be
gb/bˈi/ us/bˈi/
A1
English
~ 100
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A1
state
1
to exist or to live
To live or to be real.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is [adjective/noun]
Common mistake:
Learners often forget to change 'be' to the correct form (am/is/are) for the subject.
Synonyms
exist (More formal; often used in philosophical or scientific contexts.)
Antonyms
cease (Means to stop existing or to end.)
Collocations
be alive
|be here
|be present
|be real
|be gone
Themes
daily life
|philosophy
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I think, therefore I am.
- Will you be at the meeting tomorrow?
- Dinosaurs used to be, but they are extinct now.
- She wants to be a teacher someday.
Learner examples
- I am happy.
- He is at school.
- We are friends.
- They are here.
Verb
A1
event
2
to happen or take place
To happen at a time or place.
Usage pattern:
The [event] is [time/place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'be' with 'have' when talking about events (e.g., 'The party has on Friday' instead of 'is on Friday').
Synonyms
happen (Common alternative in casual speech.)
Antonyms
not happen (Simply indicates that an event does not occur.)
Collocations
be on Monday
|be in summer
|be tonight
Themes
daily life
|time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The party will be next Friday.
- The meeting was at 3 p.m.
- The concert will be in the park.
Learner examples
- The game is on Sunday.
- The class will be in the morning.
- The test is next week.
Verb
A1
relation
3
to have a role or identity
To say what someone or something is.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is [role/identity/description]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes omit 'a' before roles (e.g., 'I am teacher' instead of 'I am a teacher').
Synonyms
serve as (Often used for temporary roles.)
Antonyms
not be (Indicates absence of that role or identity.)
Collocations
be a doctor
|be the leader
|be my friend
Themes
daily life
|core_vocabulary
|communication
Examples
- She is my sister.
- He wants to be an engineer.
- This is the main problem.
Learner examples
- I am a student.
- He is my brother.
- This is my book.
Verb
A2
state
4
to stay in a condition
To stay in the same way or place.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is [adjective/location]
Synonyms
stay (Implies continuing without change.)
Antonyms
become (Indicates a change from one state to another.)
Collocations
be quiet
|be available
|be open
Themes
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Please be quiet during the movie.
- She was still in bed at noon.
- The shop will be open until 8 p.m.
Learner examples
- Be careful.
- The door is open.
- He is in the room.
Grammar
Dictionary form
be
IPA
GB/bˈi/
US/bˈi/
Syllables & stress
be (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (be)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: am, are, be
- 3rd Person Singular: is
- Present Participle: being
- Past: was, were
- Past Participle: been
Word family
Forms
is
verb
being
verb
was
verb
were
verb
been
verb
Core family
become
verb A2
Negative and opposite forms
nonexistent
adjective B2
Highlights
- Irregular 3rd person singular: is Verb
- Irregular past: was, were Verb
- Irregular past participle: been Verb
Expressions
be about to
1/bˈi əbˈaʊt tə/
fixed phrase
to be going to do soon
To be very near in time to doing something.
Examples
- I was about to call you when you arrived.
- She is about to start her new job.
be into
1/bˈi ˈɪntu/
fixed phrase
informal
to like something a lot
To like something very much or be very interested in it.
Examples
- He's really into jazz music these days.
- I'm not into horror films.
be up to someone
1/bˈi ˈʌp tə sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
decision is someone's responsibility
When something is someone's choice or responsibility.
Examples
- It's up to you whether we go out tonight.
- The final decision will be up to the manager.
be over the moon
1/bˈi ˈoʊvɚ ðə mˈun/
idiom
informal
to be extremely happy about something
To feel very, very happy about something.
Examples
- She was over the moon when she got the job.
- They were over the moon about their new baby.
be supposed to
1/bˈi səpˈoʊzd tə/
fixed phrase
to be expected to do something
To have a duty or expectation to do something.
Examples
- You are supposed to finish your homework before dinner.
- You are supposed to hand in your homework on time.
- We were supposed to meet at 6 p.m.
- The train is supposed to arrive at 8 p.m.