hesitate
hesitates
hesitating
hesitated
Hesitate means to pause before doing something. Regular verb: hesitate-hesitated-hesitated.
Meanings
- To pause in uncertainty
- To be reluctant
- To falter in speech
Common Collocations
hesitate to ask
don't hesitate
hesitate before
without hesitation
Tip for Learners
Don't hesitate to contact us is polite. "She hesitated before answering."
Present Simple
| I | hesitate |
| you | hesitate |
| he/she/it | hesitates |
| we | hesitate |
| they | hesitate |
Examples - Present Simple
- I hesitate before making big decisions.
- You hesitate too much.
- She hesitates when speaking in public.
- We hesitate to ask for help.
- They hesitate at the last moment.
Present Continuous
| I | am hesitating |
| you | are hesitating |
| he/she/it | is hesitating |
| we | are hesitating |
| they | are hesitating |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am hesitating about accepting the job.
- You are hesitating too long.
- He is hesitating at the door.
- We are hesitating about the decision.
- They are hesitating to commit.
Present Perfect
| I | have hesitated |
| you | have hesitated |
| he/she/it | has hesitated |
| we | have hesitated |
| they | have hesitated |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have hesitated too long already.
- You have hesitated at every step.
- She has hesitated before.
- We have hesitated about this.
- They have hesitated to respond.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been hesitating |
| you | have been hesitating |
| he/she/it | has been hesitating |
| we | have been hesitating |
| they | have been hesitating |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been hesitating about the decision.
- You have been hesitating too much.
- She has been hesitating for days.
- We have been hesitating over this.
- They have been hesitating to act.
Past Simple
| I | hesitated |
| you | hesitated |
| he/she/it | hesitated |
| we | hesitated |
| they | hesitated |
Examples - Past Simple
- I hesitated before answering.
- You hesitated at the wrong moment.
- She hesitated briefly.
- We hesitated to ask.
- They hesitated before signing.
Past Continuous
| I | was hesitating |
| you | were hesitating |
| he/she/it | was hesitating |
| we | were hesitating |
| they | were hesitating |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was hesitating when you arrived.
- You were hesitating too long.
- She was hesitating at the door.
- We were hesitating about joining.
- They were hesitating over the offer.
Past Perfect
| I | had hesitated |
| you | had hesitated |
| he/she/it | had hesitated |
| we | had hesitated |
| they | had hesitated |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had hesitated too long.
- You had hesitated before.
- She had hesitated at the last moment.
- We had hesitated about the plan.
- They had hesitated to commit.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been hesitating |
| you | had been hesitating |
| he/she/it | had been hesitating |
| we | had been hesitating |
| they | had been hesitating |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been hesitating for hours.
- You had been hesitating all day.
- She had been hesitating about it.
- We had been hesitating for weeks.
- They had been hesitating to act.
Future Simple
| I | will hesitate |
| you | will hesitate |
| he/she/it | will hesitate |
| we | will hesitate |
| they | will hesitate |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will hesitate no longer.
- You will hesitate at the critical moment.
- She will hesitate before deciding.
- We will hesitate to commit.
- They will hesitate to agree.
Future Continuous
| I | will be hesitating |
| you | will be hesitating |
| he/she/it | will be hesitating |
| we | will be hesitating |
| they | will be hesitating |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be hesitating no more.
- You will be hesitating about this.
- She will be hesitating at first.
- We will be hesitating over the offer.
- They will be hesitating to respond.
Future Perfect
| I | will have hesitated |
| you | will have hesitated |
| he/she/it | will have hesitated |
| we | will have hesitated |
| they | will have hesitated |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have hesitated too long by then.
- You will have hesitated unnecessarily.
- She will have hesitated at every step.
- We will have hesitated enough.
- They will have hesitated too much.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been hesitating |
| you | will have been hesitating |
| he/she/it | will have been hesitating |
| we | will have been hesitating |
| they | will have been hesitating |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been hesitating for days.
- You will have been hesitating too long.
- She will have been hesitating about it.
- We will have been hesitating for weeks.
- They will have been hesitating to act.