be
How to Use Be
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe most basic verb in English, used to state what something is, or to help build other verb tenses.
Learners often mix up "is/are" with plural subjects, e.g. "the news are" instead of "the news is."
Its forms (am, is, are, was, were, being, been) don't follow normal verb patterns — they simply have to be memorised.
Trace the full origin ↓Word Forms
are plural, 're plural, be plural, been plural, were plural, bes plural, am singular, 'm singular, be singular, was singular, 's singular, were singular, are singular, art singular, 're singular, 'rt singular, wast singular, wert singular, is singular, beeth singular, bes singular
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She wants to _____ a doctor one day.
Etymology
From Old English "bēon," combined over time with two other Old English verbs ("wesan" and forms giving us "am," "is," "are") that all meant roughly "to exist" — which is why "be" has such an unusually irregular set of forms (am, is, are, was, were, been).