bust
Base form
bust
/bʌst/
Past simple
bust / busted
/bʌst/ /ˈbʌstɪd/
Past participle
bust / busted
/bʌst/ /ˈbʌstɪd/
MeaningC1
to break something (informal)
to bust a gut
In use
- Negative · Form 1Don’t bust the door down — I’ve got a key!
- After a modal verb · Form 1Careful, you’ll bust the zip if you pull it so hard.
- Past simple · Form 2Yesterday Ben bust his new headphones.
- Past simple · Form 2Last summer my little brother bust his arm falling off a trampoline.
- Present perfect · Form 3Oh no, I’ve bust the zip on my bag!
- Past perfect · Form 3By lunchtime the kids had bust the new swing.
Watch out
Bust usually stays the same in British English: I bust my phone; busted is also right. Bustted and busten are wrong.
Same pattern
A — A — AAll three forms are the same
Irregular VerbsLearn all three forms for good
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