VERB TO BE

MARCO TEORICO

The verb to be is one of the most important in the English language. Its meaning is equivalent to the Spanish verbs ser and
estar, so depending on the context of the sentence it will be interpreted with one meaning or another.
The verb “to be” is the most important verb in English and at the same time, the most complicated. It is used both as a main
verb and as an auxiliary verb and is irregular in the present and the past tense

Translation:
El verbo to be es uno de los más importantes de la lengua inglesa. Su significado equivale a los verbos ser y estar del
español, por lo que dependiendo del contexto de la frase se interpretará con un significado u otro.
El verbo “to be” es el verbo más importante del inglés y al mismo tiempo, el más complicado. Se utiliza tanto como un
verbo principal como un verbo auxiliar y es irregular en el presente y el pasado

TO BE ------- SER TO BE ------- ESTAR

He is tall She is sad

El es alto Ella esta triste
 VERB TO BE
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STRUCTURES
Affirmative .- Are those that declare or state something true.

SUBJECT + VERB TO BE + COMPLEMENT

I AM in the kitchen
SHORT WAYS
You ARE very intelligent
He IS at work
She IS my wife AM ----- ’m
It IS for kids
We ARE strong ARE ------ ‘re
You ARE students
They ARE on holiday Is --------- ’s

En inglés se utiliza la forma contraída ('m, 're, s) para contextos informales. Sin embargo, para contextos formales es
preferible usar la forma completa (am, is, are)
 VERB TO BE
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STRUCTURES
Negative .- are those who deny something. So, the particle not is added after the verb
SUBJECT + VERB TO BE + NOT + COMPLEMENT
I AM NOT in the kitchen SHORT WAYS
You ARE NOT very intelligent
He IS NOT at work AM ----’m not/ am not
She IS NOT my wife
It IS NOT for kids ARE ------ aren’t
We ARE NOT strong
You ARE NOT students Is ----------- isn’t
They ARE NOT on holiday
 VERB TO BE
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STRUCTURES
Interrogative .- Interrogative sentences or questions are those that are used to request
certain information.

VERB TO BE + SUBJECT + COMPLEMENT

No existe forma contraída para
AM I in the kitchen ?
las oraciones interrogativas.
ARE YOU very intelligent?
Are you on holiday? / 'Re you on holiday?
IS HE at work?
(tú) ¿Estás de vacaciones?
IS SHE my wife?
IS IT for kids
ARE WE strong
ARE YOU students
ARE THEY on holiday
 VERB TO BE
MARCO TEORICO

Las respuestas cortas son aquellas construcciones que se utilizan para responder afirmativa o negativamente a una
pregunta. En inglés, a diferencia del español, no es habitual responder simplemente con los adverbios sí o no, sino que
aparecen seguidos del sujeto correspondiente y el verbo to be

Adverb Subject To be
I AM
YOU
WE ARE

YES THEY
HE
SHE IS

IT
 VERB TO BE
MARCO TEORICO

Las respuestas cortas son aquellas construcciones que se utilizan para responder afirmativa o negativamente a una
pregunta. En inglés, a diferencia del español, no es habitual responder simplemente con los adverbios sí o no, sino que
aparecen seguidos del sujeto correspondiente y el verbo to be

Adverb Subject To be
I AM NOT
‘m not
YOU
ARE NOT
NO WE
THEY
AREN’T

HE
SHE IS NOT
ISN’T
IT
 VERB TO BE
MARCO TEORICO

The past simple of the verb to be is equivalent to the verbs was / was or I was / I was in Spanish, so depending
on the context of the phrase it will be interpreted with one meaning or another.

Translation

El pasado simple del verbo to be equivale a los verbos era/estaba o fui/estuve del español, por lo que
dependiendo del contexto de la frase se interpretará con un significado u otro.

WAS/WERE ------- ERA / ESTABA WAS/WERE ------- ERA / ESTABA

He WAS tall You Were sad

El ERA alto Tu estabas triste
 VERB TO BE
En la parte negativa tenemos a WASN’T / WEREN’T ( SEE THE STRUCTURE), en
forma interrogativa usamos WAS/WERE pero esta vez lo ponemos al inicio
(SEE THE STRUCTURES)
 REMEMBER
THERE IS
A/ AN THE THERE ARE

It means
It means It means
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