The English verb "act" means "to behave, to perform" in English. It is a regular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "act" across all 5 tenses. New to English verbs? Start with the English verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "act" in the Present Tense
Simple Present Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | act |
| you | you (singular) | act |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | acts |
| we | we | act |
| you | you (plural) | act |
| they | they | act |
He acts like a leader.
say it hee AKTS laik uh LEE-der
He acts like a leader.
In other languages
- French Il agit comme un leader.
- German Er verhält sich wie ein Anführer.
- Spanish Él actúa como un líder.
- Dutch Hij gedraagt zich als een leider.
I act in school plays.
say it ai AKT in skool playz
I act in school plays.
In other languages
- French Je joue dans des pièces de théâtre scolaires.
- German Ich spiele in Schultheaterstücken mit.
- Spanish Actúo en obras escolares.
- Dutch Ik speel in schooltoneelstukken.
How to Conjugate "act" in the Past Tense
Simple Past Actions that happened in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | acted |
| you | you (singular) | acted |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | acted |
| we | we | acted |
| you | you (plural) | acted |
| they | they | acted |
He acted like a hero.
say it hee AK-tid lyk uh HEER-oh
He acted like a hero.
In other languages
- French Il a agi comme un héros.
- German Er hat sich wie ein Held verhalten.
- Spanish Actuó como un héroe.
- Dutch Hij gedroeg zich als een held.
I acted in a play.
say it ai AK-tid in uh PLAY
I acted in a play.
In other languages
- French J'ai joué dans une pièce.
- German Ich habe in einem Theaterstück gespielt.
- Spanish Actué en una obra de teatro.
- Dutch Ik speelde in een toneelstuk.
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Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "act" in the Future Tense
Simple Future Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | will act |
| you | you (singular) | will act |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | will act |
| we | we | will act |
| you | you (plural) | will act |
| they | they | will act |
He will act like a hero.
say it Hee wil AKT lyk uh HEER-oh
He will act like a hero.
In other languages
- French Il agira comme un héros.
- German Er wird sich wie ein Held verhalten.
- Spanish Actuará como un héroe.
- Dutch Hij zal zich als een held gedragen.
I will act in the play.
say it AI wil AKT in thuh play
I will act in the play.
In other languages
- French Je jouerai dans la pièce.
- German Ich werde in dem Theaterstück spielen.
- Spanish Actuaré en la obra de teatro.
- Dutch Ik zal in het toneelstuk spelen.
How to Conjugate "act" in the Present (-ing) Tense
Present Continuous Actions happening right now| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | am acting |
| you | you (singular) | are acting |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | is acting |
| we | we | are acting |
| you | you (plural) | are acting |
| they | they | are acting |
He is acting like a child.
say it hee iz AK-ting lyk uh chyld
He is acting like a child.
In other languages
- French Il se comporte comme un enfant.
- German Er benimmt sich wie ein Kind.
- Spanish Se comporta como un niño.
- Dutch Hij gedraagt zich als een kind.
I am acting in a play.
say it ai am AK-ting in uh play
I am acting in a play.
In other languages
- French Je joue dans une pièce.
- German Ich spiele in einem Theaterstück.
- Spanish Estoy actuando en una obra de teatro.
- Dutch Ik speel in een toneelstuk.
How to Conjugate "act" in the Have done Tense
Present Perfect Actions completed with present relevance| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | have acted |
| you | you (singular) | have acted |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | has acted |
| we | we | have acted |
| you | you (plural) | have acted |
| they | they | have acted |
He has acted quickly today.
say it hee haz AK-tid KWIK-lee tuh-DAY
He has acted quickly today.
In other languages
- French Il a agi rapidement aujourd'hui.
- German Er hat heute schnell gehandelt.
- Spanish Ha actuado rápidamente hoy.
- Dutch Hij heeft vandaag snel gehandeld.
I have acted in a play.
say it ai hav AK-tid in uh play
I have acted in a play.
In other languages
- French J'ai joué dans une pièce.
- German Ich habe in einem Theaterstück gespielt.
- Spanish He actuado en una obra de teatro.
- Dutch Ik heb in een toneelstuk gespeeld.
Frequently Asked Questions About "act"
Is "act" regular or irregular in English?
"Act" is a regular English verb that follows standard conjugation patterns for its verb group.
What does "act" mean in English?
The English verb "act" means "to behave, to perform" in English.
How do you conjugate "act" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Simple Present): I → act, you → act, he/she/it → acts, we → act, you → act, they → act.
How many tenses does "act" have in English?
"Act" is conjugated across 5 tenses in English: Present, Past, Future, Present (-ing), Have done.
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