govern – English verb conjugation

English verb forms of govern

Nominal Forms

Infinitive: to govern
Participle: governed
Gerund: governing

Cognates

-

Indicative

Present

Igovern
yougovern
he;she;itgoverns
wegovern
yougovern
theygovern

Perfect

Ihave governed
youhave governed
he;she;ithas governed
wehave governed
youhave governed
theyhave governed

Past

Igoverned
yougoverned
he;she;itgoverned
wegoverned
yougoverned
theygoverned

Pluperfect

Ihad governed
youhad governed
he;she;ithad governed
wehad governed
youhad governed
theyhad governed

Future

Iwill govern
youwill govern
he;she;itwill govern
wewill govern
youwill govern
theywill govern

Future Perfect

Iwill have governed
youwill have governed
he;she;itwill have governed
wewill have governed
youwill have governed
theywill have governed

Subjunctive

Present

Igovern
yougovern
he;she;itgovern
wegovern
yougovern
theygovern

Perfect

Ihave governed
youhave governed
he;she;ithave governed
wehave governed
youhave governed
theyhave governed

Imperfect

Igoverned
yougoverned
he;she;itgoverned
wegoverned
yougoverned
theygoverned

Pluperfect

Ihad governed
youhad governed
he;she;ithad governed
wehad governed
youhad governed
theyhad governed

Conditional

Present

Iwould govern
youwould govern
he;she;itwould govern
wewould govern
youwould govern
theywould govern

Perfect

Iwould have governed
youwould have governed
he;she;itwould have governed
wewould have governed
youwould have governed
theywould have governed

Imperative

yougovern
weLet's govern
yougovern

Progressive (Continuous) Forms

Indicative

Present

Iam governing
youare governing
he;she;itis governing
weare governing
youare governing
theyare governing

Perfect

Ihave been governing
youhave been governing
he;she;ithas been governing
wehave been governing
youhave been governing
theyhave been governing

Past

Iwas governing
youwere governing
he;she;itwas governing
wewere governing
youwere governing
theywere governing

Pluperfect

Ihad been governing
youhad been governing
he;she;ithad been governing
wehad been governing
youhad been governing
theyhad been governing

Future

Iwill be governing
youwill be governing
he;she;itwill be governing
wewill be governing
youwill be governing
theywill be governing

Future Perfect

Iwill have been governing
youwill have been governing
he;she;itwill have been governing
wewill have been governing
youwill have been governing
theywill have been governing

Conditional

Present

Iwould be governing
youwould be governing
he;she;itwould be governing
wewould be governing
youwould be governing
theywould be governing

Perfect

Iwould have been governing
youwould have been governing
he;she;itwould have been governing
wewould have been governing
youwould have been governing
theywould have been governing

Other

Verbs conjugated like 'govern'

abandon, abduct, abear, aberr, abject, abord, abort, abound, abraid, abray, abrook, abscind, abscond, absist, absorb, abstain, abstract, accend, accent, accept, etc. (List truncated at 20 verbs)

Verbs similar to 'govern'

cavern, cogovern, cover, gern, gove, hover, over, adverb, advert, aver,

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

rule
reign, command, overrule, control, sway, influence
manage
handle, direct, guide, superintend, supervise, conduct, check, dominate

Antonyms

to act as a servant for
order, rule, serve
manage
mismanage, fail, bungle, blunder

Additional Information

Phrasal Verbs

Etymology

1. 1297, from O.Fr. governer "govern," from L. gubernare "to direct, rule, guide," originally "to steer," from Gk. kybernan "to steer or pilot a ship, direct" (the roof ot cybernetics). The -k- to -g- sound shift is perhaps via the medium of Etruscan. Governess "female ruler" is 1483, shortening of governouresse "a woman who rules;" in the sense of "a female teacher in a private home" it is attested from 1712. Government is first attested 1553, from O.Fr. governement (replacing M.E. governance); governor (c.1300) is from L. gubernatorem (nom. gubernator) "director, ruler, governor," originally "steersman, pilot." Gubernatorial (1734, chiefly in Amer.Eng.) preserves the L. form.
2. From Middle English governen, governe, from Anglo-Norman and Old French governer, guverner, from Latin gubernō, from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω (kubernáō, “to steer, drive, govern”). Displaced native Old English wealdan, whence modern dialectical English wald (“to govern”). See: Middle English 'governen', Old French 'governer', Latin 'gubernō'.

Verbs referencing "govern"

Ido guvernar.

Sample Sentences

  • There is an admirable jail here, well and wisely governed, and excellently regulated, in every respect. The men were employed as shoemakers, ropemakers, blacksmiths, tailors, carpenters, and stonecutters; and in building a new prison, which was pretty far [...] (American Notes for General Circulation)
  • They are governed by a woman, and her rule is understood to be absolute, though she has the assistance of a council of elders. She lives, it is said, in strict seclusion, in certain rooms above the chapel, and is [...] (American Notes for General Circulation)
  • “ You have started a serious question, ” said St. Clare; “ I wish you'd answer it. What is to be done with a human being that can be governed only by the lash,—_that_ fails,—it's a very common state of things down here ! ” (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • “ Such children are very common among us, and such men and women, too. How are they to be governed ? ” said St. Clare. (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • “ Greasy or not greasy, they will govern _you_, when their time comes, ” said Augustine; “ and they will be just such rulers as you make them. The French noblesse chose to have the people ’ _sans culottes_, ’ and they had ’ _sans culotte_ [...] (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • “ Sons trained like your Henrique will be grand guardians of your powder-magazines, ” said Augustine,—“so cool and self-possessed ! The proverb says, ’ They that cannot govern themselves cannot govern others. ’ ” (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • [...] whose whole life shows a careless disregard of them. Hence Moore, Byron, Goethe, often speak words more wisely descriptive of the true religious sentiment, than another man, whose whole life is governed by it. In such minds, disregard of religion is a more fearful treason,—a more deadly sin. (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • St. Clare had never pretended to govern himself by any religious obligation; and a certain fineness of nature gave him such an instinctive view of the extent of the requirements of Christianity, that he shrank, by anticipation, from what [...] (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
  • Legree, like some potentates we read of in history, governed his plantation by a sort of resolution of forces. Sambo and Quimbo cordially hated each other; the plantation hands, one and all, cordially hated them; and, by playing off one against another, he [...] (Uncle Tom’s Cabin)