be
verbVerb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they am/are | |
| am not/are not/aren't | |
| he / she / it is | |
| is not | |
| isn't | |
| past simple was | |
| was not | |
| wasn't | |
| past simple were | |
| were not | |
| weren't | |
| past participle been | |
| -ing form being |
- linking verb
used when you are naming people or things, describing them or giving more information about them （提供名称或信息时用） - + noun
Today is Monday. 今天是星期一。 ‘Who is that?’ ‘It's my brother.’ “那个人是谁？” “是我哥哥。” She's a great beauty. 她是个大美人。 Susan is a doctor. 苏珊是医生。 He wants to be (= become) a pilot when he grows up. 他想长大后当飞行员。 - + adj.
It's beautiful! 美呀！ Life is unfair. 人生没有公平。 He is ten years old. 他十岁了。 ‘How are you?’ ‘I'm very well, thanks.’ “你好吗？” “我很好，谢谢。” Be quick! 快点！ - be (that)…
The fact is (that) we don’t have enough money. 事实是我们没有那么多钱。 - be doing something
The problem is getting it all done in the time available. 问题是要在现有的时间内把它全部完成。 - be to do something
The problem is to get it all done in the time available. 问题是要在现有的时间内把它全部完成。
- + noun
- linking verb it is/was
used when you are describing a situation or saying what you think about it （描述情况或表达想法时用） - + adj.
It was really hot in the sauna. 桑拿浴的确很热。 It's strange how she never comes to see us any more. 奇怪，她怎么再也不来看我们了。 He thinks it's clever to make fun of people. 他觉得拿别人开玩笑显得聪明。 - + noun
It would be a shame if you lost it. 你要是把它丢了就太可惜了。 It's going to be a great match. 这将是一场了不起的比赛。
- + adj.
- linking verb there is/are + noun
to exist; to be present 有；存在 - [intransitive] + adv./prep.
to be located; to be in a place 位于；在（某处） - [intransitive] be from…
used to say where somebody was born or where their home is 出生于（某地）；来自…；是（某地的）人 - [intransitive] + adv./prep.
to happen at a time or in a place （在某时或某地）发生 - [intransitive] + adv./prep.
to remain in a place 留在（某地）；逗留 - [intransitive] + adv./prep.
to attend an event; to be present in a place 出席；到场 - linking verb it is/was
used to talk about time （用于表达时间） - linking verb + noun
to cost 花费；值 - linking verb + noun
to be equal to 等于；等同 - [intransitive]
(only used in the perfect tenses 仅用于完成时 to visit or call 前往；造访；访问 I've never been to Spain. 我从未去过西班牙。 He had been abroad many times. 他曾多次出国。 - (British English)
Has the postman been yet? 邮递员来过了吗？
- linking verb + noun
used to say what something is made of （表示所用的材料） - linking verb [intransitive]
used to say who something belongs to or who it is intended for （表示某物所属） - linking verb be everything, nothing, etc. (to somebody)
used to say how important something is to somebody （表示对某人的重要性）
Word OriginOld English bēon, an irregular and defective verb, whose full conjugation derives from several originally distinct verbs. The forms am and is are from an Indo-European root shared by Latin sum and est. The forms was and were are from an Indo-European root meaning ‘remain’. The forms be and been are from an Indo-European root shared by Latin fui ‘I was’, fio ‘I become’, and Greek phuein ‘bring forth, cause to grow’. The origin of are is uncertain.
Idioms Most idioms containing be are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example be the death of somebody is at death.
as/that was
as somebody/something used to be called 像以往所称呼的；作为曾用名 Jill Davis that was (= before her marriage) （婚前）姓名为吉尔 · 戴维斯 the Soviet Union, as was 旧称苏联
the be-all and end-all (of something)
(he, she, etc. has) been and done something
- (British English, informal)
used to show that you are surprised and annoyed by something that somebody has done （表示吃惊和恼怒）
if it wasn’t/weren’t for…
something is what it is
- (informal)
used to show that you accept that something negative cannot be changed 事已至此（表示接受无法改变的负面事情） I never imagined that our company share prices would fall so low, but it is what it is. 我从没想到我们公司的股价会跌到这么低，但事已至此，又能如何？
leave/let somebody/something be
-to-be
(in compounds 构成复合词 future 将来 his bride-to-be 他的未婚妻 mothers-to-be (= pregnant women) 准妈妈