Skip to content

What is the Past Tense of Forbid? Forbid, Forbade, Forbidden.

Last Updated

What does the word ‘forbid’ mean?

To forbid describes the action of when we, “command (a person) not to do something, have something, etc., or not to enter some place: She forbade him entry to the house.Forbid is an irregular verb, since neither of its past forms end in –ed. See how forbid conjugates to its other verb forms, in the sections below.

👍🏼Usage Note

I have known her for five years. (present perfect)
She knew the answer immediately. (simple past)
I have knew her for five years. (incorrect past participle)
She has know the answer. (incorrect verb form)

What are the tenses of forbid?

present past future
simple I forbid I forbade I will forbid
continuous I am forbidding I was forbidding I will be forbidding
perfect I have forbidden I had forbidden I will have forbidden
perfect continuous I have been forbidding I had been forbidding I will have been forbidding
Tenses of ‘forbid’

Forbid is the present tense: I forbid you from entering the restricted area.

Forbid/forbade is the simple past: The company forbade smoking in the office premises.

Forbidding is the present participle: The teacher, forbidding any distractions, asked the students to put away their cell phones during class.

Forbids is third-person present singular: He forbids his children from watching television on weekdays.

Forbidden is also the past participle: The forbidden fruit tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

What’s the past tense vs. past participle form of forbid?

The simple past tense (forbid/forbade) is used to refer to an event or action that took place and was completed entirely in the past. We would use the participle form of the verb (forbidden) to create other aspects of tense, known as the perfect aspect or tenses in grammar.

To form the perfect aspect in grammar, we pair the past participle form of the verb with an auxiliary verb, like was or had. This is shown in the second sentence since it uses the auxiliary ‘was‘, whereas in the simple past tense there is no auxiliary verb present to supplement the participle.

Past tense: My parents forbade me from attending the late-night party.

Past participle: The sign indicated that photography was strictly forbidden in the museum.

Sentences with forbid in the simple present tense:

‍‍

I forbid you from using my computer without permission.

She forbids her children from eating junk food.

The school forbids students from wearing hats indoors.

They forbid smoking in all public areas.

The sign clearly forbids parking in this area.

💡Study Tip

Practice using the verb in different tenses with example sentences to memorize the correct forms.

Sentences with forbade in the simple past tense:

My parents forbade me from going to the party last night.

The law forbade smoking in restaurants until recently.

The school administration forbade students from using cell phones in the classroom.

The company forbade employees from discussing their salaries.

The regulations forbade the use of fireworks in the park.

Sentences that use the past participle, forbidden:

The forbidden fruit symbolizes temptation in many religious texts.

The sign indicated that photography was strictly forbidden in the museum.

The committee has declared certain substances to be forbidden in athletic competitions.

The forbidden knowledge was hidden away in a secret library.

The document contained a list of forbidden items that were not allowed on the airplane.

What are words similar to forbid?

  • prohibit
  • ban
  • bar
  • restrict
  • disallow
  • outlaw
  • veto
  • prevent
  • deny
  • hinder

Origin of the verb forbid

From etymology online on forbid (v.):

Old English forbeodan “forbid, prohibit” from for- “against” + beodan “to command”.

Worksheet

Question 1 of 10

Question 1: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Question 2: Grammar rules help with:




Question 3: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 4: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Question 5: Grammar rules help with:




Question 6: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 7: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Question 8: Grammar rules help with:




Question 9: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 10: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Which aspect is most important when learning grammar?

How can you improve your grammar skills?



Frequently Asked Questions

What are literary devices?
+

Techniques writers use to enhance their writing and convey messages effectively.

How do literary devices differ from rhetorical devices?
+

Literary devices are specific to creative writing, while rhetorical devices are broader.

Why should I learn about literary devices?
+

They help you understand and appreciate literature more deeply.

Can I use literary devices in my own writing?
+

Yes, they can make your writing more engaging and effective.

What’s the best way to remember different devices?
+

Practice identifying them in texts you read regularly.

Sources

  1. 1. Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of forbid.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/forbid. Accessed 30 May, 2023.

Grammar Expert. "What Is The Past Tense Of Forbid Forbid Forbade Fo." GrammarFlex, May 31, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/what-is-the-past-tense-of-forbid-forbid-forbade-fo/.

The latest from the Grammarflex blog

From grammar and writing to style and clarity, our experts tackle the biggest questions in English and content creation.