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What’s the Past Tense of Spill? Spilled vs Spilt

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Elan Yash

Elan is head of design and tech. He's also a contributor at Grammarflex.
The verb spill in text message conversation. Made by Gflex on Canva.
The verb spill in text message conversation. By Gflex on Canva.

What’s the past tense of “spill”?

Is it, ‘there’s no use crying over spilt milk’, or spilled milk? Is the past tense of the verb spill spilt or spilled? Let’s take a closer look.

👍🏼Usage Note
 
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He had spilled his drink before the waiter came back.
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I spilt coffee everywhere!

Forms of the verb spill

  present past future
simple I spill I spilled/spilt I will spill
continuous I am spilling I was spilling I will be spilling
perfect I have spilled/spilt I had spilled/spilt I will have spilled/spilt
perfect continuous I have been spilling I had been spilling I will have been spilling
12 verb tenses of ‘spill‘.

Irregular verbs similar to spill

Base Verb Past Tense Past Participle
lean leant/leaned leant/leaned
leap leapt/leaped leapt/leaped
learn learnt/learned learnt/learned
spoil spoilt/spoiled spoilt/spoiled
Irregular verbs (similar to “spill“).

Spill (present tense)

Sentence examples
The sippy cup is supposed to be leak resistant and not allow any liquid to spill from the lid.
We do not need to spill the water if we don’t want to.
Don’t pour too much; it might spill over.

Examples of spilled/spilt: past tense vs. past participle

Examples of spilled/spilt (past tense) Examples of spilled/spilt (past participle)
I spilled the glass of milk. Critical reactions were decidedly spilt after the release.
I spilt coffee down my blouse! The sand had spilt from the fire bucket.
I accidentally spilled my drink all over him. The hazards of the pill have had much ink spilt on them.
💡Study Tip

Remember spilt/spilled by associating it with similar irregular verb patterns, like spoilt and spoiled.

Origin of the word spill

Of Germanic Origin
Old English spillan “destroy, mutilate, kill,” also in late Old English “to waste,” variant of spildan “destroy,” from Proto-Germanic *spilthjan.
Etymology of “spill” (verb).

Worksheet

Question 1 of 10

What is the past tense of “spill”?



Which sentence uses the past tense of “spill” correctly?



Is “spilt” an acceptable past tense form of “spill”?



Which sentence is grammatically correct?



Complete the sentence correctly: “It’s no use crying over _______ milk.”



The juice all over the table.



I accidentally my coffee.



The ink from the pen.



He the entire bottle of soda.



The paint onto the new carpet.





 

FAQs

Is “spilt” or “spilled” correct?
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Both “spilt” and “spilled” are acceptable past tense forms of “spill.” “Spilt” is considered more British English, while “spilled” is more common in American English. The post provides examples.

What’s the past participle of “spill”?
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Similar to the past tense, both “spilt” and “spilled” function as past participles. The post uses both in examples such as “The sand had spilt” and “Water had spilled,” indicating both are.

Is “spill” a regular or irregular verb?
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“Spill” is considered an irregular verb because its past tense and past participle forms (“spilt” or “spilled”) don’t follow the standard -ed pattern of regular verbs. This is explained by the.

How do I use “spill” in the past tense?
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Use either “spilled” or “spilt” in the past tense. The post gives many examples: “I spilled the milk,” “I spilt coffee,” demonstrating both forms are correct. The choice depends on personal.

Can “spill” be used in the present perfect?
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Yes, the present perfect tense of “spill” uses “have spilled” or “have spilt,” as shown in the post’s tense chart and is grammatically correct. For example, “I have spilled my drink” or “I have.

Yash, D. "What’s the Past Tense of Spill? Spilled vs Spilt." Grammarflex, Jun 20, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/whats-the-past-tense-of-spill/.

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