be

être

auxiliary verb

1. (with past participle) (forming passives)

a. être

copular verb

2. (general)

a. être

I'm English.Je suis anglais.

I'm tired.Je suis fatigué.

3. (when speaking of health)

a. aller

How are you?Comment allez-vous ?

He's fine now.Il va bien maintenant.

4. (when speaking of age)

a. avoir

How old are you?Quel âge as-tu ?

I'm fourteen.J'ai quatorze ans.

5. (cost)

a. coûter

How much was the meal?Combien a coûté le repas ?

That'll be £5, please.Ça fera 5 livres, s'il vous plaît.

intransitive verb

6. (exist, occur)

a. être

b. exister

7. (referring to place)

a. être

b. se trouver

8. (referring to movement)

a. aller

Where have you been?Où êtes-vous allé ?

Have you been to Greece before?Est-ce que tu es déjà allé en Grèce ?

impersonal verb

9. (referring to time, distance)

a. être

10. (referring to the weather)

a. faire

It's too hot.Il fait trop chaud.

Collins French Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2023

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