A1.5be: am, is, are
You meet a new colleague: “Hi, I'm Sara. I'm from Shiraz. I'm a nurse.” Three sentences, one little verb: be.
The rule in one sentence
The verb be has three present forms: I am, he/she/it is, and you/we/they are.
Key points
- 1I → am · he / she / it → is · you / we / they → are
- 2Short forms are normal in speech: I'm, he's, she's, it's, you're, we're, they're.
- 3Negative: put not after the verb: I'm not, isn't, aren't.
- 4Every English sentence needs a verb: I am tired, never “I tired”.
- 5Use be for name, job, age, feelings, place and nationality: I'm 20 (not “I have 20 years”).
Mindmap
Drawing the mindmap…
The forms
| Subject | Positive | Short form | Negative | Short negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | I am | I’m | I am not | I’m not |
| he / she / it | she is | she’s | she is not | she isn’t / she’s not |
| you / we / they | they are | they’re | they are not | they aren’t / they’re not |
Notice: you always takes are, even when you talk to one person: You are my best friend.
In speech and friendly writing we almost always use the short forms (I’m, she’s, they’re). In very formal writing, use the full forms.
When do we use be?
Use be to say who or what something is, and to describe it.
I’m a nurse.
من پرستار هستم.
She’s 20 years old.
او ۲۰ ساله است.
The children are at home.
بچه‌ها خانه هستند.
We’re Iranian. We’re from Isfahan.
ما ایرانی هستیم.
I’m not tired. I’m just hungry.
خسته نیستم، فقط گرسنه‌ام.
These shoes aren’t expensive.
این کفش‌ها گران نیستند.
So be is used for:
- name and job: I’m Sara. I’m a teacher.
- age: He’s 35.
- feelings and states: We’re happy. They’re cold.
- place: The keys are on the table.
- nationality and origin: She’s Canadian. She’s from Toronto.
- descriptions: The house is big. It isn’t new.
Questions come in the next lesson
To make a question, we simply swap the subject and the verb: You are ready → Are you ready? You’ll practise this in lesson A1.6.
Persian explanation · توضیح فارسی
فعل be (بودن) در زمان حال سه شکل دارد:
- با I (من) ← am: I am a student. (من دانشجو هستم.)
- با he / she / it (او / آن) ← is: She is a doctor. (او پزشک است.)
- با you / we / they (تو، شما، ما، آن‌ها) ← are: They are at home. (آن‌ها خانه هستند.)
مهم‌ترین نکته برای فارسی‌زبان‌ها: در فارسی گاهی فعل را به کلمه می‌چسبانیم («خسته‌ام») یا اصلاً نمی‌گوییم. اما در انگلیسی هر جمله باید فعل داشته باشد. پس باید بگوییم I am tired، نه I tired.
سن: در فارسی می‌گوییم «بیست سال دارم»، ولی در انگلیسی از be استفاده می‌کنیم: I’m 20. (نه I have 20 years.)
منفی: کلمه‌ی not را بعد از am / is / are می‌گذاریم: I’m not ، she isn’t ، they aren’t.
Common mistakes
Wrong: He are my teacher.
Right: He is my teacher.
he / she / it → is.
Wrong: You is late.
Right: You are late.
you → are, even for one person.
Wrong: I amn't ready.
Right: I'm not ready.
There is no short form “amn't”. Use I'm not.
Persian Corner کُنج فارسی
Mistakes Persian speakers often make with this grammar, and why.
Wrong: I tired.
Right: I am tired. / I'm tired.
English always needs a verb. Persian can put the verb inside the word (خسته‌ام); English can't.
در فارسی «ـَم» در «خسته‌ام» همان فعل است. در انگلیسی باید am را جدا بنویسیم.
Wrong: I have 20 years.
Right: I am 20. / I'm 20 years old.
Age uses be in English, not have.
ما می‌گوییم «۲۰ سال دارم»، اما انگلیسی‌زبان‌ها می‌گویند «۲۰ هستم»: I'm 20.
Wrong: She are my sister.
Right: She is my sister.
he, she and it always take is.
Wrong: They is students.
Right: They are students.
you, we and they always take are, even for one person (you).
Practice
- 1ChooseMy brother (blank) a doctor.
- 2ChooseWe (blank) from Tabriz.
- 3Fill the gap
- 4Fill the gap
- 5Fill the gap
- 6Fill the gap
- 7Correct the mistake
- 8Correct the mistake
- 9Correct the mistake
- 10Put in order
Tap the words in the right order. Tap a chosen word to remove it.
Your sentence appears here - 11MatchMatch the full form with the short form.
Recall
Close your eyes and answer each one aloud, then open it to check.
1.Which form of be goes with he, she and it?
is: he is, she is, it is.
2.How do you say your age in English?
With be: I'm 20 or I'm 20 years old, never “I have 20 years”.
3.What are the short negative forms of is not and are not?
isn't and aren't. (For I am not: I'm not.)
✍️ Use it: write 3–5 sentences about your own life with today's grammar.
- be with I / he-she-it / you-we-theyI am · he/she/it is · you/we/they are
- How do you say your age? (۲۰ سال دارم)I'm 20. / I'm 20 years old. (be, not have)
- Negative short forms of is not / are notisn't · aren't (and I'm not)
- ✗ I tired. ✓ ?I'm tired. Every sentence needs a verb.