bow
bows
bowing
bowed
Bow means to bend the head or body as a sign of respect. Regular verb: bow-bowed-bowed.
Meanings
- To bend head or body in respect
- To submit or yield
- To curve downward
Common Collocations
bow down
bow out
take a bow
bow to pressure
bow your head
Tip for Learners
Bow (rhymes with "cow"): bend in respect. Bow (rhymes with "go"): weapon or ribbon. Bow out means to withdraw.
Present Simple
| I | bow |
| you | bow |
| he/she/it | bows |
| we | bow |
| they | bow |
Examples - Present Simple
- I bow respectfully to my elders.
- You bow gracefully at the end of the performance.
- He bows to the audience after the show.
- We bow to tradition on special occasions.
- They bow to pressure from management.
Present Continuous
| I | am bowing |
| you | are bowing |
| he/she/it | is bowing |
| we | are bowing |
| they | are bowing |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am bowing to the queen now.
- You are bowing too deeply.
- She is bowing to the judges.
- We are bowing our heads in prayer.
- They are bowing to public demand.
Present Perfect
| I | have bowed |
| you | have bowed |
| he/she/it | has bowed |
| we | have bowed |
| they | have bowed |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have bowed before royalty once.
- You have bowed to many audiences.
- He has bowed to pressure before.
- We have bowed our heads in respect.
- They have bowed to the inevitable.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been bowing |
| you | have been bowing |
| he/she/it | has been bowing |
| we | have been bowing |
| they | have been bowing |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been bowing to customers all day.
- You have been bowing to their demands.
- She has been bowing to audiences for years.
- We have been bowing under the weight.
- They have been bowing to criticism.
Past Simple
| I | bowed |
| you | bowed |
| he/she/it | bowed |
| we | bowed |
| they | bowed |
Examples - Past Simple
- I bowed to the emperor.
- You bowed at the end of your speech.
- He bowed his head in shame.
- We bowed to their expertise.
- They bowed to the crowd's applause.
Past Continuous
| I | was bowing |
| you | were bowing |
| he/she/it | was bowing |
| we | were bowing |
| they | were bowing |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was bowing when the music stopped.
- You were bowing to the wrong person.
- She was bowing gracefully.
- We were bowing our heads during the ceremony.
- They were bowing to pressure.
Past Perfect
| I | had bowed |
| you | had bowed |
| he/she/it | had bowed |
| we | had bowed |
| they | had bowed |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had bowed before anyone noticed.
- You had bowed to many leaders.
- He had bowed to authority all his life.
- We had bowed our heads before speaking.
- They had bowed to convention previously.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been bowing |
| you | had been bowing |
| he/she/it | had been bowing |
| we | had been bowing |
| they | had been bowing |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been bowing to customers for hours.
- You had been bowing to their wishes.
- She had been bowing throughout the ceremony.
- We had been bowing under pressure.
- They had been bowing to demands for weeks.
Future Simple
| I | will bow |
| you | will bow |
| he/she/it | will bow |
| we | will bow |
| they | will bow |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will bow to your superior knowledge.
- You will bow to the king.
- He will bow at the end of the concert.
- We will bow our heads in silence.
- They will bow to tradition.
Future Continuous
| I | will be bowing |
| you | will be bowing |
| he/she/it | will be bowing |
| we | will be bowing |
| they | will be bowing |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be bowing to guests at the event.
- You will be bowing to the audience soon.
- She will be bowing after her performance.
- We will be bowing to their demands.
- They will be bowing under scrutiny.
Future Perfect
| I | will have bowed |
| you | will have bowed |
| he/she/it | will have bowed |
| we | will have bowed |
| they | will have bowed |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have bowed to many dignitaries by then.
- You will have bowed to the crowd already.
- He will have bowed out of the competition.
- We will have bowed to all requests.
- They will have bowed to the majority.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been bowing |
| you | will have been bowing |
| he/she/it | will have been bowing |
| we | will have been bowing |
| they | will have been bowing |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been bowing to guests all evening.
- You will have been bowing to expectations.
- She will have been bowing for hours.
- We will have been bowing to tradition for years.
- They will have been bowing to pressure continuously.