The English verb "pay" means "to compensate, to settle" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "pay" across all 5 tenses. New to English verbs? Start with the English verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "pay" in the Present Tense
Simple Present Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | pay |
| you | you (singular) | pay |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | pays |
| we | we | pay |
| you | you (plural) | pay |
| they | they | pay |
She pays with a credit card.
Ella paga con tarjeta de crédito.
How to Conjugate "pay" in the Past Tense
Simple Past Actions that happened in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | paid |
| you | you (singular) | paid |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | paid |
| we | we | paid |
| you | you (plural) | paid |
| they | they | paid |
He paid with his card.
Él pagó con su tarjeta.
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Simple Future Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | will pay |
| you | you (singular) | will pay |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | will pay |
| we | we | will pay |
| you | you (plural) | will pay |
| they | they | will pay |
She will pay for the ticket.
Ella pagará por el boleto.
How to Conjugate "pay" in the Present (-ing) Tense
Present Continuous Actions happening right now| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | am paying |
| you | you (singular) | are paying |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | is paying |
| we | we | are paying |
| you | you (plural) | are paying |
| they | they | are paying |
He is paying his rent today.
Él está pagando su alquiler hoy.
How to Conjugate "pay" in the Have done Tense
Present Perfect Actions completed with present relevance| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | have paid |
| you | you (singular) | have paid |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | has paid |
| we | we | have paid |
| you | you (plural) | have paid |
| they | they | have paid |
She has paid the taxi driver.
Ella ha pagado al taxista.
Frequently Asked Questions About "pay"
Is "pay" regular or irregular in English?
"Pay" is an irregular English verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "pay" mean in English?
The English verb "pay" means "to compensate, to settle" in English.
How do you conjugate "pay" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Simple Present): I → pay, you → pay, he/she/it → pays, we → pay, you → pay, they → pay.
How many tenses does "pay" have in English?
"Pay" is conjugated across 5 tenses in English: Present, Past, Future, Present (-ing), Have done.
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