# What Is The Past Tense Of "Text"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 28, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814 "2010-08-28T18:28:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/1 "2010-08-28T18:28:12Z")
Now that the word “text” has entered the English language as a verb instead of a noun, what is the past tense? Is it a regular or irregular verb? For instance: Mary texted her boyfriend before rear-ending the car in front of her. Mary text her boyfriend before rear-ending the car in front of her. Granted, asking people who text for advice about spelling and grammar is sort of like asking the Pope for advice about cunnilingus, but thought I would give it a go. So, what is the past tense of “text”? ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/2 "2010-08-28T18:45:07Z")
I use “texted”, but the word is probably too new as a verb for there to be a definite answer. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/3 "2010-08-28T18:54:40Z")
I use “texted”, and I’ve never heard “text” used as past simple. If I heard your second example spoken, I would probably assume you were saying “Mary _texts_ her boyfriend”. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/4 "2010-08-28T19:24:10Z")
I have always used texted as past tense, “always” meaning in the last few years since text has become a verb. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/5 "2010-08-28T19:58:39Z")
I usually say “texted.” But I’d love to make it some sort of irregular verb. Wouldn’t it be awesome to say that you “toxt” your boyfriend last night? I’d love it. I was thinking of making the irregular “taxt” but I think that’s how some people say “taxed” or “text,” depending on your accent… plus “toxt” sounds funnier. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/6 "2010-08-28T20:09:29Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > I usually say “texted.” But I’d love to make it some sort of irregular verb. Wouldn’t it be awesome to say that you “toxt” your boyfriend last night? I’d love it. I’m doing this from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/7 "2010-08-28T20:38:36Z")
I’d vote for “texted” for clarity. When new words come along, the users invent the usage. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/8 "2010-08-28T20:51:29Z")
Verbing weirds language. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/9 "2010-08-28T21:01:47Z")
Clearly, “texted”. New verbs are always regular unless there’s an obvious analogous irregular verb. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/10 "2010-08-28T21:08:52Z")
Another for “texted.” But, strangely, when I text that word, my phone says it doesn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/11 "2010-08-28T21:16:58Z")
Tex’d. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/12 "2010-08-28T21:26:04Z")
Texted. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/13 "2010-08-28T21:26:47Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Clearly, “texted”. > > New verbs are always regular unless there’s an obvious analogous irregular verb. This. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Tex’d. 🙂 And not this. “Tex’d” would be the past tense of a verb “tex”, which fortunately does not exist. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/14 "2010-08-28T23:43:18Z")
Mary did text her boyfriend before rear-ending the car in front of her. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/15 "2010-08-28T23:49:41Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > “Tex’d” would be the past tense of a verb “tex”, which fortunately does not exist. No. The apostrophe shows a contraction–the omitted letters could well be T E. Regardless, I will go to my grave saying–if I must make the reference at all–“sent a message.” ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/16 "2010-08-28T23:56:51Z")
“txtd”, of course. Pronounced “texted”. And not capitalized. (Ow! Stop throwing things! kthnx.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/17 "2010-08-29T16:33:39Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > > [@suranyi](#): > > > > Clearly, “texted”. > > > > New verbs are always regular unless there’s an obvious analogous irregular verb. > > This. I agree. > [@](#): > > > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > > > Tex’d. 🙂 > > And not this. “Tex’d” would be the past tense of a verb “tex”, which fortunately does not exist. I used to [TeX](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TeX) my papers in college; does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/18 "2010-08-29T17:12:38Z")
“Texted”. Easy. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/19 "2010-08-29T19:14:56Z")
Texted. I have _never_ heard “text” as the past tense. > [@WhyNot](#): > > (Ow! Stop throwing things! kthnx.) No. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814/20 "2010-08-30T17:59:34Z")
> [@Roland\_Orzabal](#): > > I use “texted”, and I’ve never heard “text” used as past simple. If I heard your second example spoken, I would probably assume you were saying “Mary _texts_ her boyfriend”. Ditto. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-past-tense-of-text/551814.md?page=2)