0

At first glance it seems like "Did they stole the bike?" doesn't sound right.

I was going to correct that user and tell him it's steal.

However, when I look up the word stole, it's labeled as past tense.

It sounds funny to say "Did they stole the bike?", but what really is the difference between steal and stole?

Because when saying "Did they", that's inferring the past, right? So would stole actually work as it's past tense, but just sound funny?

Improve this question
0

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
2

The verb "to steal" is conjugated "steal/stole/stolen". For questions, you conjugate the auxiliary verb "to do" and then add the infinitive (present tense) of the main verb. Examples:

He stole the bicycle.
Did he steal the bicycle?

I ate cookies every day.
Did you eat cookies every day?

She had eight children.
Did she have eight children?

He flew the jet.
Did he fly the jet?

More on forming questions in English

Improve this answer
4
  • Thank you. So just to clarify: Saying "Did he stole the bicycle", would technically make sense but just sound weird? I'm trying to understand the difference in terms of steal/stole in past tense usage
    – NiCk Newman
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 0:06
  • 1
    @NiCkNewman It's wrong. Remember auxiliary did + plain form of verb.
    – Mohd Zulkanien Sarbini
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 1:26
  • Thanks again, I'm still not comprehending it correctly I think. Steal isn't past tense, but stole is. Did he is past tense, and stole is too, so why doesn't stole make sense in this case?
    – NiCk Newman
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 2:26
  • Forming questions in English is always the same. You take the infinitive (present simple tense) form of the verb and add "do" in front, plus the subject. If it's past tense, you add "did". So "I stole the bicycle" becomes "Did I steal the bicycle?"
    – Andrew
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 4:42
1

"Did they steal it?"

In questions and negatives we often use a form of "do" and an infinitive ("steal"). Because of that, we conjugate "do" and the infinitive stays in its infinitive form. (Some people call an infinitive without "to" a bare infinitive.)

Someone stole it. I didn't steal it. Did you steal it?

Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .