The Present Forms of "be"

A1 英検3級 初級

am/is/are + noun, adjective, or preposition phrase

説明

Use "am," "is," and "are" to say who someone is, what something is like, or where someone is.

In "She is my friend," "She" is the subject, "is" is the present form of "be," and "my friend" gives her identity. English needs "be" here, but Japanese often says this without a verb, like 「彼女は私の友達です」 or even 「彼女、私の友達」 in casual speech. Use "am" with "I," "is" with he, she, and it, and "are" with you, we, and they.

Questions and negatives also use "be," as in "Are you ready?" and "He is not at home."

例文

  • I am tired. 私は疲れています。
  • She is my friend. 彼女は私の友達です。
  • They are at the station. 彼らは駅にいます。
  • Are you busy? 忙しいですか。
  • He is not at work today. 彼は今日は仕事中ではありません。
  • We are in the same class. 私たちは同じクラスです。

よくある間違い

Japanese learners often leave out "be" because Japanese can omit it.

Wrong: "She my friend."

Right: "She is my friend."

In English, you need "am," "is," or "are" in these sentences.

練習してみましょう この文法ポイントの穴埋めクイズに挑戦しましょう。