be

[biː] 1. aux vb; pt was, were, pp been

1) (in continuous tenses)

what are you doing? — co robisz?

it is raining — pada (deszcz)

they're coming tomorrow — przyjeżdżają jutro

I've been waiting for hours — czekam od dobrych paru godzin

2) (forming passives) być, zostać (perf)

she was admired — była podziwiana

he was killed — został zabity

the thief was nowhere to be seen — złodzieja nigdzie nie było widać

3) (in tag questions) prawda

he's good-looking, isn't he? — jest przystojny, prawda?

she's back again, is she? — a więc znów jest z powrotem?

4) (+to +infin)

the house is to be sold — dom ma zostać sprzedany

you are to report to the boss — masz się zgłosić do szefa

he's not to open it — on ma tego nie otwierać

2. vb +complement

1) być

I'm English — jestem Anglikiem

I am hot/cold — jest mi gorąco/zimno

2 and 2 are 4 — 2 i 2 jest 4

be careful — bądź ostrożny

2) (of health) czuć się

how are you? — jak się czujesz?

he's very ill — jest bardzo chory

3) (of age)

how old are you? — ile masz lat?

I'm sixteen (years old) — mam szesnaście lat

4) (cost) kosztować

how much was the dinner? — ile kosztował obiad?

that'll be 5 pounds please — to będzie (razem) 5 funtów

3. vi

1) (exist, occur etc) istnieć

is there a God? — czy istnieje Bóg?

so be it — niech tak będzie

be that as it may — tak czy owak

2) (referring to place) być

I won't be here tomorrow — jutro mnie tu nie będzie

where have you been? — gdzie byłeś?

4. impers vb

1) (referring to time, distance, weather) być

it's five o'clock — jest (godzina) piąta

it's the 28th of April — jest 28 kwietnia

it's 10 km to the village — do wsi jest 10 km

it's too hot/cold — jest za gorąco/zimno

2) (emphatic)

it's only me — to tylko ja

it was Maria who paid the bill — to Maria uregulowała rachunek

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verb

present tense am [ʌm], are [a:], is [ɪz]; past tense was [woz], were [w†:]; present participle 'being; past participle been [bi:n, (·meriцan) bɪn]; subjunctive were [w†:]; short forms I'm [aim] (I am), you're [ju†] (you are), he's [hi:z] (he is), she's [ʃi:z] (she is), it's [ɪ ] (it is), we're [wi†] (we are), they're [Ɵe†] (they are); negative short forms isn't (is not), aren't [a:nt] (are not), wasn't (was not), weren't [w†:nt] (were not)

1) (used with a present participle to form the progressive or continuous tenses: I'm reading; I am being followed; What were you saying?.) być, zostać

2) (used with a present participle to form a type of future tense: I'm going to London.)

3) (used with a past participle to form the passive voice: He was shot.)

4) (used with an infinitive to express several ideas, eg necessity (When am I to leave?), purpose (The letter is to tell us he's coming), a possible future happening (If he were to lose, I'd win) etc.)

5) (used in giving or asking for information about something or someone: I am Mr Smith; Is he alive?; She wants to be an actress; The money will be ours; They are being silly.)

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- being

- the be-all and end-all