The English verb "fail" means "to not succeed, to let down" in English. It is a regular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "fail" across all 5 tenses. New to English verbs? Start with the English verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "fail" in the Present Tense
Simple Present Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | fail |
| you | you (singular) | fail |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | fails |
| we | we | fail |
| you | you (plural) | fail |
| they | they | fail |
He fails to call me.
say it Hee faylz too kawl mee
He fails to call me.
In other languages
- French Il oublie de m'appeler.
- German Er versäumt es, mich anzurufen.
- Spanish Él no logra llamarme.
- Dutch Hij slaagt er niet in mij te bellen.
I fail when I rush.
say it AI fayl wen AI rush
I fail when I rush.
In other languages
- French Je rate quand je me précipite.
- German Ich scheitere, wenn ich mich beeile.
- Spanish Fallo cuando me apresuro.
- Dutch Ik faal als ik me haast.
How to Conjugate "fail" in the Past Tense
Simple Past Actions that happened in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | failed |
| you | you (singular) | failed |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | failed |
| we | we | failed |
| you | you (plural) | failed |
| they | they | failed |
He failed his driving exam.
say it hee fayld hiz DRY-ving ig-ZAM
He failed his driving exam.
In other languages
- French Il a raté son examen de conduite.
- German Er hat seine Fahrprüfung nicht bestanden.
- Spanish Él suspendió su examen de conducir.
- Dutch Hij is gezakt voor zijn rijexamen.
I failed the test.
say it ai fayld thuh test
I failed the test.
In other languages
- French J'ai échoué au test.
- German Ich bin durch den Test gefallen.
- Spanish Suspendí el examen.
- Dutch Ik zakte voor de test.
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Simple Future Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | will fail |
| you | you (singular) | will fail |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | will fail |
| we | we | will fail |
| you | you (plural) | will fail |
| they | they | will fail |
He will fail the class.
say it He wil fayl the klas
He will fail the class.
In other languages
- French Il va rater le cours.
- German Er wird den Kurs nicht bestehen.
- Spanish Él va a suspender la clase.
- Dutch Hij zal voor de klas zakken.
I will fail this test.
say it I wil fayl this test
I will fail this test.
In other languages
- French Je vais rater ce test.
- German Ich werde diesen Test nicht bestehen.
- Spanish Voy a suspender este examen.
- Dutch Ik zal voor deze toets zakken.
How to Conjugate "fail" in the Present (-ing) Tense
Present Continuous Actions happening right now| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | am failing |
| you | you (singular) | are failing |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | is failing |
| we | we | are failing |
| you | you (plural) | are failing |
| they | they | are failing |
He is failing at this game.
say it hee iz FAY-ling at this gaym
He is failing at this game.
In other languages
- French Il est en train d'échouer à ce jeu.
- German Er scheitert in diesem Spiel.
- Spanish Él está fallando en este juego.
- Dutch Hij faalt in dit spel.
I am failing the test today.
say it ai am FAY-ling thuh test tuh-DAY
I am failing the test today.
In other languages
- French Je suis en train d'échouer au test aujourd'hui.
- German Ich falle heute durch den Test.
- Spanish Estoy suspendiendo el examen hoy.
- Dutch Ik zak vandaag voor de toets.
How to Conjugate "fail" in the Have done Tense
Present Perfect Actions completed with present relevance| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | have failed |
| you | you (singular) | have failed |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | has failed |
| we | we | have failed |
| you | you (plural) | have failed |
| they | they | have failed |
He has failed the class.
say it hee haz fayld thuh KLASS
He has failed the class.
In other languages
- French Il a échoué au cours.
- German Er hat den Kurs nicht bestanden.
- Spanish Él ha suspendido la clase.
- Dutch Hij is voor de klas gezakt.
I have failed the test.
say it ai hav fayld thuh TEST
I have failed the test.
In other languages
- French J'ai échoué au test.
- German Ich habe den Test nicht bestanden.
- Spanish He suspendido el examen.
- Dutch Ik ben voor de toets gezakt.
Frequently Asked Questions About "fail"
Is "fail" regular or irregular in English?
"Fail" is a regular English verb that follows standard conjugation patterns for its verb group.
What does "fail" mean in English?
The English verb "fail" means "to not succeed, to let down" in English.
How do you conjugate "fail" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Simple Present): I → fail, you → fail, he/she/it → fails, we → fail, you → fail, they → fail.
How many tenses does "fail" have in English?
"Fail" is conjugated across 5 tenses in English: Present, Past, Future, Present (-ing), Have done.
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