Be

Spanish Meaning

ser

estar

existir

hacer

encontrarse

ir

extenderse

hallarse

English Meaning

  1. To exist in actuality; have life or reality: I think, therefore I am.
  2. To occupy a specified position: The food is on the table.
  3. To remain in a certain state or situation undisturbed, untouched, or unmolested: Let the children be.
  4. To take place; occur: The test was yesterday.
  5. To go or come: Have you ever been to Italy? Have you been home recently?
  6. Used as a copula in such senses as:
  7. To equal in identity: "To be a Christian was to be a Roman” ( James Bryce).
  8. To have a specified significance: A is excellent, C is passing. Let n be the unknown quantity.
  9. To belong to a specified class or group: The human being is a primate.
  10. To have or show a specified quality or characteristic: She is witty. All humans are mortal.
  11. To seem to consist or be made of: The yard is all snow. He is all bluff and no bite.
  12. To belong; befall: Peace be unto you. Woe is me.
  13. Used with the past participle of a transitive verb to form the passive voice: The mayoral election is held annually.
  14. Used with the present participle of a verb to express a continuing action: We are working to improve housing conditions.
  15. Used with the infinitive of a verb to express intention, obligation, or future action: She was to call before she left. You are to make the necessary changes.
  16. Archaic Used with the past participle of certain intransitive verbs to form the perfect tense: "Where be those roses gone which sweetened so our eyes?” ( Philip Sidney).