DictionaryAI

be

SayBEE/bi//biː/

Formsis, being, was, were, been

17 meanings of be

Practice

  1. 1
    has a qualityverbirregular
    Used to link the subject to a description of it, such as a quality, color, size, age, length, or price (She is tall; He is ten; The film is three hours; The tickets are $12).

    The children were very quiet.

    It can be difficult to say no.

    UsageFeelings like hunger and cold take be: I am hungry, I am cold (not incorrect: I have cold).

    Note

    The commonest job of the commonest verb: it carries tense and agreement while an adjective or phrase carries the meaning. Its forms come from three separate sources that were mixed together over the history of English, which is why am, was and been look unrelated. The King James Bible's if thou be willing shows the older subjunctive after if.

    Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

    • The forms of be derive from three separate sources combined during the history of English. en.wiktionary.org
    • The King James Bible contains the wording 'if thou be willing'. biblegateway.com
    • Be in 'if thou be willing' illustrates the older subjunctive after if. gutenberg.org
  2. 2
    identityverbirregular
    Used to say who or what the subject is, either naming the class it belongs to or identifying it as a particular person or thing (She is a nurse; That is my grandfather).

    My neighbor is a nurse.

    That could be a mistake.

    Note

    The noun after the verb assigns membership in a class. Rex is a dog puts Rex among dogs, and dogs are animals places a whole kind inside a larger one. In the identity reading, as in that is my grandfather, the two sides can swap.

  3. 3
    passive voiceverbauxiliaryirregular
    Used with a past participle to form the passive voice.

    The bridge was closed by the city after the storm.

    The results will be announced tomorrow.

    UsageBe + past participle, with by for the doer: the window was broken by the storm.

    Note

    Some participles blur into adjectives, so the door is closed may describe an action or a state. The same frame once built the old perfect of motion, as in he is gone.

    Checked 3 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

    • Be with a past participle formerly formed the perfect with verbs of motion. gutenberg.org
    • He is gone exemplifies the archaic perfect construction with be. en.wikipedia.org
  4. 4
    continuous tenseverbirregular
    Used with a present participle to form the continuous or progressive aspect.

    We'll be leaving at six.

    She was reading when I called.

    UsageState verbs resist it: I know (not incorrect: I am knowing). It combines with perfect and passive: have been waiting, is being built.

    Note

    The frame shows an action in progress at whatever time is in view: is walking now, were eating then, shall be writing later.

  5. 5
    exist (with there)verbintransitivewith dummy subjectirregular
    To exist or be present, usually with 'there' as the subject (There is no milk left); in literary use, simply to exist or live.

    There were no seats left.

    There must be some mistake.

    UsageThe verb agrees with what follows: there is one egg, there are three eggs. Speech often uses there's with plurals too.

    Note

    Shakespeare could also invert the order, as in some men there are. Some dialects put it in place of there (it is just one woman in town who can help us), and the bare literary verb of existence drops the dummy altogether.

    Checked 3 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

    • Shakespeare used the inverted wording “some men there are”; Shylock speaks it in The Merchant of Venice, Act 4, Scene 1. folger.edu
  6. 6
    locationverbintransitiveirregular
    To occupy a place or position.

    The car was outside the gate.

    Your keys should be on the hook by the front door.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of be apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

Middle English been continues forms from three separate sources that blended over the history of English. The b- forms go back to Old English bēon, "to be, become," which came from Proto-Germanic *beuną and a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to grow, become, come into being." The w- forms, along with am, are, and is, come from Old English wesan, from Proto-Germanic *wesaną, which goes back to Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "to reside" and "to be."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 5 facts

  • English be comes from Middle English been, and its forms combine three historical sources. en.wiktionary.org
  • The b- forms derive from Old English bēon, meaning “to be, become,” through Proto-Germanic *beuną from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to grow, become, come into being.” en.wiktionary.org
  • The w- forms derive from Old English wesan and Proto-Germanic *wesaną. en.wiktionary.org
  • Am, are, and is also derive from the paradigm of Old English wesan and Proto-Germanic *wesaną. en.wiktionary.org
  • Proto-Germanic *wesaną combines Proto-Indo-European roots meaning “to reside” and “to be.” en.wiktionary.org