operate
operates
operating
operated
Operate means to work or perform surgery. Regular: operate-operated-operated.
Meanings
- To work/function
- To control machine
- To perform surgery
- To manage business
Common Collocations
operate on
operate a business
operate machinery
operating system
operation
Tip for Learners
Operate on = perform surgery. Operation = surgery OR process. Operator = person who operates.
Present Simple
| I | operate |
| you | operate |
| he/she/it | operates |
| we | operate |
| they | operate |
Examples - Present Simple
- I operate heavy machinery at the construction site.
- You operate the cash register efficiently.
- She operates a successful bakery downtown.
- We operate in three countries currently.
- They operate the train system safely.
Present Continuous
| I | am operating |
| you | are operating |
| he/she/it | is operating |
| we | are operating |
| they | are operating |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am operating the crane right now.
- You are operating under difficult conditions.
- He is operating on the patient as we speak.
- We are operating at full capacity today.
- They are operating the flight control system.
Present Perfect
| I | have operated |
| you | have operated |
| he/she/it | has operated |
| we | have operated |
| they | have operated |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have operated this machinery for ten years.
- You have operated under budget successfully.
- She has operated her business profitably.
- We have operated in this market for decades.
- They have operated the system flawlessly.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been operating |
| you | have been operating |
| he/she/it | has been operating |
| we | have been operating |
| they | have been operating |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been operating this equipment all day.
- You have been operating at a loss for months.
- He has been operating on patients for hours.
- We have been operating internationally for years.
- They have been operating the network for decades.
Past Simple
| I | operated |
| you | operated |
| he/she/it | operated |
| we | operated |
| they | operated |
Examples - Past Simple
- I operated the forklift during my first job.
- You operated the system manually before automation.
- She operated on the emergency patient.
- We operated three shifts during the peak season.
- They operated the mine for fifty years.
Past Continuous
| I | was operating |
| you | were operating |
| he/she/it | was operating |
| we | were operating |
| they | were operating |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was operating the machine when it malfunctioned.
- You were operating the controls during the test.
- She was operating when complications arose.
- We were operating at reduced capacity.
- They were operating the plant before the accident.
Past Perfect
| I | had operated |
| you | had operated |
| he/she/it | had operated |
| we | had operated |
| they | had operated |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had operated the equipment before the upgrade.
- You had operated under different management.
- She had operated on hundreds of patients.
- We had operated successfully before the recession.
- They had operated the service before privatization.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been operating |
| you | had been operating |
| he/she/it | had been operating |
| we | had been operating |
| they | had been operating |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been operating machinery for years before promotion.
- You had been operating at a loss for months.
- She had been operating for hours before the break.
- We had been operating internationally for decades.
- They had been operating the system for generations.
Future Simple
| I | will operate |
| you | will operate |
| he/she/it | will operate |
| we | will operate |
| they | will operate |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will operate the new equipment tomorrow.
- You will operate under stricter guidelines.
- She will operate on the patient at dawn.
- We will operate in new markets next year.
- They will operate the service indefinitely.
Future Continuous
| I | will be operating |
| you | will be operating |
| he/she/it | will be operating |
| we | will be operating |
| they | will be operating |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be operating the crane all day.
- You will be operating the controls during the launch.
- She will be operating throughout the day.
- We will be operating at full capacity.
- They will be operating the system 24/7.
Future Perfect
| I | will have operated |
| you | will have operated |
| he/she/it | will have operated |
| we | will have operated |
| they | will have operated |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have operated this machine for thirty years.
- You will have operated successfully by year-end.
- She will have operated on thousands of patients.
- We will have operated in all major markets by then.
- They will have operated the plant for a century.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been operating |
| you | will have been operating |
| he/she/it | will have been operating |
| we | will have been operating |
| they | will have been operating |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been operating heavy equipment for decades.
- You will have been operating the system for years.
- She will have been operating her entire career.
- We will have been operating internationally for generations.
- They will have been operating the network for a century.