The English verb "be" means "to exist, to occur" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "be" across all 5 tenses. New to English verbs? Start with the English verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "be" in the Present Tense
Simple Present Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | am |
| you | you (singular) | are |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | is |
| we | we | are |
| you | you (plural) | are |
| they | they | are |
He is very tall.
Él es muy alto.
How to Conjugate "be" in the Past Tense
Simple Past Actions that happened in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | was |
| you | you (singular) | were |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | was |
| we | we | were |
| you | you (plural) | were |
| they | they | were |
He was very happy today.
Él estaba muy feliz hoy.
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Simple Future Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | will be |
| you | you (singular) | will be |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | will be |
| we | we | will be |
| you | you (plural) | will be |
| they | they | will be |
He will be ready by noon.
Él estará listo para el mediodía.
How to Conjugate "be" in the Present (-ing) Tense
Present Continuous Actions happening right now| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | am being |
| you | you (singular) | are being |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | is being |
| we | we | are being |
| you | you (plural) | are being |
| they | they | are being |
He is being quiet right now.
Él está siendo silencioso ahora mismo.
How to Conjugate "be" in the Have done Tense
Present Perfect Actions completed with present relevance| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| I | I | have been |
| you | you (singular) | have been |
| he/she/it | he/she/it | has been |
| we | we | have been |
| you | you (plural) | have been |
| they | they | have been |
He has been at home all day.
Он был дома весь день.
Frequently Asked Questions About "be"
Is "be" regular or irregular in English?
"Be" is an irregular English verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "be" mean in English?
The English verb "be" means "to exist, to occur" in English.
How do you conjugate "be" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Simple Present): I → am, you → are, he/she/it → is, we → are, you → are, they → are.
How many tenses does "be" have in English?
"Be" is conjugated across 5 tenses in English: Present, Past, Future, Present (-ing), Have done.
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