Pay

payer

Irregular verb.

Conjugated like say, lay, prepay, overlay

In speech, the helping verbs shorten: I’m, he’s, we’re, I’ve, I’ll, I’d.

Underlined: the stem is not the infinitive’s.

Newbie

Enough to talk about now, the past, and your plans, and to give instructions.

  1. Present simple

    Habits, facts, and how things usually are. To say no or ask, add do or does: I don't pay, he doesn't pay.

    1. I / you / we / they pay
    2. he / she / it pays

  2. Present continuous

    What is happening now, and plans already arranged: we’re leaving tomorrow.

    1. I am paying
    2. you / we / they are paying
    3. he / she / it is paying

  3. Past simple

    A finished action at a past time: yesterday, in 2020. To say no or ask, add did: I didn't pay.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they paid

  4. Future with going to

    Plans and intentions, and what you can see coming: it’s going to rain.

    1. I am going to pay
    2. you / we / they are going to pay
    3. he / she / it is going to pay

  5. Imperative

    Orders, advice, and instructions. Let’s suggests doing it together. To say no: don't pay.

    1. (you) pay
    2. let's pay
BeginnerExperiences, what you were doing, and the future with will.Present perfect · Past continuous · Future with willAlso show the Beginner tenses (3)

  1. Present perfect

    The past linked to now: experiences, news, and what started earlier and still goes on: I’ve lived here for two years.

    1. I / you / we / they have paid
    2. he / she / it has paid

  2. Past continuous

    An action in progress at a past moment, often interrupted: I was cooking when you called.

    1. I / he / she / it was paying
    2. you / we / they were paying

  3. Future with will

    Predictions, promises, offers, and decisions made now: I’ll help you.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will pay
IntermediateHow long something has lasted, the past before the past, and what would happen.Present perfect continuous · Past perfect · Future continuous · Conditional · Conditional perfectAlso show the Intermediate tenses (5)

  1. Present perfect continuous

    An activity from the past until now, and how long it has lasted: I’ve been waiting for an hour.

    1. I / you / we / they have been paying
    2. he / she / it has been paying

  2. Past perfect

    The past before another past moment: when I arrived, the train had left.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they had paid

  3. Future continuous

    An action in progress at a future moment: this time tomorrow, I’ll be flying.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will be paying

  4. Conditional

    What would happen in an imagined situation, and polite requests: if I had time, I would help.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would pay

  5. Conditional perfect

    What would have happened, but did not: if I had known, I would have come.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would have paid
AdvancedWhat will have happened, and the longer continuous tenses.Past perfect continuous · Future perfect · Future perfect continuous · Conditional continuous · Conditional perfect continuousAlso show the Advanced tenses (5)

  1. Past perfect continuous

    An activity that had been going on until a past moment: she was tired because she had been running.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they had been paying

  2. Future perfect

    An action finished before a future moment: by Friday, I’ll have finished.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will have paid

  3. Future perfect continuous

    How long an activity will have lasted at a future moment: in June, I’ll have been working here for a year.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will have been paying

  4. Conditional continuous

    An action that would be in progress in an imagined situation: if I were rich, I would be traveling now.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would be paying

  5. Conditional perfect continuous

    An activity that would have been going on in an imagined past: without the rain, we would have been playing outside.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would have been paying