{"id":272756,"date":"2026-07-16T03:03:56","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T08:03:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/?p=272756"},"modified":"2026-07-16T03:03:56","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T08:03:56","slug":"verb-be-positive-negative-a1-a1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langcom.edu.pe\/it\/blog\/verb-be-positive-negative-a1-a1\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn &#8216;Be&#8217; Verb: Positive &#038; Negative Forms (A1 English Grammar)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"lc-answer\"><strong>The verb <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> is one of the most important verbs in English. It helps us talk about who we are, where we are, and what things are like.<\/strong> In English, <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> means both &#8216;ser&#8217; and &#8216;estar&#8217; from Spanish. It changes its form depending on the subject: <span data-no-translation>am<\/span> for <span data-no-translation>I<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>is<\/span> for <span data-no-translation>he\/she\/it<\/span>, e <span data-no-translation>are<\/span> for <span data-no-translation>you\/we\/they<\/span>. To make it negative, we simply add <span data-no-translation>not<\/span> after the verb. For example, <span data-no-translation>I am not happy<\/span>. We often use shorter forms, called contractions, especially when speaking. For instance, <span data-no-translation>I&#8217;m<\/span> instead of <span data-no-translation>I am<\/span>, e <span data-no-translation>isn&#8217;t<\/span> instead of <span data-no-translation>is not<\/span>. Understanding these basic forms is key to building simple English sentences.<\/div>\n<h2>What is the verb &#8220;be&#8221; in English?<\/h2>\n<p>The verb <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> is fundamental in English. It is like &#8216;ser&#8217; and &#8216;estar&#8217; in Spanish, meaning it covers both concepts.<\/p>\n<p>We use <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> to talk about many things:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Identity:<\/strong> Who someone is or what something is.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Posizione:<\/strong> Where someone or something is.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Description:<\/strong> What someone or something is like (their qualities or feelings).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"lc-cta lc-cta-blended\" style=\"border-radius:14px;padding:30px;margin:30px 0;text-align:center;color:#fff;background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0E63C4,#0A2540);\"><h3 style=\"color:#fff;font-size:22px;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 8px;\">\ud83c\udf93 Impara l'inglese con il metodo misto<\/h3><p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;opacity:.95;\">Piccoli gruppi \u00b7 Tutor IA disponibile 24 ore su 24, 7 giorni su 7 \u00b7 Preparazione agli esami di Cambridge<\/p><p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;font-size:18px;\">Piani da <strong><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\" translate=\"no\">$<\/span>39<\/bdi><\/span><\/strong> <s style=\"opacity:.6;\"><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\" translate=\"no\">$<\/span>79<\/bdi><\/span><\/s> al mese<\/p><a href=\"\/it\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;background:#fff;color:#0E63C4;\">Prenota la tua lezione<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>How do we use &#8220;be&#8221; in positive sentences?<\/h2>\n<p>The verb <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> changes its form depending on the subject (the person or thing doing the action).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For <span data-no-translation>I<\/span>, we use <span data-no-translation>am<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li>For <span data-no-translation>he<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>she<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>it<\/span> (singular subjects), we use <span data-no-translation>is<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li>For <span data-no-translation>you<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>we<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>they<\/span> (plural subjects), we use <span data-no-translation>are<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We often use contractions (shorter forms) in spoken English and informal writing. For example, <span data-no-translation>I am<\/span> becomes <span data-no-translation>I&#8217;m<\/span>.<\/p>\n<h2>How do we make &#8220;be&#8221; negative?<\/h2>\n<p>To make a sentence with the verb <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> negative, we simply add the word <span data-no-translation>not<\/span> after <span data-no-translation>am<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>is<\/span>, oppure <span data-no-translation>are<\/span>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>I am not<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>He is not<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>They are not<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We also have negative contractions. For example, <span data-no-translation>is not<\/span> becomes <span data-no-translation>isn&#8217;t<\/span>. For <span data-no-translation>I am not<\/span>, the contraction is usually <span data-no-translation>I&#8217;m not<\/span>.<\/p>\n<h2>When do we use contractions with &#8220;be&#8221;?<\/h2>\n<p>Contractions are very common in everyday English. You will hear them all the time when people speak.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Speaking:<\/strong> Always use contractions when you speak. It sounds more natural.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Informal Writing:<\/strong> Use contractions in emails to friends, text messages, or informal notes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Formal Writing:<\/strong> In formal writing, like academic essays or official reports, it is better to use the full forms (<span data-no-translation>I am<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>she is not<\/span>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<caption>Verb &#x27;Be&#x27; Forms: Positive and Negative<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Subject<\/th>\n<th>Positive Form<\/th>\n<th>Negative Form<\/th>\n<th>Positive Contraction<\/th>\n<th>Negative Contraction<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>I<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>am<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>am not<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>I&#8217;m<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>I&#8217;m not<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>You<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>are<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>are not<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>You&#8217;re<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>You aren&#8217;t<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>He<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>is<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>is not<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>He&#8217;s<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>He isn&#8217;t<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>She<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>is<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>is not<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>She&#8217;s<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>She isn&#8217;t<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>is<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>is not<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It&#8217;s<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>It isn&#8217;t<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>We<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>are<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>are not<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>We&#8217;re<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>We aren&#8217;t<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>They<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>are<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>are not<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>They&#8217;re<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>They aren&#8217;t<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Esempi<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>I am a student.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>She is from Spain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>They are happy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>It is cold today.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>I&#8217;m not tired.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>He isn&#8217;t here.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>We aren&#8217;t doctors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>You&#8217;re a good friend.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>They&#8217;re not at home.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>It&#8217;s not a big problem.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Esercitazione<\/h2>\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-262\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"262\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"B05 L1 GRAMMAR be: positive and negative\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"lc-cta lc-cta-whatsapp\" style=\"border-radius:14px;padding:30px;margin:30px 0;text-align:center;color:#fff;background:linear-gradient(135deg,#3DB16A,#1f8a4c);\"><h3 style=\"color:#fff;font-size:22px;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 8px;\">\ud83d\udcac Hai bisogno di una consulenza personalizzata?<\/h3><p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;opacity:.95;\">In qualit\u00e0 di Centro autorizzato di preparazione agli esami Cambridge, possiamo aiutarti a scegliere il corso e la certificazione pi\u00f9 adatti alle tue esigenze. Contatta oggi stesso i nostri consulenti.<\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/wa.me\/51980473286\" style=\"display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;background:#fff;color:#1f8a4c;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chatta con un consulente su WhatsApp<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Errori comuni per chi parla spagnolo<\/h2>\n<p>Spanish speakers sometimes forget to use the verb <span data-no-translation>be<\/span>. In Spanish, you might say &#8216;Yo feliz&#8217; but in English, you must say <span data-no-translation>I am happy<\/span>. Always remember to include <span data-no-translation>am<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>is<\/span>, oppure <span data-no-translation>are<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Another common mistake is confusing <span data-no-translation>ser<\/span> e <span data-no-translation>estar<\/span>. In English, <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> covers both. For example, <span data-no-translation>I am a student<\/span> (ser) and <span data-no-translation>I am in the classroom<\/span> (estar) both use <span data-no-translation>am<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Also, make sure the verb matches the subject. It is <span data-no-translation>She is<\/span>, not <span data-no-translation>She are<\/span>. Always check the subject to choose the correct form of <span data-no-translation>be<\/span>.<\/p>\n<h2>Domande frequenti<\/h2>\n<h3>What does the verb &#8220;be&#8221; mean in English?<\/h3>\n<p>The verb <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> in English means both &#8216;ser&#8217; and &#8216;estar&#8217; from Spanish. It is used to talk about identity, location, and descriptions.<\/p>\n<h3>Why are there three forms: am, is, and are?<\/h3>\n<p>The verb <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> changes its form to agree with the subject of the sentence. <span data-no-translation>Am<\/span> is for <span data-no-translation>I<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>is<\/span> is for singular subjects (<span data-no-translation>he, she, it<\/span>), and <span data-no-translation>are<\/span> is for plural subjects (<span data-no-translation>you, we, they<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h3>Can I always use contractions with the verb &#8220;be&#8221;?<\/h3>\n<p>You can almost always use contractions (<span data-no-translation>I&#8217;m, isn&#8217;t, aren&#8217;t<\/span>) in spoken English and informal writing. For formal writing, it is better to use the full forms (<span data-no-translation>I am, is not, are not<\/span>).<\/p>\n<h3>Is &#8216;be&#8217; an irregular verb?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> is an irregular verb. Its present tense forms (<span data-no-translation>am, is, are<\/span>) do not follow a regular pattern, unlike most other verbs.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The verb be is one of the most important verbs in English. It helps us talk about who we are, where we are, and what things are like. In English, be means both &#8216;ser&#8217; and &#8216;estar&#8217; from Spanish. It changes its form depending on the subject: am for I, is for he\/she\/it, and are for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":192,"featured_media":272850,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"bwfblock_default_font":"","langcom_teaches":"verb be: positive and negative","langcom_cefr":"A1","langcom_type":"grammar","langcom_faq":"[{\"q\": \"What does the verb \\\"be\\\" mean in English?\", \"a\": \"The verb <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> in English means both 'ser' and 'estar' from Spanish. It is used to talk about identity, location, and descriptions.\"}, {\"q\": \"Why are there three forms: am, is, and are?\", \"a\": \"The verb <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> changes its form to agree with the subject of the sentence. <span data-no-translation>Am<\/span> is for <span data-no-translation>I<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>is<\/span> is for singular subjects (<span data-no-translation>he, she, it<\/span>), and <span data-no-translation>are<\/span> is for plural subjects (<span data-no-translation>you, we, they<\/span>).\"}, {\"q\": \"Can I always use contractions with the verb \\\"be\\\"?\", \"a\": \"You can almost always use contractions (<span data-no-translation>I'm, isn't, aren't<\/span>) in spoken English and informal writing. For formal writing, it is better to use the full forms (<span data-no-translation>I am, is not, are not<\/span>).\"}, {\"q\": \"Is 'be' an irregular verb?\", \"a\": \"Yes, <span data-no-translation>be<\/span> is an irregular verb. Its present tense forms (<span data-no-translation>am, is, are<\/span>) do not follow a regular pattern, unlike most other verbs.\"}]","rank_math_title":"English A1: Verb 'Be' (Positive & Negative Forms)","rank_math_description":"Master the verb 'be' in English! Learn positive and negative forms for A1 learners. Understand 'am', 'is', 'are' and their contractions. Start speaking confidently.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"verb be positive negative","rank_math_canonical_url":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[604],"tags":[752,651],"formats":[],"class_list":["post-272756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a1-beginner-english","tag-be-positive-and-negative","tag-grammar"],"dsm_author":{"name":"Ra\u00fal","avatar_url":"https:\/\/cdn.langcom.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/05230819\/1de86ea706740d324aaef3dd8bf0843b.png","archive_link":"https:\/\/langcom.edu.pe\/it\/author\/raulmaguinahamann\/","biodata":""},"dsm_categories":[{"term_name":"A1 Beginner 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