Mastering the English verb “bribe” is essential for communicating clearly about issues involving corruption, ethics, or legal matters. Whether you’re a student, teacher, journalist, or professional, correctly using its past tense forms allows you to express past events accurately, write compelling narratives, and create precise legal or journalistic texts.
This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about the past tense of “bribe”: definitions, grammatical rules, verb forms, pronunciation, examples, common mistakes, advanced nuances, and plenty of practice exercises. By the end, you’ll have complete confidence in using “bribed” correctly in any context.
Table of Contents
- 3. Definition Section
- 4. Structural Breakdown
- 5. Types or Categories
- 6. Examples Section
- 7. Usage Rules
- 8. Common Mistakes
- 9. Practice Exercises
- 10. Advanced Topics
- 11. FAQ Section
- 12. Conclusion
3. Definition Section
3.1. What Does “Bribe” Mean?
Bribe (verb): to offer, give, receive, or solicit something valuable (often money or gifts) with the intention of influencing someone’s actions in a dishonest or illegal way.
Bribe (noun): an illegal or unethical payment or gift used to influence someone. (Note: This article focuses on the verb form.)
Present tense examples:
- They bribe officials to avoid paying taxes.
- He never bribes anyone.
- Some companies bribe inspectors to overlook violations.
3.2. Grammatical Classification
“Bribe” is a regular verb, meaning its past tense and past participle are formed by adding -ed (or just -d if the base ends with an e).
Regular vs. Irregular Verbs:
| Verb | Base Form | Simple Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | bribe | bribed | bribed |
| Irregular | give | gave | given |
| Irregular | take | took | taken |
| Irregular | do | did | done |
3.3. What Is the Past Tense?
The past tense in English describes actions or events that occurred before now and are completed.
Two key past forms:
- Simple Past: describes a finished action in the past (e.g., “They bribed him.”)
- Past Participle: used with auxiliary verbs (have/has/had) for perfect tenses or in passive voice (e.g., “They have bribed him.” / “He was bribed.”)
Because “bribe” is a regular verb, both these forms are the same: bribed.
3.4. Overview of Past Forms of “Bribe”
| Base Form | Simple Past | Past Participle | Present Participle | 3rd Person Singular |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bribe | bribed | bribed | bribing | bribes |
4. Structural Breakdown
4.1. How to Form the Past Simple of “Bribe”
Since “bribe” ends with e, simply add d:
bribe + d = bribed
Similar examples:
| Base Verb | Past Simple |
|---|---|
| love | loved |
| hope | hoped |
| arrive | arrived |
| change | changed |
4.2. Pronunciation of “Bribed”
The -ed ending in past tense verbs has three pronunciations:
- /t/ after voiceless sounds (e.g., walked /wɔːkt/)
- /d/ after voiced sounds (e.g., called /kɔːld/)
- /ɪd/ after /t/ or /d/ sounds (e.g., needed /ˈniːdɪd/)
“Bribed” ends with a voiced consonant (/b/), so -ed is pronounced as /d/:
/braɪbd/
| -ed Ending | Example | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| /t/ | laughed | /læft/ |
| /d/ | bribed | /braɪbd/ |
| /ɪd/ | wanted | /ˈwɒntɪd/ |
4.3. Past Simple Usage Pattern
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + bribed + object | She bribed the official. |
| Negative | Subject + did not (didn’t) + bribe + object | She didn’t bribe the official. |
| Question | Did + subject + bribe + object? | Did she bribe the official? |
4.4. Past Participle Usage
The past participle bribed is mainly used with auxiliary verbs:
- Perfect tenses (has/have/had + bribed)
- Passive voice (is/was/had been + bribed)
| Usage | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Present Perfect | They have bribed many officials. |
| Past Perfect | She had bribed the clerk before submitting the forms. |
| Passive Voice | The judge was bribed to dismiss the case. |
| Passive Perfect | The witness had been bribed before the trial. |
5. Types or Categories
5.1. Simple Past of “Bribe”
Describes a completed action in the past.
Example: She bribed the official yesterday.
5.2. Past Perfect Tense with “Bribed”
Indicates an action finished before another past event.
Example: They had bribed the guard before escaping.
5.3. Passive Voice Forms
- was bribed / were bribed: The official was bribed by the company.
- had been bribed: The witness had been bribed before the trial.
5.4. Continuous Past Forms (related tenses)
While not strictly “past tense of bribe,” these forms relate to ongoing bribery actions in the past:
- Past Continuous: He was bribing the officials all week.
- Past Perfect Continuous: They had been bribing the guards for months.
Focus remains on simple past and past participle, but awareness of these helps avoid confusion.
6. Examples Section
6.1. Simple Past – Affirmative
- He bribed the security guard last night.
- They bribed the referee during the game.
- She bribed the clerk to approve the documents.
- The businessman bribed the customs officer.
- We bribed the security staff to enter early.
6.2. Simple Past – Negative
- She didn’t bribe anyone.
- The company did not bribe the inspector.
- He didn’t bribe the judge.
- They didn’t bribe the police officers.
- I did not bribe any official.
6.3. Simple Past – Questions
- Did he bribe the witness?
- Did they bribe the customs officer?
- Did you bribe the reporter?
- Did she bribe the exam supervisor?
- Did the company bribe the officials?
6.4. Past Perfect Examples
- By the time the investigation started, they had already bribed several officials.
- She had bribed the clerk before submitting the documents.
- The manager had bribed the inspector months before the audit.
- They had bribed the customs agent before the shipment arrived.
- He had bribed the referee before the match.
6.5. Passive Voice – Simple Past
- The judge was bribed to dismiss the case.
- Several officers were bribed during the scandal.
- The official was bribed by the company owner.
- The referee was bribed before the final match.
- The inspector was bribed to overlook the violations.
6.6. Passive Voice – Perfect Tenses
- The official has been bribed multiple times.
- The witness had been bribed before the trial.
- The clerk has been bribed to approve fake documents.
- The officer had been bribed repeatedly over the years.
- The politician has been bribed by various companies.
6.7. Combined Examples Table 1: 20 Mixed Sentences
| Sentence |
|---|
| They bribed the customs officer last week. |
| She didn’t bribe the inspector. |
| Did you bribe the official? |
| He had bribed the guard before arriving. |
| The director was bribed by the supplier. |
| We didn’t bribe anyone. |
| Did they bribe the police? |
| The athlete bribed the referee. |
| By 2019, the company had bribed many politicians. |
| The witness was bribed to change his statement. |
| She had bribed the committee before the vote. |
| The judge has been bribed before in other cases. |
| They didn’t bribe the customs agents. |
| Did the manager bribe the auditor? |
| The referee was bribed during the tournament. |
| He bribed the official last year. |
| She had bribed the official before submitting the application. |
| The minister was bribed by the company owner. |
| We didn’t bribe the officer. |
| Did you bribe the customs inspector? |
6.8. Combined Examples Table 2: 10 Passive Voice Sentences
| Passive Sentence |
|---|
| The official was bribed during the investigation. |
| The witness had been bribed before testifying. |
| The judge was bribed to reduce the sentence. |
| The customs officer was bribed by the smugglers. |
| The referee has been bribed several times. |
| The politician was bribed by multiple companies. |
| The inspector had been bribed before the audit. |
| The official has been bribed repeatedly. |
| The committee was bribed before the decision. |
| The guard had been bribed prior to the escape. |
6.9. Contextual Examples
Formal/legal: The defendant had bribed the official prior to the contract award.
Informal conversation: I heard they bribed the referee to win the game.
Journalism: Several customs officers were bribed during the smuggling operation.
Academic writing: Studies show that officials have been bribed to manipulate procurement processes.
6.10. Additional Mini-Dialogues
Dialogue 1:
- A: Did they bribe the inspector?
- B: No, they didn’t bribe anyone. The inspection was fair.
Dialogue 2:
- A: The company had bribed the clerk before applying for the license.
- B: That explains how they got approval so quickly.
Dialogue 3:
- A: I heard the official was bribed to ignore the violations.
- B: That’s a serious accusation and needs thorough investigation.
7. Usage Rules
7.1. When to Use Past Simple “Bribed”
Use for actions completed at a specific time in the past.
Signal words: yesterday, last week, in 2019, two days ago
Examples:
- They bribed the official yesterday.
- The company bribed the inspector in 2018.
7.2. When to Use Past Perfect “Had Bribed”
Use to show an action completed before another past event.
Signal words: already, by the time, before
Examples:
- Before the audit, they had bribed the inspector.
- By the time police arrived, the manager had bribed the official.
- They bribed the guard (simple past) after he had bribed the supervisor (past perfect).
7.3. Passive Voice Usage
Use passive when focusing on the person affected rather than who bribed.
Examples:
- The official was bribed during the contract process. (focus on official)
- The witness had been bribed before the trial. (focus on witness)
7.4. Common Signal Words & Time Markers
| Signal Word/Time Marker | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| yesterday | They bribed the guard yesterday. |
| last year | The company bribed officials last year. |
| two days ago | She bribed the inspector two days ago. |
| before | They had bribed the clerk before submitting forms. |
| by the time | By the time police arrived, he had bribed the guard. |
| already | They had already bribed several people. |
7.5. Common Exceptions and Variations
- In negatives and questions, use the base verb with did:
Incorrect: She didn’t bribed.
Correct: She didn’t bribe. - Questions:
Incorrect: Did he bribed?
Correct: Did he bribe?
7.6. Differences with Present Perfect
Present Perfect (has/have bribed): connects past action to present or recent past.
Simple Past (bribed): finished, definite past action.
Example:
- They have bribed many officials. (Experience or recent past, time not specified)
- They bribed many officials in 2019. (Completed in the past at a known time)
8. Common Mistakes
8.1. Using Incorrect Past Form
Incorrect: She bribe the guard.
Correct: She bribed the guard.
8.2. Misusing Past Participle with Simple Past
Incorrect: They have bribed yesterday.
Correct: They bribed yesterday OR They have bribed many officials.
8.3. Incorrect Negative Forms
Incorrect: She didn’t bribed them.
Correct: She didn’t bribe them.
8.4. Incorrect Question Forms
Incorrect: Did he bribed the official?
Correct: Did he bribe the official?
8.5. Confusion with Similar Verbs
Bribe vs. pay off:
- He bribed the judge. (illegal influence)
- He paid off his debt. (settled money owed)
- He paid off the guard. (could mean bribed or simply paid, depending on context)
8.6. Mixing Tenses Incorrectly
Incorrect: They bribed and are escaping.
Correct: They bribed and escaped.
OR
They have bribed and are escaping.
8.7. Table: Correct vs. Incorrect Examples
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| She bribe the official. | She bribed the official. |
| They have bribed yesterday. | They bribed yesterday. |
| Did he bribed the guard? | Did he bribe the guard? |
| She didn’t bribed him. | She didn’t bribe him. |
| They bribed and are escaping. | They bribed and escaped. |
| He have bribed the judge. | He has bribed the judge. |
| They was bribed by the company. | They were bribed by the company. |
| She has bribe the official. | She has bribed the official. |
| Did she bribed the witness? | Did she bribe the witness? |
| He didn’t bribes anyone. | He didn’t bribe anyone. |
9. Practice Exercises
9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| Before the meeting, the company ____ the official. | had bribed |
| The athlete ____ the referee last year. | bribed |
| She ____ bribe any officer during the inspection. | did not |
| ____ he bribe the customs agent? | Did |
| The inspector ____ bribed multiple times. | has been |
| They ____ bribed the guard before escaping. | had |
| The manager ____ bribe anyone. | did not |
| The witness ____ bribed before the trial. | had been |
| By 2018, the company ____ already bribed several officials. | had |
| They ____ the official yesterday. | bribed |
9.2. Error Correction
| Incorrect Sentence | Corrected Sentence |
|---|---|
| She bribe the inspector. | She bribed the inspector. |
| They didn’t bribed the guard. | They didn’t bribe the guard. |
| Did he bribed the referee? | Did he bribe the referee? |
| He has bribe the official. | He has bribed the official. |
| The official was bribe by the company. | The official was bribed by the company. |
| They have bribed yesterday. | They bribed yesterday. |
| She didn’t bribes anyone. | She didn’t bribe anyone. |
| The guard had bribe before the escape. | The guard had bribed before the escape. |
| We bribing the inspector last week. | We bribed the inspector last week. |
| He was been bribed by them. | He was bribed by them. |
9.3. Identify the Tense
| Sentence | Tense/Voice |
|---|---|
| They bribed the official. | Simple past |
| She had bribed the guard. | Past perfect |
| The witness was bribed. | Simple past passive |
| The company has bribed many officials. | Present perfect |
| They were bribing the inspector. | Past continuous |
| The guard had been bribed. | Past perfect passive |
| Did he bribe the referee? | Simple past question |
| She is bribing the official. | Present continuous |
| They have been bribing guards. | Present perfect continuous |
| He was bribed by the gang. | Simple past passive |
9.4. Sentence Construction
- Make a negative sentence: They didn’t bribe the official.
- Make a question: Did she bribe the inspector?
- Make a past perfect sentence: They had bribed the referee before the match.
- Make a passive sentence: The witness was bribed before the trial.
- Make a sentence with “has been bribed”: The official has been bribed several times.
9.5. Transformation Exercises
- Present to past:
Present: They bribe the guard.
Past: They bribed the guard. - Active to passive:
Active: They bribed the inspector.
Passive: The inspector was bribed (by them). - Passive to active:
Passive: The official was bribed.
Active: Someone bribed the official.
9.6. Matching Exercise
| Signal Word | Verb Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yesterday | bribed | They bribed the official yesterday. |
| already | had bribed | They had already bribed him before the audit. |
| before | had bribed | She had bribed the clerk before submitting forms. |
| last year | bribed | The company bribed the inspector last year. |
| by the time | had bribed | By the time police arrived, he had bribed the guard. |
10. Advanced Topics
10.1. Nuances in Meaning and Context
Legal context: “Bribed” clearly indicates illegal activity.
Informal context: “Bribed” can sometimes mean persuaded with gifts, not always illegal.
Example: I bribed my little brother with candy. (informal, playful)
10.2. Stylistic Choices in Reporting Past Actions
- Use present perfect for recent/unresolved events: “The official has been bribed.”
- Use simple past for completed, dated events: “The company bribed officials in 2010.”
- Use passive voice to focus on the person affected, often in formal/legal writing.
10.3. Collocations and Phrasal Uses
- bribed into: He was bribed into keeping silent.
- bribed by: The official was bribed by the contractor.
- bribed with: She bribed the witness with money.
10.4. Indirect Speech and Reported Speech
Direct: “He bribed the inspector,” said the witness.
Indirect: The witness said that he had bribed the inspector.
Note the tense shift to past perfect in reported speech.
10.5. Conditional Sentences with Past Forms
Unreal past condition:
If he had bribed the officer, he would have escaped.
(But he didn’t bribe; so, he didn’t escape.)
10.6. Legal and Ethical Implications
In legal writing, precision in tense indicates when bribery happened relative to other events, which can be critical for proving guilt or innocence.
Example: The defendant had bribed the witness before the trial began.
Here, “had bribed” clarifies timing crucial for legal interpretation.
11. FAQ Section
- Is “bribed” a regular or irregular past tense form?
“Bribed” is a regular verb—past simple and past participle are both formed by adding -ed (or just -d). - What is the difference between “bribed” and “had bribed”?
“Bribed” is simple past for a finished action. “Had bribed” is past perfect, showing an action completed before another past event. - Can “bribed” be used in passive voice? How?
Yes. Example: “The official was bribed during the investigation.” Passive uses past participle with be verbs. - How do I pronounce “bribed”?
It’s pronounced /braɪbd/, with the -ed sounding like /d/. - Why do we say “did not bribe” instead of “did not bribed”?
Because after “did” (an auxiliary), the base form is used: “did not bribe.” - What tense is “has bribed”? How does it differ from “bribed”?
“Has bribed” is present perfect, connecting past action to the present. “Bribed” is simple past, a finished event. - Can “bribed” be used in questions? Examples?
Yes. Example: “Did you bribe the official?” - Is “bribed” used differently in British and American English?
No significant difference. Both use “bribed” identically. - Are there synonyms for “bribed” with similar past tense forms?
Yes: paid off (regular), influenced (regular), corrupted (regular). - What is the noun form related to “bribed”?
The noun is bribe (thing given) or bribery (the act of bribing). - How is “bribed” used in legal writing?
To describe illegal acts of offering or receiving bribes, often in passive voice and perfect tenses for clarity. - What are common mistakes with “bribed” in past tense?
Using the base form instead of past (She bribe), wrong participle (didn’t bribed), or misuse in negatives/questions.
12. Conclusion
Understanding and correctly using the past tense of “bribe” is crucial for clear, accurate communication, especially in formal, legal, or journalistic contexts. Remember that “bribed” is a regular verb with the same form for both simple past and past participle.
Carefully distinguish when to use simple past (“bribed”) versus past perfect (“had bribed”) and apply proper structures for negatives and questions. Passive constructions focus on those affected by bribery, an essential stylistic and legal nuance.
Avoid common errors by following the rules and practicing with the examples and exercises provided. Apply this knowledge confidently in your writing and speaking.
To deepen your mastery, continue studying related verbs, tense forms, perfect tenses, and passive voice. Consistent practice ensures grammatical accuracy and effective communication on this important topic.