The past tense of “swim” follows irregular rules. Naturally, that means it’s more difficult than you might first realize when it comes to using it. There are two different verb forms we can use, and this article will explore both of them to show you how it works.
“Swam” is correct when talking about someone “swimming” in the past; it’s the simple past tense of “to swim.” “Swum” is the past participle of the same verb, which is incorrect unless we include an auxiliary verb along with it to turn it into the perfect tense.
These examples will help to show you what the differences in verb forms can look like:
- I swam to the other side of the shore.
- We have swum for a long time, and I need a rest!
“Swam” is much simpler than “swum.” It works on its own, while “swum” requires a second helping verb (“have”) to be correct.
Remember this when it comes to using the verb “swim:”
| Verb | Swim |
| Past | Swam |
| Past Participle | Swum |
When Is “Swam” Correct?
“Swam” is simple enough to use, so we’ll teach you how it works.
“Swam” is correct when talking about “swimming” in the past. There are no extra language rules or grammar hoops that we have to jump through when using it in this way.
You can use “swam” regardless of the pronoun in the sentence. There is never a need to change the verb form (unlike how you might do it with certain present tense verbs):
- I swam
- You swam
- She swam
- He swam
As you can see, “swam” always stays as a standard spelling and form for the simple past tense.
Example Sentences Using “Swam”
The simple past tense looks like this:
- I swam the English channel when I was fifteen.
- We swam together in our school team.
- The dog swam across the river, making it difficult for his owner to catch him.
- You swam out to save that man! Very impressive!
- If you swam as fast as you said, then you should have broken some records in your youth.
- He swam for a national team until his terrible injury.
“Swam” refers to someone “swimming” in the past. The event has already happened, and there’s nothing more that anyone can do to change the outcome of it.
When Is “Swum” Correct?
“Swum” is the more complicated of the pair, so we’ll focus our attention on that now. Being the past participle, “swum” has a few extra rules that we need to understand.
“Swum” makes no sense alone in a sentence. We need an auxiliary verb like “have” to correct this issue. Once we use “have swum,” it becomes the present perfect tense, which is one of three possible perfect tenses that we can use.
The other perfect tenses all follow the same general idea. They are as follows:
- Past perfect: Had swum
- Present perfect: Have swum
- Future perfect: Will have swum
The astute readers among you will notice that “swum” never changes form, no matter what the tense is. However, “have” does change the form, and it’s the verb we use to dictate which tense we write in.
“Had” is the past tense of “have,” which is why it works as the past perfect tense. This refers to a “swimming” event in the past that came before another event.
“Have” is the present tense of the verb “have,” which is why it works as the present perfect tense. We use it to talk about “swimming” in the past and continuing to “swim” in the present.
The future perfect uses “will” to manipulate “have” into the future tense. This talks about things that haven’t happened yet (related to “swimming”), though they’re likely to come true in a short amount of time.
Example sentences using “Swum”
We’ll split these examples into three sections to follow each of the perfect tenses. That way, if you only want to focus your attention on one or two of them, they are easily accessible for you.
Past Perfect
- I had swum a lot in my youth before my injury stopped me from taking part.
- You had swum for a long while before I got here. Sorry to interrupt you.
Though uncommon, the past perfect tense uses “had swum” to show that someone “swam” in the past. It gives us an order of how things happened in the past and shows that there might be some sort of impact on events in the present because of it.
Present Perfect
- I have swum a short distance in record time, but now I must do it again.
- We have swum here, but we can easily swim back if you want to.
The present perfect tense gives us “have swum.” We talk about someone “swimming” previously and continuing the action of swimming (or finishing it) in the present.
Future Perfect
- I will have swum for over two hours if I keep up with this workout!
- You will have swum more miles than anyone else on the planet if you go for this!
While the events of the future perfect tense haven’t happened yet, we can use it to talk about the possibility of them happening. The likelihood of them coming true is mostly based on our actions and decisions in the present.
“Have Swum” Vs. “Have Swam”
“Have swum” has already proven to be correct. We can see that from everything written above.
“Have swam” is incorrect, and there are no cases where it can be used. “Swam” is the simple past tense, which cannot work alongside an auxiliary verb like “have.” You can only use “have swum” in this way.
- Correct: I have swum a long way to get to this destination!
- Incorrect: You have swam for too long, which is why you’re so exhausted!
Final Thoughts
“Swam” is the simple past tense, which means it doesn’t need any further grammar to help us out. “Swum” is the past participle, which relies heavily on using an auxiliary verb before getting it correct. “Have swum” is the present perfect tense, which is a useful tense to remember.
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To swum at a person or to be swum; it is a swear word. Swum means that you are either an idiot or just plain annoying.
Fred: OMG THE WATER’S WET!
Bob: What a swum.
Boss/Paul: FINISH YOUR WORK BY YESTERDAY!
Robby: Dude, he’s totally swumming me.
Bob: I know dude, totally.
Ted: Yeah, he swumed her so much.
Lary: Really? I had no idea. I thought she really liked him.
Bob: No, he was such a swum.
Craig: OMG! I LOVE CAKE!
Bob: What a swummer!
Paul: I know. He’s such an idiot he should be doing his work!
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a widely used gramatically «incorrect» past form of swim. The correct past form of swim is swam, but it sounds stupid to say, so we usually say swum instead.
21patrick60: dude i wish we had swum at your grandparent’s instead of playin gears all day & givin up on wave 19
bob: wait i hav an idea! lets hit eachother with lightsabers like mature 15 year olds!
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Swim is an irregular verb; swam is the past tense of swim, while swum is the past participle. Swum is used after have, as in «I have swum in that pool before.»
Passing by a scenic lake on a road trip, a friend might point out that they have swam in its crystal-blue water. Another might say that they, too, have swum in it. The grammarian road tripper in the car catches the incorrect usage of swam and chimes in: «Swum is the correct inflection of swim when using it in the present perfect or past perfect tenses. Basically, swam is not used after have or had. It is the past tense of swim, not the past participle.» Heads and eyes subsequently begin to swim.
Past Tense vs. Past Participle
The rules of grammar do chime with the statement. The perfect tenses, which indicate action completed at the time of speaking or at a time spoken of, consist of a form of have plus the verb’s past participle, which, in this case, is swum. The present perfect denotes action that began in the past and is linked to the present; its construction is have or has followed by the past participle. The past perfect denotes action that was completed at or before a past time spoken of; its form is had plus the past participle. There is also the future perfect, which expresses action that will be completed by a specified time in the future and consists of the past participle preceded by usually will have.
[Present perfect] «More people probably swam last week than have swum in the past decade,» says Daniel Start, the author of several Wild Swimming guides to finding the best places for a dip across the UK and beyond.
— Susie Mesure, iNews, 4 June 2020[Past perfect] During the 2000 Olympic final, 15-year-old Michael Phelps had swum his first Olympic final, placing 5th.
— Nick Pecoraro, SwimSwam, 8 June 2020[Future perfect] By the time she hits the shores of Kent, England late on Monday, it’s expected that Thomas will have swum non-stop for around 50 hours.
— Phil Boucher, People, 16 Sept. 2019
In some dialects, swam following have—though, by rule, incorrect—is not unheard of, especially in casual conversation.
I have had a chance to sing with so many people that I admire. The one person that I won’t ever get to sing with is Linda Ronstadt because she doesn’t sing anymore. But I feel like I have swam around in the same circles with her because I have gotten a chance to sing with Don Henley and Aaron Neville and Emmylou Harris.
— Trisha Yearwood, quoted in The Tulsa (Oklahoma) World, 15 Sept. 2019
Avoid ‘Swimmed’
Even swimmed has been used, but please avoid using this in speech and writing. Swim isn’t a regular verb and it will likely get flagged as an error if inflected as one.
Suzanne Heim-Bowen, who’s 52, has swimmed the English Channel three times….
— The Record Searchlight (Redding, California), 11 Sept. 2010
Additionally, swum occasionally is heard in place of swam as the simple past-tense verb (which does not have an auxiliary verb, such as have)—for example, «I swum in the ocean every day while on vacation.» Again, this use might be acceptable in some dialectal speech, but it is inadvisable in written or formal communication.
According to the rules for inflecting irregular verbs (the regular past tenses, in English, are usually formed by adding -ed—talked or walked—or -d or -t—placed or dealt), swam is the past tense and swum is the past participle, which follows the inflections of other irregulars, such as drank and drunk for drink, rang and rung for ring, and sang and sung for sing. The pattern is the a—u—i root vowel change from the past tense to the past participle to the infinitive.
Although you might see or hear swam used after a form of have, the construction doesn’t follow the participle rule of irregular verbs and might draw criticism—at least by those knowledgeable about the rule. In casual speech, you might be forgiven for the slip—but not in written expression. Swum is the standard past participle to be used with have. Swam may be gaining a level of acceptance as such in spoken use but not in writing.
Recent Examples on the Web
The length of the habitat allows the penguins to swim for long distances in a group, and bob in an out of the water (a phenomenon called porpoising).
—
Ariana Garcia, Chron, 7 Apr. 2023
As sea levels rise due to climate change, scientists expect the ocean to increasingly inundate cesspools on coastal properties, pushing sewage into waters where people swim.
—Audrey Mcavoy, ajc, 6 Apr. 2023
In the middle, check out the tide pools brimming with tiny aquatic life, and keep an eye on the horizon for a pod of whales swimming by.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2023
Women enter fully clothed, and life jackets can be rented for those who can’t swim.
—Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Apr. 2023
Rather than allow all people to swim in public pools or play golf together, the city drained those pools and poured concrete into the holes on the courses.
—John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, 14 Mar. 2023
After some quick shots of Halle Bailey’s Ariel gracefully swimming through the sea, the 42-second teaser ends with a shadowy shot of what seems to be McCarthy’s Ursula looking menacingly at the camera over one of her tentacles.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2023
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) warns people to not swim in or around red tide waters over the possibility of skin irritation, rashes and burning and sore eyes.
—Sarah Rumpf, Fox News, 12 Mar. 2023
Advertisement Some cities outside the capital have also allowed topless swimming for everyone.
—Victoria Bisset, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2023
In another, 44 signed up, 22 attended, 11 had some swim ability and seven completed the training, according to the report.
—Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2023
Because as well as hosting outdoor swim races, the Seine is going to be the centerpiece of Paris’ unprecedented Olympic opening ceremony.
—John Leicester, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2023
Kylie, 25, also posted an image of Khloé Kardashian’s daughter True, 4, laying in a grassy field with a giant golden egg, plus a photo of daughter Stormi, 5, enjoying a nighttime swim with cousins Dream, 6, and True.
—Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2023
Idris, underneath her, wore black swim trunks.
—Rosa Sanchez, Harper’s BAZAAR, 8 Apr. 2023
Same goes for pairing them with swim trunks—and what other style of footwear can pull off that trick?
—Jake Woolf, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2023
Their swim sets are available in red, blue, and black for sizes S to 2XL.
—Seventeen, 6 Apr. 2023
Patagonia Baggies Shorts $65 at Patagonia$65 at Huckberry These classic swim trunks are versatile for activities both in and out of water.
—Christian Gollayan, menshealth.com, 5 Apr. 2023
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below The sophisticated blue and ivory floral of this long sleeved swimsuit (sizes 0—24) brings some preppy pep to your swim wardrobe.
—Lauren Hubbard, townandcountrymag.com, 5 Apr. 2023
Let this kimono top take you from beachside to a post-swim dinner in a breeze.
—Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, 28 Mar. 2023
This one at a home designed by April Powers is the perfect post-swim hang.
—Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 23 Feb. 2023
This, along with a bite of a homemade peanut butter protein bar, makes for an ideal pre-swim breakfast.
—Bon Appétit Contributor, Bon Appétit, 23 Sep. 2022
And the majority of drownings – 69% – actually occur during non-swim times.
—Dr. Michael Daignault, USA TODAY, 14 July 2022
For a post-swim bite to eat, stop by the nearby tiki-themed Pool Burger.
—Anna Mazurek, Chron, 30 June 2022
Costume designer Dinah Collin won an Emmy for her work on the BBC series, which has since inspired a generation of Regency adaptations—not to mention the string of winks to the transformative post-swim moment.
—Emma Fraser, Town & Country, 10 Apr. 2022
But behind-the-scenes, Grandma’s cop-worthy post-swim lewk resulted from a practical request from the 85-year-old lead Tsai Chin, who is an accomplished — and very glamorous IRL — stage and screen legend on both sides of the pond and mainland China.
—Fawnia Soo Hoo, refinery29.com, 2 Dec. 2020
Facial coverings are required at all times, except while swimming or during the pre-swim shower.
—Lisa J. Huriash, sun-sentinel.com, 8 Sep. 2020
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘swim.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Other forms: swimming; swam; swims; swum
When you move yourself through the water using your arms and legs, you swim. If you live near the ocean, it’s probably a good idea to learn how to swim.
You might decide to swim across the English Channel, or, if you’re a little less adventurous, just swim in your town’s swimming pool. When things appear to be submerged as if underwater, they swim too: «I like it when the mashed potatoes swim in gravy.» And when something appears fuzzy or whirling, it also seems to swim: «I was so tired the equations on the chalkboard began to swim.» The root of swim means «to be in motion.»
Definitions of swim
-
verb
travel through water
“We had to
swim for 20 minutes to reach the shore”“a big fish was
swimming in the tank” -
verb
move as if gliding through water
“this snake
swims through the soil where it lives” -
verb
be afloat either on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom
-
synonyms:
float
-
float
move lightly, as if suspended
-
float
set afloat
see moresee less-
Antonyms:
-
go down, go under, settle, sink
go under, «The raft sank and its occupants drowned»
-
sink
cause to sink
- show more antonyms…
-
types:
-
buoy
float on the surface of water
-
type of:
-
go, locomote, move, travel
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
-
float
-
verb
be covered with or submerged in a liquid
“the meat was
swimming in a fatty gravy”-
synonyms:
drown
see moresee less-
type of:
-
be
have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
-
be
-
-
synonyms:
reel
see moresee less-
type of:
-
be
have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
-
be
-
“»it was the swimming they enjoyed most»: «they took a short
swim in the pool”-
synonyms:
swimming
see moresee less-
types:
- show 16 types…
- hide 16 types…
-
bathe
the act of swimming
-
skinny-dip
a naked swim
-
dip, plunge
a brief swim in water
-
dive, diving
a headlong plunge into water
-
floating, natation
the act of someone who floats on the water
-
skin diving, skin-dive
underwater swimming without any more breathing equipment than a snorkel
-
dead-man’s float, prone float
a floating position with the face down and arms stretched forward
-
belly flop, belly flopper, belly whop, belly whopper
a dive in which the abdomen bears the main force of impact with the water
-
cliff diving
diving into the water from a steep overhanging cliff
-
flip
a dive in which the diver somersaults before entering the water
-
full gainer, gainer
a dive in which the diver throws the feet forward to complete a full backward somersault and enters the water feet first and facing away from the diving board
-
half gainer
a dive in which the diver throws the feet forward and up to complete a half backward somersault and enters the water facing the diving board
-
jackknife
a dive in which the diver bends to touch the ankles before straightening out
-
swallow dive, swan dive
a dive in which the diver arches the back with arms outstretched before entering the water
-
scuba diving
skin diving with scuba apparatus
-
snorkel diving, snorkeling
skin diving with a snorkel
-
type of:
-
aquatics, water sport
sports that involve bodies of water
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘swim’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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