Skip to content
fluentbyear

ENGLISH VERB

sting

to hurt; to ache; to wound (emotionally)

  • Irregular verb
  • Gerund: stinging
  • Past participle: stung

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Simple present · now, habits and facts

  1. I I hurt
  2. you you hurt
  3. he, she, it he hurts
  4. we we hurt
  5. they they hurt

Past

Simple past · finished actions

  1. I I ached
  2. you you hurt
  3. he, she, it he hurt
  4. we we hurt
  5. they they hurt

Future

Future · “will”

  1. I I'm going to hurt
  2. you you're going to hurt
  3. he, she, it he's going to hurt
  4. we we're going to hurt
  5. they they're going to hurt

Present continuous

Present continuous · happening right now

  1. I I'm hurting
  2. you you're hurting
  3. he, she, it he's hurting
  4. we we're hurting
  5. they they're hurting

Present perfect

Present perfect · “have done”

  1. I I've already hurt
  2. you you've already hurt
  3. he, she, it he's already hurt
  4. we we've already hurt
  5. they they've already hurt

Conditional

Conditional · “would”

  1. I I would hurt
  2. you you would hurt
  3. he, she, it he would hurt
  4. we we would hurt
  5. they they would hurt

How to use sting

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Honest feedback stings, but it helps.

    Honest feedback hurts, but it helps.

  2. Past

    A bee stung me on the hand at the picnic.

    A bee stung me on the hand at the picnic.

  3. Future

    This will sting a little, said the nurse.

    This will sting a little, the nurse said.

  4. Present continuous

    My eyes are stinging from the smoke.

    My eyes are burning because of the smoke.

  5. Present perfect

    Her words have stung me for days.

    Her words have been hurting me for days.

  6. Conditional

    That comment would sting anyone.

    That comment would hurt anyone.

Good to know

  • "Sting" is a bee sting or the sting/burning of a cut, and also the hurt of a comment.
  • "A bee stung me": picou; "it stings": arde.

Where you hear sting

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

English for Brazilians · Intermediate Level 3

  • Words like "cold" sting. Words like "cold" hurt.
  • Honestly? It stung a little. Honestly? It stung a little.
  • Next time, my words won't sting. Next time, my words won't hurt.
11
I Didn't Mean That

Intermediate Level 3 · it stung a little

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular verb.