What is the Past Tense of Forbid? Understanding Forbade and Forbidden
Quick Answer
The past tense of forbid is forbade. With “have” or “has,” use forbidden.
Every day: I forbid it.
Yesterday: I forbade it.
Many times: I have forbidden it.
Forbid, Forbade, Forbidden — See the Pattern
Read these sentences. Look at how the verb changes:
- The school forbids phones in class. (now — every day)
- The school forbade phones in class last year. (past — it is finished)
- The school has forbidden phones for many years. (past with “has”)
Did you see the pattern? There are three forms:
| When? | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Now / every day | forbid | I forbid it. |
| In the past | forbade | I forbade it yesterday. |
| With have / has / had | forbidden | I have forbidden it many times. |
When to Use Forbade and When to Use Forbidden
This is the part that confuses many learners. Here is the simple rule:
Use “forbade” when you talk about the past — something that is finished:
- She forbade her children from eating sweets before dinner.
- The teacher forbade us from talking during the test.
Use “forbidden” when there is a helping word before it — have, has, or had:
- They have forbidden smoking in the building.
- She has forbidden her dog from sleeping on the bed.
- The government had forbidden the old road before they built the new one.
Easy way to remember: If you see have, has, or had before it, use forbidden. If not, use forbade.
The Rule in One Line: have/has/had → forbidden. No have → forbade.
How to Use Forbid in Everyday English
Here are examples you might use every day:
- My parents forbade me from going out on school nights. (past — it is finished)
- The doctor forbade him from eating sugar. (past — it is finished)
- They have forbidden dogs in this park. (with “have” — use forbidden)
- The company has forbidden workers from using phones at their desks. (with “has” — use forbidden)
- The sign says swimming is forbidden here. (used like a describing word — “not allowed”)
You are doing great. Now let’s look at the mistakes many learners make.
Two Mistakes to Avoid With Forbid
Even advanced learners mix up “forbade” and “forbidden” sometimes — so if you get confused, you are not alone.
Mistake 1: Using “forbidden” without have/has/had
✗ She forbidden the children from playing outside yesterday.
✓ She forbade the children from playing outside yesterday.
Mistake 2: Saying “forbidded”
✗ The teacher forbidded us from running in the hall.
✓ The teacher forbade us from running in the hall.
How to remember: Think of give, gave, given. It follows a similar pattern: forbid, forbade, forbidden. The ending changes to -ade in the past, and -idden with have/has/had.
Other verbs like this: give → gave → given, ride → rode → ridden, hide → hid → hidden.
Test Yourself: Forbid, Forbade, or Forbidden?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. The teacher _______ us from using our phones yesterday.
2. They have _______ smoking in this building.
3. The company _______ workers from sharing private information.
4. My parents had _______ me from going to the party.
5. She _______ her children from eating sweets last night.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You just learned forbid, forbade, forbidden. That is one more irregular verb you will never get wrong again.
But did you know that forget follows a very similar pattern? Forget, forgot, forgotten — it changes in the same way. Do you know when to use forgot and when to use forgotten?
Next lesson: Forget, Forgot, Forgotten — What is the Difference?
Source
Etymology of forbid — Online Etymology Dictionary
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.
