The verb to understand · Conjugation
Past Continuous of understand
The answer: was / were understanding
B1
An action in progress in the past, often interrupted.
Quick answer
The Past Continuous of the verb to understand is was / were understanding.
Example: I understood the lesson (not I was understanding the lesson).
Full conjugation in the Past Continuous
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | was understanding |
| You | were understanding |
| He / She / It | was understanding |
| We | were understanding |
| You (pl.) | were understanding |
| They | were understanding |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. You was / They was ❌
Use was only with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we, they and plural nouns: you were studying, my friends were studying. You always takes were, even when you talk to one person.
2. They were study ❌
The Past Continuous needs both parts: was or were + the -ing form. They were study forgets the -ing. They studying forgets were. The correct form is they were studying.
3. I was knowing ❌
State verbs (know, understand, want, need, like) are not normally used in the continuous. In the past, use the Past Simple: I knew the answer, not I was knowing the answer. The verb understand is one of them: say I understood.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate understand in the Past Continuous?+
Use was or were (the past of be) + the -ing form understanding. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they: I was understanding, they were understanding. But understand is a state verb: a verb for a thought, a feeling or something you have. You rarely use it in this tense.
When do you use the Past Continuous of understand?+
Almost never. The verb understand is a state verb. Use the Past Simple, even for a long time: I understood, not I was understanding.
What is the difference between I understood and I was understanding?+
With understand, use I understood. I was understanding is not normal English, because understand is a state verb.
Is it when or while with the Past Continuous?+
Both are possible, but they usually go with different actions. While goes with the long action, in the Past Continuous: While I was walking home, it started to rain. When usually goes with the short action, in the Past Simple: I was walking home when it started to rain.
How do you make the negative and the question of understand in the Past Continuous?+
With understand, use the Past Simple: I didn't understand, Did you understand…? With an action verb, the Past Continuous works like this: I wasn't sleeping, Were you sleeping?
Related pages: understand Past Continuous
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/understand/past-continuous
© 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 understand are coming soon.