1 A2 neutral
The form of 'used to' used in questions and negative sentences with an auxiliary verb, referring to past habits or states.
"Did you use to live in London before you moved here?"
use to
A2 neutral
The form of 'used to' that appears after auxiliary verbs in questions and negative sentences.
In plain English
The question and negative form of 'used to' — what you did in the past but don't do anymore.
What does "use to" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
Used in negative sentences with 'didn't' to say that a past habit did not exist.
"She didn't use to enjoy spicy food, but now she loves it."
Usage tip
The distinction between 'used to' and 'use to' in questions/negatives is a common spelling issue for ESL learners. After 'did', the correct form is 'use to' (not 'used to'): 'Did you use to play football?' / 'I didn't use to like spinach.' This is an alternate form of 'used to', not a separate phrasal verb.
Words that pair with "use to"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
didn't did you never used to rarely
How to conjugate "use to"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
use to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
uses to
he/she/it
Past simple
used to
yesterday
Past participle
used to
have + pp
-ing form
using to
continuous
Hear "use to" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "use to" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "use to"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
used to (in question/negative forms) would (past habit)
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