be

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

As an auxiliary verb: — Used with past participles of verbs to form the passive voice.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

The dog was saved by the boy.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

As an auxiliary verb: — Used with present participles of verbs to form the continuous aspect.

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

As an auxiliary verb: — Used with to-infinitives of verbs to express intent, obligation, appropriateness, or relative future occurrence.

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “be” mean?

As an auxiliary verb: — Used with past participles of verbs to form the passive voice.

Is “be” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.