be
Part of speech: verb
noun
Morphological type: simple
Etymology: From Middle English been (“to be”). See below for more.
Further etymology of be and its conjugated forms
The various forms have three separate origins, which were mixed together at various times in the history of English.
* The forms beginning with b- come from Old English bēon (“to be, become”), from Proto-Germanic *beuną (“to be, exist, come to be, become”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH-yé-ti (“to grow, become, come into being, appear”), from the root *bʰuH-. In particular:
** Now-dialectal use of been as an infinitive of be is either from Middle English been (“to be”) or an extension of the past participle.
** Now-obsolete use of been as a plural present tense (meaning "are") is from Middle English been, be (present plural of been (“to be”), with the -n leveled in from the past and subjunctive; compare competing forms aren/are).
** Use of been as a past participle is from Middle English been, ybeen, from Old English ġebēon.
* The forms beginning with w- come from the aforementioned Old English bēon, which shared its past tense with the verb wesan, from Proto-West Germanic *wesan, from Proto-Germanic *wesaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes- (“to reside”).
* The remaining forms (am, are, is) are also from Old English wesan (“to be”), Proto-West Germanic *wesan, from Proto-Germanic *wesaną, the present tense of which comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₁és-ti, from the root *h₁es-.
Inflected forms:
form: no-table-tags
pos: verb
tags: table-tags
form: glossary
pos: verb
tags: inflection-template
form: be
pos: verb
tags: infinitive
form: am
pos: verb
tags: first-person
present
singular
form: 'm
pos: verb
tags: first-person
present
singular
form: be
pos: verb
tags: archaic
first-person
present
singular
form: was
pos: verb
tags: first-person
past
singular
form: 's
pos: verb
tags: dialectal
first-person
past
singular
form: were
pos: verb
tags: dialectal
first-person
past
singular
form: are
pos: verb
tags: present
second-person
singular
form: 're
pos: verb
tags: present
second-person
singular
form: art
pos: verb
tags: present
second-person
singular
form: 'rt
pos: verb
tags: present
second-person
singular
form: were
pos: verb
tags: past
second-person
singular
form: wast
pos: verb
tags: archaic
past
second-person
singular
form: wert
pos: verb
tags: archaic
past
second-person
singular
form: is
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: 's
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: beeth
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
singular
third-person
form: bes
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
singular
third-person
form: was
pos: verb
tags: past
singular
third-person
form: were
pos: verb
tags: dialectal
past
singular
third-person
form: are
pos: verb
tags: plural
present
form: 're
pos: verb
tags: plural
present
form: be
pos: verb
tags: archaic
plural
present
form: been
pos: verb
tags: archaic
plural
present
form: were
pos: verb
tags: past
plural
form: was
pos: verb
tags: dialectal
past
plural
form: 's
pos: verb
tags: dialectal
past
plural
form: weren
pos: verb
tags: archaic
past
plural
form: be
pos: verb
tags: present
subjunctive
form: beest
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
subjunctive
form: were
pos: verb
tags: past
subjunctive
form: wert
pos: verb
tags: archaic
past
subjunctive
form: be
pos: verb
tags: imperative
present
form: -
pos: verb
tags: imperative
past
form: being
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: been
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: bee
pos: verb
tags: alternative
form: bes
pos: noun
tags: plural
Senses:
gloss: As an auxiliary verb:
pos: verb
tags: auxiliary
irregular
examples: The dog was saved by the boy.
Study courses of Esperanto and Ido have been broadcast.
gloss: As an auxiliary verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: The woman is walking.
I shall be writing to you soon.
We liked to chat while we were eating.
In the possibility of radio uses of a constructed language — and such experiments are proving successful—vast sums of money and untold social forces may be involved.
gloss: As an auxiliary verb:
pos: verb
tags: formal
irregular
examples: I am to leave tomorrow.
They are to stay here until I return.
I'd been to've been ambassador, but fell seriously ill.
How were they to know the whole exercise was a ruse?
They were to have been married overseas but COVID forced a change of plans.
gloss: As an auxiliary verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: He is finished.
He is gone.
He is come.
They are not yet come back.
And he cryed mightily with a strõg voyce, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of deuils[…]
‘I wish that he were come to me, / For he will come,’ she said.
He is not here; for he is risen […].
The King with half the East at heel is marched from lands of morning;
कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो
His origins are become remote as is his destiny and not again in all the world’s turning will there be terrains so wild and barbarous to try whether the stuff of creation may be shaped to man’s will or whether his own heart is not another kind of clay.
gloss: As an auxiliary verb:
pos: verb
tags: Caribbean
Ireland
auxiliary
irregular
examples: 1996, David Sheffield, Barry W. Blaustein, Tom Shadyac and Steve Oedekerk, screenplay of The Nutty Professor
Women be shoppin’! You cannot stop a woman from shoppin’!
Niggas be tellin' these bitches 'bout business
I be fingering my pussy till my fingers turn soggy;
Yeah, I love masturbation; that’s my favorite fucking hobby;
I be spitting on my pussy; yeah, I gotta keep it soppy;
I be gooning out in public; ain’t nobody gonna stop me.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
with-dummy-subject
examples: There is just one woman in town who can help us.
(or, dialectally:) It is just one woman in town who can help us.
Some men there are loue not a gaping Pigge: / Some that are mad, if they behold a Cat: / And others, when the bag-pipe sings i’th nose, / Cannot containe their Vrine for affection.
"There is a sort of domestic enjoyment to be known even in a crowd, and this you had."
"There has been lots of commentary on who is staying and who is staying out and this weekend will be the real test," said one senior media buying agency executive who has pulled the advertising for one major client.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: Hi, I’m Jim.
3 times 5 is fifteen.
These four are the ones going to the quarter-finals.
François Mitterrand was president of France from 1981 to 1995.
This is how we do it.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: Rex is a dog.
A dog is an animal.
Dogs are animals.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: The sky is blue.
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remooue this cup from me: neuerthelesse, not my will, but thine be done.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: The sky is a deep blue today.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: colloquial
humorous
irregular
examples: He’s a little autism.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: This building is three hundred years old.
I am 75 kilograms.
He’s about 6 feet tall.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: I’m 20 (years old).
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: It is almost eight (o’clock).
It’s 8:30 [read eight-thirty] in Tokyo.
What time is it there? It’s night.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: It has been three years since my grandmother died. (similar to "My grandmother died three years ago", but emphasizes the intervening period)
It had been six days since his departure, when I received a letter from him.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
past
rare
regional
examples: I saw her Monday was a week: I saw her a week ago last Monday (a week before last Monday).
On the morning of Sunday was fortnight before Christmas: on the morning of the Sunday that was two weeks before the Sunday prior to Christmas.
Miss Lardner (whom you have seen at her cousin Biddulph's) saw you at St James's church on Sunday was fortnight.
And so, without as much as to return home to furnish myself for such a journey, volens, nolens, they prevailed, or rather forced me to come to Dublin to confer with those colonels, and that was the last August was twelvemonth.
That they were present at the Election in August was Twelvemonth, at which there was the strictest Scrutiny that ever they saw in their Lives, by all the Four Candidates.
Allow me to recommend some of the kipper—It was John Hay that catched it Saturday was three weeks.
“Did there come no young woman here—very young and pretty—Friday was a fortnight, to see Dinah Morris?”
'Twas there to-morrow is a week.
I killed my poor father, Tuesday was a week, for doing the like of that.
Theobald Green gent dead in the Marshalsea in August was twelvemonth
John Grey gent delivered out of the Marshalsea about August last by Mr. Secretary and remains in St. Mary Overies.
John Jacob gent delivered out of the Marsh. the XVII of May was twelvemonth and sent to Bridewell by order of the Council.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: and when he compares both sides, he will be some time at a loss to fix any determination.
The bag was crisp with ice, and with my fingerless gloves I was a bit of time unholing the buttons. But I got the flap turned back at last, and there was Ryan grey-faced and stark.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: Dinner will be ten minutes.
It was an hour before he returned.
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: impersonal
irregular
often
examples: It is hot in Arizona, but it is not usually humid.
Why is it so dark in here?
gloss: As a copulative verb:
pos: verb
tags: especially
irregular
examples: When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead.
"What do we do?" "We be ourselves."
Just be yourself.
Why is he being nice to me?
Dad is taking a nap, so we're all being quiet.
gloss: As an intransitive lexical verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
literary
usually
examples: The Universe has no explanation: it just is.
That was the week that was.
This is something that was meant to be.
Rachel wepynge ffor her chyldren / and wolde nott be comforted becauſe they were not.
To be, or not to be: that is the question: / Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, / And by opposing end them?
[…]it were great sottishnesse, and apparent false-hood, to say, that that is which is not yet in being, or that already hath ceased from being.
There is surely a peece of Divinity in us, something that was before the Elements, and owes no homage unto the Sun.
And after this death there is to be no resurrection. The old man of sin has ceased to be; once crucified, he lives no more. The death is utter; the end complete.
This parrot is no more! It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet its maker! This is a late parrot! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed it to the perch it would be pushing up the daisies!
The genial hotel manager of the past is no more. Now owner of a trucking concern and living in Belgium, Rusesabagina says the horrors he witnessed in Rwanda "made me a different man."
gloss: As an intransitive lexical verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: Let them be for a few hours.
Leave us be until the guests arrive.
gloss: As an intransitive lexical verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: The cup is on the table.
gloss: As an intransitive lexical verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: When will the meeting be?
gloss: As an intransitive lexical verb:
pos: verb
tags: irregular
examples: The postman has been today, but my tickets have still not yet come.
I have been to Spain many times.
We've been about twenty miles.
I have terrible constipation – I haven't been for several days.
I’ve been into town this morning.
gloss: The name of the Cyrillic script letter Б / б
pos: noun
Synonyms: get
Derived words: abe
albe
beable
be about to
be cool
be-er
be fearful when others are greedy
be going to
be judge and jury
be no match for
be onto nothing
be quiet
be to
beware
bewith
bist
gonnabe
habitual be
inter-be
maybe
might-be
to-be
unbe
wannabe
be after
be along
be away
be down on
be in
be in on
be like
be not on
be off
be on
be on about
be onto
be out
be out of
be out to do
be up
be up for
Translations:
lang: Albanian
word: është
lang: Gheg Albanian
word: a
lang: Arabic
word: بيبقى
roman: beyebʔā
lang: Arabic
word: بيتعمل
roman: beyetʕemel
lang: Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
word: ܗܵܘܹܐ
roman: hawe
lang: Asturian
word: ser
lang: Belarusian
word: быць
roman: bycʹ
lang: Bulgarian
word: съм
roman: sǎm
lang: Carpathian Rusyn
word: быти
roman: bŷty
lang: Catalan
word: ésser
lang: Catalan
word: ser
lang: Chechen
word: хила
roman: xila
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: or implied
lang: Czech
word: být
lang: Danish
word: blive
lang: Dutch
word: worden
lang: Emilian
word: êser
lang: Esperanto
word: -iĝi
lang: French
word: être
lang: West-Frisian
word: wurde
lang: Galician
word: ser
lang: German
word: werden
lang: Ancient Greek
word: εἰμί +
roman: eimí
lang: Icelandic
word: vera
lang: Italian
word: essere
lang: Italian
word: venire
lang: Japanese
word: れる
roman: reru
lang: Japanese
word: られる
roman: rareru
lang: Khmer
word: ត្រូវបាន
roman: trɨv baan
lang: Korean
word: -기다
roman: gida
lang: Korean
word: –당하다
roman: danghada
lang: Korean
word: -되다
roman: doeda
lang: Korean
word: -리다
roman: rida
lang: Korean
word: -받다
roman: batda
lang: Korean
word: -이다
roman: ida
lang: Korean
word: -지다
roman: jida
lang: Korean
word: -히다
roman: hida
lang: Latin
word: sum
lang: Lithuanian
word: būti
lang: Macedonian
word: е
roman: e
lang: Mazanderani
word: بیهن
roman: biyen
lang: Middle English
word: been
lang: Norman
word: être
lang: Norwegian Bokmål
word: bli
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: verta
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: verte
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: bli
lang: Church Slavic
word: бꙑти
roman: byti
lang: Pannonian Rusyn
word: буц
roman: buc
lang: Dari
word: بُودَن
roman: būdan
lang: Iranian Persian
word: بودَن
roman: budan
lang: Polish
word: być
lang: Polish
word: zostać
lang: Portuguese
word: ser
lang: Romanian
word: fi
lang: Russian
word: быть
roman: bytʹ
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: би̏ти
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: bȉti
lang: Slovak
word: byť
lang: Slovene
word: biti
lang: Spanish
word: ser
lang: Spanish
word: seer
lang: Swedish
word: bli
lang: Tamil
word: படு
roman: paṭu
lang: Tamil
word: பெறு
roman: peṟu
lang: Thai
word: ถูก
roman: tùuk
lang: Thai
word: โดน
roman: doon
lang: Ukrainian
word: бу́ти
roman: búty
lang: Vietnamese
word: được
lang: Vietnamese
word: bị
lang: Walloon
word: esse
lang: Walloon
word: sey
lang: Welsh
word: bod
lang: Czech
word: být
lang: Czech
word: mít
lang: Danish
word: ville
lang: Finnish
word: tulla
lang: German
word: sein
lang: German
word: werden
lang: Japanese
word: だろう
roman: darō
lang: Mazanderani
word: بأبوشهن
roman: babošen
lang: Russian
word: быть
roman: bytʹ
lang: Slovak
word: mať
lang: Slovak
word: byť
lang: Arabic
word: يساوى
roman: yesāwī
lang: Arabic
word: يعمل
roman: yeʕmel
lang: Belarusian
word: быць
roman: bycʹ
lang: Bulgarian
word: съм
roman: sǎm
lang: Catalan
word: fer
lang: Catalan
word: ésser
lang: Catalan
word: ser
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 是
roman: shì
lang: Czech
word: být
lang: Danish
word: være
lang: Danish
word: være lig med
lang: Esperanto
word: egali
lang: Esperanto
word: esti
lang: Finnish
word: olla yhtä suuri kuin
lang: Finnish
word: olla
lang: French
word: faire
lang: German
word: sein
lang: Greek
word: ίσον
roman: íson
lang: Ancient Greek
word: εἰμί
roman: eimí
lang: Ancient Greek
word: εἰμί ἴσος
roman: eimí ísos
lang: Hindi
word: होना
roman: honā
lang: Icelandic
word: vera
lang: Irish
word: bí cothrom le
lang: Italian
word: essere uguale
lang: Italian
word: fare
lang: Japanese
word: です
roman: desu
lang: Japanese
word: である
roman: dearu
lang: Japanese
word: だ
roman: da
lang: Khmer
word: ជា
roman: ciə
lang: Korean
word: 같다
roman: gatda
lang: Northern Kurdish
word: bûn
lang: Latin
word: sum
lang: Latvian
word: būt
lang: Lithuanian
word: būti
lang: Macedonian
word: е еднакво на
roman: e ednakvo na
lang: Malay
word: ialah
lang: Malay
word: اياله
lang: Norwegian Bokmål
word: være or være lik
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: vera
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: vere or vera
lang: Dari
word: بُودَن
roman: būdan
lang: Iranian Persian
word: بودَن
roman: budan
lang: Polish
word: być
lang: Polish
word: równać się
lang: Portuguese
word: ser
lang: Portuguese
word: dar
lang: Romanian
word: fi
lang: Romanian
word: egala
lang: Russian
word: равня́ться
roman: ravnjátʹsja
lang: Russian
word: равно́
roman: ravnó
lang: Russian
word: быть
roman: bytʹ
lang: Russian
word: полу́читься
roman: polúčitʹsja
lang: Russian
word: соста́вить
roman: sostávitʹ
lang: Russian
word: э́то
roman: éto
lang: Russian
word: —
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: би̏ти
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: bȉti
lang: Slovak
word: byť
lang: Slovene
word: biti
lang: Lower Sorbian
word: byś
lang: Swedish
word: vara
lang: Swedish
word: vara lika med
lang: Thai
word: เท่ากับ
roman: tâo-gàp
lang: Ukrainian
word: бу́ти
roman: búty
lang: Urdu
word: ہونا
roman: honā
lang: Vietnamese
word: là
lang: Welsh
word: bod
lang: Yiddish
word: זײַן
roman: zayn
lang: Arabic
word: كَانَ
roman: kāna
lang: Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
word: ܗܵܘܹܐ
roman: hawe
lang: Armenian
word: եմ
roman: em
lang: Asturian
word: ser
lang: Basque
word: izan
lang: Belarusian
word: быць
roman: bycʹ
lang: Bulgarian
word: съм
roman: sǎm
lang: Catalan
word: ésser
lang: Catalan
word: ser
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 是
roman: shì
lang: Ngazidja Comorian
word: ukaya
lang: Czech
word: být
lang: Danish
word: være
lang: Dutch
word: zijn
lang: Emilian
word: êser
lang: Esperanto
word: esti
lang: Estonian
word: olema
lang: Finnish
word: olla
lang: French
word: être
lang: German
word: sein
lang: Greek
word: είμαι
roman: eímai
lang: Ancient Greek
word: εἰμί
roman: eimí
lang: Haitian Creole
word: se
lang: Hindi
word: होना
roman: honā
lang: Icelandic
word: vera
lang: Irish
word: is
lang: Italian
word: essere
lang: Japanese
word: です
roman: desu
lang: Japanese
word: である
roman: dearu
lang: Japanese
word: だ
roman: da
lang: Korean
word: 이다
roman: ida
lang: Latin
word: sum
lang: Ligurian
word: êse
lang: Lithuanian
word: būti
lang: Macedonian
word: е
roman: e
lang: Malay
word: ialah
lang: Malay
word: اياله
lang: Middle English
word: been
lang: Mizo
word: ni
lang: Navajo
word: átʼé
lang: Navajo
word: nilį́
lang: Norman
word: être
lang: Norwegian Bokmål
word: være
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: vera
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: vere
lang: Church Slavic
word: бꙑти
roman: byti
lang: Old Turkic
word: 𐰼
lang: Dari
word: بُودَن
roman: būdan
lang: Iranian Persian
word: بودَن
roman: budan
lang: Polish
word: być
lang: Portuguese
word: ser
lang: Romanian
word: fi
lang: Russian
word: быть
roman: bytʹ
lang: Russian
word: явля́ться
roman: javljátʹsja
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: би̏ти
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: bȉti
lang: Slovak
word: byť
lang: Slovene
word: biti
lang: Lower Sorbian
word: byś
lang: Spanish
word: ser
lang: Swedish
word: vara
lang: Thai
word: เป็น
roman: bpen
lang: Urdu
word: ہونا
roman: honā
lang: Vietnamese
word: là
lang: Welsh
word: bod
lang: Arabic
word: كَانَ
roman: kāna
lang: Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
word: ܗܵܘܹܐ
roman: hawe
lang: Asturian
word: ser
lang: Asturian
word: tar
lang: Azerbaijani
word: imək
lang: Basque
word: izan
lang: Basque
word: egon
lang: Belarusian
word: быць
roman: bycʹ
lang: Bulgarian
word: съм
roman: sǎm
lang: Catalan
word: ésser
lang: Catalan
word: ser
lang: Catalan
word: estar
lang: Central Atlas Tamazight
word: ⵉⵍⵉ
roman: ili
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 很
roman: hěn
lang: Chuukese
word: mi
lang: Czech
word: být
lang: Danish
word: være
lang: Dutch
word: zijn
lang: Emilian
word: êser
lang: Esperanto
word: esti
lang: Estonian
word: olema
lang: Finnish
word: olla
lang: French
word: être
lang: Galician
word: ser
lang: Galician
word: estar
lang: German
word: sein
lang: Greek
word: είμαι
roman: eímai
lang: Ancient Greek
word: εἰμί
roman: eimí
lang: Hebrew
word: הוא
roman: hu
lang: Hebrew
word: היא
roman: hi
lang: Hebrew
word: הם
roman: hem
lang: Hebrew
word: הן
roman: hen
lang: Hebrew
word: הָיָה
roman: hayá
lang: Hindi
word: होना
roman: honā
lang: Icelandic
word: vera
lang: Ido
word: esar
lang: Ingrian
word: olla
lang: Irish
word: bí
lang: Old Irish
word: at·tá
lang: Italian
word: essere
lang: Kabyle
word: d
lang: Latin
word: sum
lang: Latvian
word: būt
lang: Lithuanian
word: būti
lang: Macedonian
word: е
roman: e
lang: Malay
word: adalah
lang: Malay
word: اداله
lang: Manx
word: bee
lang: Middle English
word: been
lang: Norman
word: être
lang: Norwegian Bokmål
word: være
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: vera
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: vere
lang: Church Slavic
word: бꙑти
roman: byti
lang: Pennsylvania German
word: sei
lang: Dari
word: بُودَن
roman: būdan
lang: Iranian Persian
word: بودَن
roman: budan
lang: Polish
word: być
lang: Portuguese
word: ser
lang: Portuguese
word: estar
lang: Romanian
word: fi
lang: Russian
word: быть
roman: bytʹ
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: би̏ти
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: bȉti
lang: Slovak
word: byť
lang: Slovene
word: biti
lang: Lower Sorbian
word: byś
lang: Spanish
word: ser
lang: Spanish
word: estar
lang: Spanish
word: sentirse
lang: Spanish
word: ponerse
lang: Swedish
word: vara
lang: Turkish
word: imek
lang: Ukrainian
word: бу́ти
roman: búty
lang: Urdu
word: ہونا
roman: honā
lang: Uzbek
word: emoq
lang: Vietnamese
word: thì
lang: Welsh
word: bod
lang: Yiddish
word: זײַן
roman: zayn