Here is a complete but easy-to-understand guide to the English verb “to be”, with rules, forms, examples, questions, negatives, contractions, and common mistakes.
The verb to be is one of the most important verbs in English. It is used to talk about:
- identity
- age
- jobs and professions
- nationality
- feelings and conditions
- locations
- descriptions
- existence
- continuous actions
- passive sentences
The basic verb is be, but its form changes depending on the subject and tense.
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Forms of “To Be”
The most important forms are:
| Time | Forms of “to be” |
| Present | am, is, are |
| Past | was, were |
| Base form | be |
| Infinitive | to be |
| Present participle | being |
| Past participle | been |
Present
| Subject | Verb |
| I | am |
| You | are |
| He | is |
| She | is |
| It | is |
| We | are |
| They | are |
Examples:
- I am happy.
- You are beautiful.
- He is my brother.
- She is a teacher.
- It is cold.
- We are students.
- They are at home.
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“Am”
Use am only with I.
Structure
I + am + …
Examples:
- I am a student.
- I am Indonesian.
- I am tired.
- I am 25 years old.
- I am at home.
- I am happy.
Negative
I am not + …
Examples:
- I am not tired.
- I am not a doctor.
- I am not angry.
- I am not at school.
Contraction
I am → I’m
- I’m happy.
- I’m a teacher.
- I’m from Indonesia.
- I’m not tired.
There is no normal contraction “I amn’t.”
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“Is”
Use is with:
- he
- she
- it
- singular nouns
Examples
- He is tall.
- She is beautiful.
- It is expensive.
- John is my friend.
- The car is new.
- My mother is at home.
Negative
is + not → isn’t
Examples:
- He isn’t tired.
- She isn’t angry.
- It isn’t expensive.
- John isn’t at home.
- The car isn’t new.
Full form vs contraction
He is happy.
He’s happy.
She is not tired.
She isn’t tired.
It is cold.
It’s cold.
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“Are”
Use are with:
- you
- we
- they
- plural nouns
Examples:
- You are smart.
- We are friends.
- They are students.
- The children are happy.
- My parents are at home.
Negative
are + not → aren’t
Examples:
- You aren’t late.
- We aren’t tired.
- They aren’t ready.
- The children aren’t at school.
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“To Be” for Identity
We use to be to say who or what someone/something is.
Structure
Subject + be + noun
Examples:
- I am a student.
- She is a doctor.
- He is my brother.
- They are teachers.
- Jakarta is a city.
- This is my house.
Questions
Be + subject + noun?
- Are you a student?
- Is she a doctor?
- Is he your brother?
- Are they teachers?
Answers:
Are you a student?
Yes, I am.
No, I am not.
Is she a doctor?
Yes, she is.
No, she isn’t.
- “To Be” for Descriptions
We use to be + adjective to describe someone or something.
Structure
Subject + be + adjective
Examples:
- I am happy.
- You are kind.
- He is tall.
- She is beautiful.
- It is difficult.
- We are ready.
- They are busy.
More examples:
- The food is delicious.
- My car is old.
- The house is big.
- The weather is hot.
- The students are quiet.
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“To Be” for Age
English normally uses to be to talk about age.
Structure
Subject + be + age
Examples:
- I am 20 years old.
- She is 18 years old.
- He is 10 years old.
- They are 25 years old.
Questions
- How old are you?
- How old is your brother?
- How old is your mother?
Correct:
I am 20 years old.
Incorrect:
❌ I have 20 years old.
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“To Be” for Nationality
Examples:
- I am Indonesian.
- She is Japanese.
- He is American.
- They are British.
- We are Indonesian.
Questions:
- Are you Indonesian?
- Is she Japanese?
- Are they American?
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“To Be” for Location
We use to be to say where someone or something is.
Structure
Subject + be + place
Examples:
- I am at home.
- She is at school.
- He is in Jakarta.
- We are in Indonesia.
- They are at the office.
- The book is on the table.
Questions:
- Where are you?
- Where is John?
- Where are the children?
Answers:
Where are you?
I am at home.
Where is John?
He is at work.
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“To Be” for Feelings and Conditions
Examples:
- I am happy.
- She is sad.
- He is angry.
- We are tired.
- They are hungry.
- You are sick.
- It is hot.
Questions:
- Are you tired?
- Is she happy?
- Are they hungry?
- Is he angry?