Everyone who starts learning English will immediately come across the verb to be. He is among the most used words in English and therefore it is part of the first contents studied. Although it may seem simple, the verb to be always generates doubts and confusion, mainly due to its two meanings when translated into Portuguese: ser or estar. To understand which of the two meanings it is being used in each situation, you will need to pay attention to the context of the sentence as there is no specific rule on how to identify each one. But take it easy, because the blog CCAA is here to help you with this subject! If you want to understand this topic once and for all and no longer have doubts about when and how to use it, follow the post today!

Understand once and for all what the verb is to be

The verb to be It is a group of words that indicate the state of something or someone, and for this reason it will always be accompanied by a personal pronoun, which are: I, You, He, She, It, We and They. However, it can also have the function of an auxiliary verb in some sentences. This will depend on the sentence in which it is included. In the present tense, the verbs to be they are "am”, “is” and “are”. Each of them is used with specific pronouns:

• “Am” is always used for the first person singular, that is, it is used with “I”;
• “Are” is used for the second person singular “You” or for the plural pronouns, which are “We”, “You” and “They”;
• “Is” is used for the third person singular which are “He”, “She” or “It”.

If you have any questions about this topic, check out our complete content on pronouns in English and learn even more! Check out the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms of the verb conjugation below. to be in the present (Simple Present):

Simple Present

Check out some examples:

• He isn't here. – He is not here;
• She is happy with her new job. – She is happy with her new job;
• We are friends. – We are friends;
• Are are they going to school? – Are they going to school?
• I'm a short woman. – I am a short woman.

Another peculiarity of the verb to be is that it is irregular, that is, it does not follow a rule in conjugation when inflected in different verb tenses. By the way, do you know what irregular verbs are? Remember and memorize the list of irregular verbs in english node blog of the CCAA.

How to use the “verb to be” when speaking English?

As we have already mentioned, the verb to be has the meaning of being, and this occurs when it occupies the position of main verb of the sentence. But it It can also act as an auxiliary verb accompanying the main verb of the sentence or in the passive voice. Is it not clear in which situations it will be used in this way? Don't worry! One of the best ways to learn and fix theoretical content is to apply it in practice. Therefore, see some examples of sentences with the verb to be and its different functions so that you can train its use and truly learn it:

• Quality: She isn't a good student. – She is not a good student.
• Identity: He is my father. – He is my father.
• Linking verb: I'm hungry. - I am hungry.
• Profession: She is an engineer. – She is an engineer.
• Nationality: We are Germans. – We are Germans.
• Auxiliary verb: Chloe is eating a hamburger. – Chloe is eating a hamburger.
• Passive voice: The car was washed yesterday. – The car was washed yesterday.

In Portuguese, to say our age, we use the verb “ter”; in English we use the verb to be also for this purpose:

• I'm 30 years old. – I'm 30 years old.

Just like any other verb, the “to be” is conjugated in different tenses: past, present and future for each personal pronoun. And that’s what we’re going to talk about now!

Verb to be in the past: how to use?

The verb to be in the past (Simple Past) changes to was and were. Check the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms in this verb tense:

Simple Past

Check out some examples:

• I was happy after hearing the news about the job. – I was happy to hear the news about the job.
• Were you at home last night? – Were you home last night?
• She wasn't my friend. – She wasn't my friend.
• Was it sunny yesterday afternoon? – Was it sunny?

Verb to be in the future: know how to apply it!

The verb to be in the simple future (Simple Future) is structured as follows:

Subject + will + verb in the infinitive.

Check out how the conjugation looks:

Simple Future

Check out some examples of the verb to be node Simple Future:

• I will be the singer. – I will be a singer.
• Will you be there at six o'clock? – Will you be there at 6 o'clock?
• She will be a beautiful bride. – She will be the most beautiful bride.
• He will not be a spoiled child. – He won't be a spoiled child.

So, did you like our summary about the verb? to be? If you want to become an expert in English grammar, check out postVerb tenses in English: everything you need to know about them!. In blog From CCAA, you have everything to help you develop in the language, follow us and stay informed!