Whats the Past Tense of Hit: Understanding Simple Past Tense Usage
Quick Answer
The past tense of hit is hit. It does not change. You do not add -ed. “Hitted” is not a real word.
Hit, Hit, Hit — See the Pattern
Look at these sentences. Can you see how hit stays the same?
- I hit the ball every morning. (now)
- I hit the ball yesterday. (past)
- I have hit the ball many times. (with have)
Did you see? The word hit never changes. Present, past, with have — it is always hit.
| Form | Word |
|---|---|
| Present (now) | hit / hits |
| Past (yesterday) | hit |
| With have/has/had | hit |
| -ing form | hitting |
When to Use Hit in the Past
Hit is an irregular verb. Most verbs add -ed to show the past (like “walked” or “talked”). But hit does not follow that rule. It stays the same in every form.
For things that happened before (past):
- She hit the ball over the fence yesterday.
- The car hit a tree last night.
With have, has, or had:
- He has hit ten home runs this year.
- They had hit the target before the time ran out.
Easy way to remember: Think of the word “hit” as stubborn — it refuses to change, no matter what!
The Rule in One Line: Hit → hit → hit. It never changes.
How to Use Hit in Everyday English
- My little brother hit me with a pillow last night! (he did it in the past)
- I hit my head on the door this morning. (it happened earlier today)
- The storm hit the city very hard last week. (the storm came in the past)
- She has hit every target in practice today. (with “has” — all of them so far)
- We hit the road at 6 AM yesterday. (we started our trip in the past)
You are doing great. Now let us look at the mistakes many learners make.
The Most Common Mistake With Hit
Even advanced learners try to add -ed to hit sometimes — so if you have done this, you are not alone. Even young children who speak English at home say “hitted” when they are small!
✗ She hitted the ball.
✓ She hit the ball.
✗ He has hitted the target.
✓ He has hit the target.
How to remember: “Hitted” is not a word. If you want to say something happened in the past, just use hit — the same word you already know.
Other verbs that work like this: cut, put, shut, let, set, hurt. None of them change in the past!
Test Yourself: Hit or Hitted?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. She _______ the ball really hard yesterday.
2. The car _______ a tree last night.
3. He has _______ three home runs this season.
4. My brother _______ me with a pillow last night!
5. We have _______ our sales target every month this year.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You just learned the past tense of hit. That is one more irregular verb you will never get wrong again.
Here is something interesting: hit is not the only verb that stays the same in every form. The verb cut works the same way. But did you know that some people still write “cutted”? What is the correct past tense of cut, and why do so many learners get it wrong?
Next lesson: Past Tense of Cut: Is It Cut or Cutted?
Source
Etymology online, origin of hit
My name is Khamis Maiouf. I am the creator of the English Teacher Site, dedicated to providing valuable resources and insights for students around the world. With a passion for education and a commitment to helping students enhance their skills, I aim to make English teaching more effective and enjoyable for both educators and students.
