Dance (verb) — to move your body to music in a rhythmic way, usually by following a pattern of steps. People dance for fun, at parties, or as a form of art or performance.
Participle forms:
|
Present participle |
Past participle |
|---|---|
|
dancing |
danced |
“Dance” Pronunciation
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
In American English, it sounds like DAENS (with a flat a), while in British English it sounds like “DAHNS” (with a long a sound).
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How to Conjugate the Verb “Dance”
Knowing how to conjugate “dance” gives you the ability to talk about activities, experiences and situations in various time periods. Moreover, it enables you to construct grammatically sound sentences in English speech and writing.
Indicative of “Dance”
The indicative forms are used to express real actions and facts, making them the most frequently used structures in everyday communication and narration.
|
Tense |
I |
You |
He/She/It |
We |
They |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple |
dance |
dance |
dances |
dance |
dance |
|
Past Simple |
danced |
danced |
danced |
danced |
danced |
|
Future Simple |
will dance |
will dance |
will dance |
will dance |
will dance |
|
Present Continuous |
am dancing |
are dancing |
is dancing |
are dancing |
are dancing |
|
Past Continuous |
was dancing |
were dancing |
was dancing |
were dancing |
were dancing |
|
Future Continuous |
will be dancing |
will be dancing |
will be dancing |
will be dancing |
will be dancing |
|
Present Perfect |
have danced |
have danced |
have danced |
have danced |
have danced |
|
Past Perfect |
had danced |
had danced |
had danced |
had danced |
had danced |
|
Future Perfect |
will have danced |
will have danced |
will have danced |
will have danced |
will have danced |
|
Present Perfect Continuous |
have been dancing |
have been dancing |
has been dancing |
have been dancing |
have been dancing |
|
Past Perfect Continuous |
had been dancing |
had been dancing |
had been dancing |
had been dancing |
had been dancing |
|
Future Perfect Continuous |
will have been dancing |
will have been dancing |
will have been dancing |
will have been dancing |
will have been dancing |
Conditional Moods: “Would Dance”
Conditional forms are necessary for discussing hypothetical situations, imagined scenarios, and polite expressions, which are essential to higher and more nuanced communication.
|
Conditional form |
I |
You |
He/She/It |
We |
They |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Conditional Present |
would dance |
would dance |
would dance |
would dance |
would dance |
|
Conditional Present Continuous |
would be dancing |
would be dancing |
would be dancing |
would be dancing |
would be dancing |
|
Conditional Perfect |
would have danced |
would have danced |
would have danced |
would have danced |
would have danced |
|
Conditional Perfect Continuous |
would have been dancing |
would have been dancing |
would have been dancing |
would have been dancing |
would have been dancing |
Infinitive Forms of “Dance”
Infinitive structures are fundamental for forming complex sentences, especially when combining verbs or expressing purpose, intention, and sequence of actions.
|
Form |
Structure |
|---|---|
|
Full infinitive |
to dance |
|
Bare infinitive |
dance |
|
Perfect infinitive |
to have danced |
|
Continuous infinitive |
to be dancing |
|
Perfect continuous infinitive |
to have been dancing |
How to Use “Dance” in a Sentence
To define the verb “dance” even more completely, take a closer look at how native speakers implement this word in their spoken and written texts daily.
Common Word Combinations With “Dance”
Knowing how “dance” combines with other words helps you expand your vocabulary beyond basic usage and express ideas more precisely in different contexts. It also makes your English more natural by reflecting how the verb is actually used in real communication.
|
Type |
Verb / Phrase |
Object |
|---|---|---|
|
Verb + noun |
dance |
a waltz/tango |
|
dance |
a routine |
|
|
dance |
a role (in a show) |
|
|
dance |
a performance |
|
|
dance |
a number (in a show) |
|
|
dance |
with a partner |
|
|
dance |
to music |
|
|
Phrasal verbs |
dance around |
a topic |
|
dance along |
to a song |
|
|
dance off |
(against someone) |
|
|
Noun phrases |
dance floor |
— |
|
dance class |
— |
|
|
dance routine |
— |
|
|
Phrases |
dance all night |
— |
|
dance together |
— |
|
|
dance like crazy |
— |
Synonyms for “Dance” in English
Discover other ways to refer to “dance” in order to be able to talk about different types of movements and be more lexically diverse.
Synonymous expressions: move, sway, groove, step, twirl, spin, bop, jig
“Dance” — Antonyms
On the other hand, knowing antonyms of “dance” helps you express contrast and describe scenarios where moves are absent or intentionally avoided.
Opposite to “dance”: stand still, sit, rest, be still, stop moving, freeze
How to Say “Dance” in Different Languages
Learn how to spell “dance” and pronounce it correctly in other popular languages such as German, French and Spanish.
| Language | Word for “Dance” |
|---|---|
Spanish |
Bailar |
French |
Danser |
German |
Tanzen |
