I have swum. The Past Simple of swim is swam, and the past participle is swum. Learn the three forms together: swim, swam, swum.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate swim in the Present Perfect?+
Use have or has + the past participle swum. Use has with he, she and it. Use have with I, you, we and they: I have swum, she has swum. Short forms: I've swum, she's swum.
What is the past participle of swim?+
The past participle of swim is swum. You use it after have, has and had. It is different from the Past Simple. Learn the three forms together: swim, swam, swum.
When do you use the Present Perfect of swim?+
Use it for a past action that is connected to now, with no exact time. Use it for experiences in your life: Have you ever swum…? Use it for a recent action with a result now, often with just: I have just swum… Use it also for a situation that started in the past and continues: I have lived here since 2020.
What is the difference between I swam and I have swum?+
I swam (Past Simple) goes with a finished time: yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago. I have swum (Present Perfect) has no finished time, and the result is important now. Signal words: ever, never, already, just, yet.
How do you make the negative and the question of swim in the Present Perfect?+
Negative: I haven't swum, she hasn't swum. Question: put have or has before the subject: Have you swum…?, Has she swum…? The word yet often goes at the end of a negative or a question: Have you finished yet?
Related pages: swim Present Perfect
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/present-perfect
© 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.
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More forms of the verb to swim are coming soon.