The verb TO BE is very important in English. We use it to talk about people, things, and situations. It helps us make sentences in the present. In this lesson, you will learn the positive and negative forms. You will see tips, examples, and exercises to help you.
Le verbe ÊTRE est très important en anglais. Nous l’utilisons pour parler des personnes, des choses et des situations. Il nous aide à former des phrases au présent. Dans cette leçon, vous apprendrez les formes affirmative et négative. Vous verrez des conseils, des exemples et des exercices pour vous aider.
Explanation
The verb TO BE is irregular and changes depending on the subject of the sentence. Here are the forms:
| Subject | Affirmative | Negative |
| I | am (I’m) | am not (I’m not) |
| You | are (you’re) | are not (you’re not/you aren’t) |
| He/She/It | is (he’s/she’s/it’s) | is not (he’s not/he isn’t) |
| We | are (we’re) | are not (we’re not/we aren’t) |
| They | are (they’re) | are not (they’re not/they aren’t) |
Useful Tips
- Contractions are key: Use contractions like “I’m” or “he’s” to sound more natural in spoken English.
- Negative forms have flexibility: You can use “isn’t” or “he’s not,” and both are correct.
- Context matters: “TO BE” often introduces descriptions (e.g., “I am happy”) or states of being (e.g., “She is at work”).
How to use
Here are 5 ways to use the verb TO BE:
- Introduce yourself ➡️“I am Sarah. I’m a teacher.”
- Describe feelings or states➡️ “He is tired today.”
- Talk about locations ➡️ “We are in the office.”
- Describe professions ➡️“She is an engineer.”
- Provide general facts ➡️ “It is cold outside.”
Common mistakes
Negation with « Not »
❌ I don’t French
✅ I am not French
❌You not ready
✅You are not ready (or You aren’t ready)
Errors from French:
❌I not happy (missing « am »)
✅I am not happy
❌I am not understand
✅I don’t understand
❌I am not agree
✅I disagree
Be + adjective – ‘happy’ is an adjective ➡️ ‘I am happy’ is correct.
‘understand’ and ‘agree’ are verbs, not adjectives. ‘I am understand / I am agree’ is not correct.
Some être expressions translate differently. We use ‘To be’ and not ‘to have’:
Certaines expressions être se traduisent différemment :
| English (To Be) | French (Avoir) |
| I am cold | J’ai froid |
| I am hungry | J’ai faim |
| I am afraid | J’ai peur |
| I am 20 years old | J’ai 20 ans |
French allows « être » + noun without an article, but English needs one:
(Le français autorise « être » + nom sans article, mais l’anglais en a besoin d’un )
Elle est professeur > ❌ She is professor – ✅ She is a professor
French learners may also say: ❌He is a tall – ✅He is tall
Examples
Daily life
- I am happy with my new book.
- She is not at home right now.
- We are excited about the party.
- It is sunny today, but it is not warm.
- They are my best friends.
Work life
- I am not available for a meeting this afternoon.
- He is responsible for the project timeline.
- We are in charge of the new campaign.
- She is an excellent team leader.
- They are not ready to submit the report.
Quiz
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