Conjugation

Boss around

donner des ordres à quelqu'un

Regular verb, phrasal verb.

Conjugated like miss, watch, guess, binge-watch, blitz through, box away

  • Phrasal verb: around

    Only boss changes; around stays the same: bossed around, bossed around.

  • Object in the middle

    The object can go before around, as the card writes it: boss someone around. A pronoun always does: boss them around.

In speech, the helping verbs shorten: I’m, he’s, we’re, I’ve, I’ll, I’d.

Newbie

Enough to talk about now, the past, and your plans, and to give instructions.

  1. Present simple

    Habits, facts, and how things usually are. To say no or ask, add do or does: I don't boss around, he doesn't boss around.

    1. I / you / we / they boss around
    2. he / she / it bosses around

  2. Present continuous

    What is happening now, and plans already arranged: we’re leaving tomorrow.

    1. I am bossing around
    2. you / we / they are bossing around
    3. he / she / it is bossing around

  3. Past simple

    A finished action at a past time: yesterday, in 2020. To say no or ask, add did: I didn't boss around.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they bossed around

  4. Future with going to

    Plans and intentions, and what you can see coming: it’s going to rain.

    1. I am going to boss around
    2. you / we / they are going to boss around
    3. he / she / it is going to boss around

  5. Imperative

    Orders, advice, and instructions. Let’s suggests doing it together. To say no: don't boss around.

    1. (you) boss around
    2. let's boss around
BeginnerExperiences, what you were doing, and the future with will.Present perfect · Past continuous · Future with willAlso show the Beginner tenses (3)

  1. Present perfect

    The past linked to now: experiences, news, and what started earlier and still goes on: I’ve lived here for two years.

    1. I / you / we / they have bossed around
    2. he / she / it has bossed around

  2. Past continuous

    An action in progress at a past moment, often interrupted: I was cooking when you called.

    1. I / he / she / it was bossing around
    2. you / we / they were bossing around

  3. Future with will

    Predictions, promises, offers, and decisions made now: I’ll help you.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will boss around
IntermediateHow long something has lasted, the past before the past, and what would happen.Present perfect continuous · Past perfect · Future continuous · Conditional · Conditional perfectAlso show the Intermediate tenses (5)

  1. Present perfect continuous

    An activity from the past until now, and how long it has lasted: I’ve been waiting for an hour.

    1. I / you / we / they have been bossing around
    2. he / she / it has been bossing around

  2. Past perfect

    The past before another past moment: when I arrived, the train had left.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they had bossed around

  3. Future continuous

    An action in progress at a future moment: this time tomorrow, I’ll be flying.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will be bossing around

  4. Conditional

    What would happen in an imagined situation, and polite requests: if I had time, I would help.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would boss around

  5. Conditional perfect

    What would have happened, but did not: if I had known, I would have come.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would have bossed around
AdvancedWhat will have happened, and the longer continuous tenses.Past perfect continuous · Future perfect · Future perfect continuous · Conditional continuous · Conditional perfect continuousAlso show the Advanced tenses (5)

  1. Past perfect continuous

    An activity that had been going on until a past moment: she was tired because she had been running.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they had been bossing around

  2. Future perfect

    An action finished before a future moment: by Friday, I’ll have finished.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will have bossed around

  3. Future perfect continuous

    How long an activity will have lasted at a future moment: in June, I’ll have been working here for a year.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they will have been bossing around

  4. Conditional continuous

    An action that would be in progress in an imagined situation: if I were rich, I would be traveling now.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would be bossing around

  5. Conditional perfect continuous

    An activity that would have been going on in an imagined past: without the rain, we would have been playing outside.

    1. I / you / he / she / it / we / they would have been bossing around