Collocations for "be"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "be" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
be
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.v
- am [angry, sad, happy, tired, excited]
- am [late, on time]
- am (very) [pleased, proud, impressed, interested]
- am at [home, school, work, the store]
- am going [home, to school]
- am [reading, thinking, studying]
- is [closed, open, closing, opening]
- is [a member, the president, an organizer]
- is (not) [responsible, trustworthy, reliable]
- is [here, at the school, in the park]
- is [15 years old]
- am a [firefighter, lawyer, doctor]
- [I am, I'm] (not) sorry
- is [blue, soft, fragile]
- am ready to [go, be, have]
- am [right, wrong, unconvinced, sure]
- is [hot, cold]
- is [done, finished, over]
- it is [raining, snowing, sunny, cloudy]
- is (not) [available, eligible]
- is [important, valuable, expensive]
- was [built, founded, constructed, born, created] in [1950]
- is [rich, poor, old]
- is [dreaming, sleeping, awake]
- be [nice, kind, good, responsible, realistic]
- don't be [silly, ridiculous, mean, so hard on yourself]
'be' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
A
- AIDS
- American
- Asian
- Australia
- Belgium
- December
- Earth
- February
- God
- Halloween
- I
- ID
- Italy
- July
- June
- Lebanon
- Muslim
- Netherlands
- November
- OK
- October
- Paris
- September
- Thanksgiving
- Thursday
- Tuesday
- a world of sth
- able
- about
- abroad
- abrupt
- absence
- abstract
- abuse
- academic
- acceptable
- acceptance
- accepted
- access
- accommodate
- accommodation
- accomplished
- accord
- accordance
- accordingly
- account
- accountability
- accountable
- accountant