I was drunken vs I had drunken

Both phrases are not correct in standard English. The correct form is "I was drunk" or "I had been drinking." The use of "drunken" as an adjective is rare and mostly found in literary or poetic contexts.

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 832 views

This phrase is not correct in standard English.

"I was drunken"

The correct form is "I was drunk" when describing a state of intoxication in the past.

Show examples from the web [+]

I was in another drunken, ribald, sticky country.
I started to go blind. I was puking like a drunken sailor.
I was Hitler leading millions to the slaughter, and I was the drunken driver who killed your mother.
I thought that was a drunken brawl that got out of control.
I thought one of your interests was drunken rambling chats in pubs.
He beat her to death in a drunken rage when I was 22.
In the drunken scenario I came up with... I was doing it for my country.
I'm sorry if I was a bit of a drunken mess the other night.
I was worried you thought my job is to get felt up in elevators by my drunken candidate.
I was thinking that for some drunken poet I was about to hit a great man...
Drunken behavior can sometimes be a sign of neurological impairment.
It was a drunken college dare.
Everyone thought prince hal was a drunken wastrel.
Conducting yours like some drunken shopkeeper.
You staggered home like a drunken sailor.
The worst is reckless or drunken driving.
Just discussing their drunken wedding night in Vegas.
Escaping a boring dinner and a drunken fiancé.
By being a drunken, irresponsible, drunken...
I was good enough to get you away from your drunken daddy, wasn't I?

Alternatives:

I was drunk
I had been drinking

This phrase is not correct in standard English.

"I had drunken"

The correct form is "I had been drinking" when referring to the action of consuming alcohol in the past.

Show examples from the web [+]

And I had this drunken flashback and remembered Ray gave it to me.
Charlie and I had this drunken threesome with a crazy chick right on this couch.
If I had known a drunken ghost would be so heavy, I would have waited until she woke up.
Who knew I had such talent with drunken women in housecoats?
I just had a drunken revelation out there.
I just had a drunken revelation out there, okay?
I just had a drunken revelation out there, okay?
I had an encounter with some drunken clansmen in the corridor.
But earlier on in my... drunken haze... I realized that I hadn't asked you a question.
I had started making a huge drunken scene at a little league Game, then this one shows up on his A.A. High horse and takes the bat out of my hand and Totally story-Blocks me.
If I had a dollar... for every drunken college kid come hollering about flesh-eating ghouls... I could have retired years...
I had tried to put my guilty conscience about my drunken hookup with Matty to bed, but I sensed a wake-up call was on its way.
Drunken behavior can sometimes be a sign of neurological impairment.
It was a drunken college dare.
Everyone thought prince hal was a drunken wastrel.
Conducting yours like some drunken shopkeeper.
You staggered home like a drunken sailor.
The worst is reckless or drunken driving.
Just discussing their drunken wedding night in Vegas.
Escaping a boring dinner and a drunken fiancé.

Alternatives:

I had been drinking
I had a drink

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I was drunken vs I had drunken

"I was drunken"

"I had drunken"

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