Understanding the Difference Between Dreamed and Dreamt

Dreamed vs Dreamt

In English, we have two words that mean the past action of “dream.” These words are dreamed and dreamt. They both mean the same thing, but they are used in different places and ways.

History of the Words

Dreamed is more common in American English. It has the regular -ed ending that many past tense verbs have, like walked or jumped.

Dreamt is more common in British English. It has an -t ending, like other irregular verbs such as learnt or spelt.

How to Use Them

Both words talk about dreaming in the past. Which one you use depends on the type of English you speak.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Remember: “Dreamed” is used more in America. It’s like the Dream America has. “Dreamt” is used more in Britain. Think of it as a Tea party Dream in Britain!

Example Sentences for Dreamed

• Last night, I dreamed about flying.
• She dreamed of being a doctor when she was a child.
• We dreamed of going to the moon.
• He dreamed a funny story.
• The cat dreamed it was chasing a mouse.

Example Sentences for Dreamt

• He dreamt about the ocean.
• I dreamt of a beautiful garden.
• My sister dreamt she was a princess.
• They dreamt of winning the lottery.
• Our teacher dreamt of a quiet classroom.

Summary of Usage

Both dreamed and dreamt mean the same past action of having a dream. Use dreamed if you are in America and want to follow the common style there. Use dreamt if you are in Britain or like the irregular verb style. Both are correct, so use the one that feels right for you!