seek
seeks
seeking
sought
Seek means to try to find or obtain something through searching or effort. Irregular verb: seek-sought-sought.
Meanings
- To try to find or discover
- To attempt to obtain or achieve
- To ask for or request
Common Collocations
seek advice
seek help
seek approval
seek refuge
seek and destroy
Tip for Learners
Seek is more formal than look for. Note the irregular past tense: sought, not seeked.
Present Simple
| I | seek |
| you | seek |
| he/she/it | seeks |
| we | seek |
| they | seek |
Examples - Present Simple
- I seek the truth always.
- You seek attention.
- She seeks justice.
- We seek new opportunities.
- They seek adventure.
Present Continuous
| I | am seeking |
| you | are seeking |
| he/she/it | is seeking |
| we | are seeking |
| they | are seeking |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am seeking the truth.
- You are seeking attention.
- She is seeking justice.
- We are seeking opportunities.
- They are seeking adventure.
Present Perfect
| I | have sought |
| you | have sought |
| he/she/it | has sought |
| we | have sought |
| they | have sought |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have sought the truth.
- You have sought attention.
- She has sought justice.
- We have sought opportunities.
- They have sought adventure.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been seeking |
| you | have been seeking |
| he/she/it | has been seeking |
| we | have been seeking |
| they | have been seeking |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been seeking truth.
- You have been seeking attention.
- She has been seeking justice.
- We have been seeking opportunities.
- They have been seeking adventure.
Past Simple
| I | sought |
| you | sought |
| he/she/it | sought |
| we | sought |
| they | sought |
Examples - Past Simple
- I sought the truth.
- You sought attention.
- She sought justice.
- We sought opportunities.
- They sought adventure.
Past Continuous
| I | was seeking |
| you | were seeking |
| he/she/it | was seeking |
| we | were seeking |
| they | were seeking |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was seeking the truth.
- You were seeking attention.
- She was seeking justice.
- We were seeking opportunities.
- They were seeking adventure.
Past Perfect
| I | had sought |
| you | had sought |
| he/she/it | had sought |
| we | had sought |
| they | had sought |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had sought the truth.
- You had sought attention.
- She had sought justice.
- We had sought opportunities.
- They had sought adventure.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been seeking |
| you | had been seeking |
| he/she/it | had been seeking |
| we | had been seeking |
| they | had been seeking |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been seeking truth.
- You had been seeking attention.
- He had been seeking justice.
- We had been seeking opportunities.
- They had been seeking adventure.
Future Simple
| I | will seek |
| you | will seek |
| he/she/it | will seek |
| we | will seek |
| they | will seek |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will seek the truth.
- You will seek attention.
- She will seek justice.
- We will seek opportunities.
- They will seek adventure.
Future Continuous
| I | will be seeking |
| you | will be seeking |
| he/she/it | will be seeking |
| we | will be seeking |
| they | will be seeking |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be seeking truth.
- You will be seeking attention.
- He will be seeking justice.
- We will be seeking opportunities.
- They will be seeking adventure.
Future Perfect
| I | will have sought |
| you | will have sought |
| he/she/it | will have sought |
| we | will have sought |
| they | will have sought |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have sought the truth.
- You will have sought attention.
- She will have sought justice.
- We will have sought opportunities.
- They will have sought adventure.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been seeking |
| you | will have been seeking |
| he/she/it | will have been seeking |
| we | will have been seeking |
| they | will have been seeking |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been seeking truth.
- You will have been seeking attention.
- He will have been seeking justice.
- We will have been seeking opportunities.
- They will have been seeking adventure.