What Is The Past Tense To Drink?
The past tense of “drink” is “drank“. The common meaning of this irregular verb is to consume a liquid by taking it into the mouth and swallowing it.
The past participle of the verb drink is drunk. To memorize it easily, you can change the vowel -i in the base form, to -a in the past tense form, and to -u in the past participle form.
You can refer to the table below to get more verb forms of drink:
| Base/Infinitive Form (V1) | drink |
| Present Form/3rd Person/Singular Form | drinks |
| Past Simple Tense (V2) | drank |
| Past Participle Form (V3) | drunk |
| Present Participle/Gerund | drinking |
How To Pronounce Drink And Drank Correctly?
Drink is pronounced as /drɪŋk/, drank is pronounced as /dræŋk/, and drunk is pronounced as /drʌŋk/ in both British and American accents. The table below will make you clearer:
| Verb Forms | Pronunciation | |
| British English language | American English language | |
| drink | /drɪŋk/ | /drɪŋk/ |
| drank
(V2) |
/dræŋk/ | /dræŋk/ |
| drunk
(V3) |
/drʌŋk/ | /drʌŋk/ |
| drinking | /ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ/ | /ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ/ |
How to say drink, drank, and drunk like native speakers? Check out the following videos:
Dink pronunciation:
Drank pronunciation:
Drunk pronunciation:
What Are The Definitions Of Drink? How To Use Drank?
Like other past tenses, you can use “drank” to refer to an action that happened in the past, before the time of speaking. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, there are 4 meanings of “drink:”
- To consume a liquid through the mouth.
Example 1: He drank a glass of orange juice for breakfast yesterday.
Example 2: After an exhausting workout at the gym, Sarah reached for her water bottle and drank deeply.
- To partake in alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, or spirits).
Example 1: Last night, friends gathered around a wooden table and drank mugs of frothy beer.
Example 2: Their eyes sparkling as they drank champagne, feeling the bubbles tickling their noses. (See the past tense of feel here)
- To absorb or take in (moisture, air, or rain).
Example: He drank the air into his lungs and immersed himself in the warmth of the sun.
Example 2: The old book sat on the dusty shelf and drank the musty scent of the surrounding library.
- To toast or salute with a drink.
Example 1: He raised his glass and drank to the success of his colleagues, celebrating their hard work and accomplishments.
Example 2: As the clock struck midnight, they clinked their glasses together and drank to a prosperous New Year.
Exercises
FAQs
Is Drink A Transitive Or Intransitive Verb?
- It is a transitive verb when it means to absorb something.
Example: The desert sand drank up the rainwater that fell overnight, leaving no trace behind.
- “Drink” is an intransitive verb when it means to consume a liquid or to partake of beverages.
Example: She drank all night to forget the sadness after breaking up with her boyfriend.
- “Drink” can be used as a transitive and intransitive verb with the meaning “to join in a toast.”
What Are Some Most Common Idioms Of Drink?
- Drink somebody’s health: To raise a glass and toast to someone’s well-being or good health.
Example: They gathered at the party to drink his health and celebrate his recent promotion.
- Drink like a fish: To drink alcohol excessively or in large quantities.
Example: Despite warnings from his friends, he continued to drink like a fish at the party.
- Drink somebody under the table: To outdrink or surpass someone without becoming excessively intoxicated.
Example: Despite his smaller stature, she managed to drink him under the table during their friendly drinking competition.
What Do “Drink In” And “Drink To” Mean?
- Drink in: To look at or listen to something, often with a sense of enjoyment.
Example: As they stood on the mountaintop, they couldn’t help but drink in the breathtaking view of the surrounding valleys and peaks.
- Drink to: To raise a glass and toast or celebrate someone or something.
Example: At the wedding reception, the guests drank to the happiness and everlasting love of the newlywed couple.
His name is Benjamin Essek – The founder of Grammar Wiki. He is an English native speaker and has joined many English classes, learning communities to support other people with this common language as well.