Compound Forms:
be | B.Eng. | BE |
| be beside the mark v expr | figurative (not be relevant) | no ser el punto expr |
Better safe than sorry,
Better to be safe than sorry expr | informal (It's wise to take precautions.) | más vale prevenir que curar expr |
| | | mejor prevenir que curar, mejor prevenir que lamentar expr |
| | | hombre prevenido vale por dos expr |
| | I'd take an umbrella if I were you. Better safe than sorry! |
| | Yo que tú me llevaría un paraguas, más vale prevenir que curar. |
bid fair to do [sth],
bid fair to be [sth] v expr | UK, literary (seem likely) | ser muy probable que loc verb |
| be a big noise n | figurative, informal (important person) | sonar fuerte expr |
| | Jack's father is a big noise in the business world. |
be big on [sth],
be big on doing [sth] v expr | informal (be keen on, consider important) | gustar⇒ vtr |
| | | encantar⇒ vtr |
| | My maths teacher is big on learning by rote, so his lessons are pretty dull. |
| be blessed with [sb/sth] v expr | (be lucky to have) | estar bendecido con loc verb |
| | | tener⇒ vtr |
| | Jane and Simon are blessed with three wonderful children. |
| | I am blessed with a good memory. |
| | Jane y Simón están bendecidos con tres hijos maravillosos. |
| be born vi + past p | (come into existence) | nacer⇒ vi |
| | Jane was born in March. |
| | Some people are born deaf. |
| | Jane nació en marzo. |
| be born to [sb] v expr | formal, literary (come from a family) | venir de vi + prep |
| | | ser hijo de, ser hija de loc verb |
| | The lady was born to a mother and father of modest means. |
| | La mujer viene de una madre y un padre de medios modestos. |
| be born yesterday v expr | (be naive or inexperienced) (coloquial) | nacer ayer loc verb |
| Note: Commonly used in the negative and in questions. |
| | You expect me to believe that? Do you think I was born yesterday? |
| | ¿Esperas que me crea eso? ¿Te crees que nací ayer? |
be bound hand and foot,
be tied hand and foot v expr | (have hands and feet tied together) | estar atado de pies y manos expr |
| | The criminal was bound hand and foot so he couldn't escape. |
| | El criminal estaba atado de pies y manos para no poder escapar. |
| be bound hand and foot v expr | figurative (inescapably obligated) (figurado) | estar atado de pies y manos expr |
| | Every child is bound hand and foot by their parents' rules. |
| | Todo niño está atado de pies y manos por las reglas de sus padres. |
| | | no tener escapatoria expr |
| | Los niños no tienen escapatoria a las reglas de sus padres. |
| bride-to-be n | (woman: fiancée) | prometida nf |
| | | futura esposa loc nom f |
| | I fell in love with my beautiful bride-to-be the moment I first saw her smile. |
| | Me enamoré de mi prometida apenas vi su sonrisa. |
| bride-to-be n | (engaged woman) | futura novia loc nom f |
| | The bride-to-be secretly spent half of her work day making wedding plans. |
| | La futura novia se pasó medio día laboral planeando su boda en secreto. |
be burned to a crisp,
also UK: be burnt to a crisp adj | (be incinerated, blackened) | estar achicharrado loc verb |
| | | estar quemado loc verb |
| | | estar abrasado loc verb |
| | I forgot the toast and it was burned to a crisp. |
| | Me olvidé de la tostada y estaba toda achicharrada. |
be burned to a crisp,
also UK: be burnt to a crisp adj | figurative, informal (be badly sunburned) (por el sol) | estar achicharrado loc verb |
| | | estar quemado loc verb |
| | After lying on the beach all day, her face was burnt to a crisp. |
| | Después de estar tumbado en la playa todo el día su cara estaba achicharrada. |
be burned to death,
also UK: be burnt to death v expr | (be killed by fire) | ser quemado vivo loc verb |
| | | morir quemado loc verb |
| | Joan of Arc was burned to death. |
| | Juana de Arco fue quemada viva. |
| be bursting with [sth] v expr | figurative (be full of [sth]) | estar lleno de loc verb |
| be cagey about [sth] v expr | (evade: an issue) | ser evasivo con loc verb |
| | | evitar⇒ vtr |
| | | eludir⇒ vtr |
| | Why are you being cagey about your plans for tonight? |
| be called vi + adj | (be named) | llamarse⇒ v prnl |
| | My brothers are called Paul, David and Brian. |
| | Mis hermanos se llaman Paul, David y Brian. |
| be called for v expr | (necessary or appropriate) | ser necesario loc verb |
| | When the bleeding did not stop, a trip to the hospital was called for. |
| | Como no paraba de sangrar fue necesario ir al hospital. |
| not be called for v expr | (be inappropriate) | ser relevante loc verb |
| | | ser pertinente loc verb |
| | Your comment about your neighbor's wife was not called for. |
| | Tu comentario sobre la esposa del vecino no era relevante. |
| | | ser apropiado loc verb |
| | | ser adecuado loc verb |
| | Tu comentario sobre la esposa del vecino no fue apropiado. |
| be called out v expr | informal (be challenged: for [sth] said, done) (por comentarios, comportamientos...) | ser señalado loc verb |
| | (por falta disciplinaria) | recibir un llamado de atención loc verb |
| | The TV presenter was called out for his sexist remarks. |
| | El presentador de televisión fue señalado por sus comentarios machistas. |
| can't be arsed v expr | vulgar, informal, UK (unwilling to make effort) (coloquial) | no darle a alguien la gana loc verb + prep |
| | | no apetecerle a alguien loc verb + prep |
| can't be arsed to do [sth] v expr | vulgar, informal, UK (unwilling to make effort) (coloquial) | no darle a alguien la gana de hacer algo loc verb + prep |
| | | no apetecerle a alguien hacer algo loc verb + prep |
| | I've lost the remote control and I can't be arsed to get up and change the channel. |
| | Perdí el control remoto, pero no me da la gana de pararme y cambiar de canal. |
| can't be bothered adj | informal (unwilling to make effort) | no tomarse la molestia de, no molestarse en loc verb + prep |
| | | darle pereza a loc verb + prep |
| | (ES: coloquial) | darle palo a loc verb + prep |
| | I can't be bothered with proofreading, so I just post my e-mails as they are, misspellings and all. |
| | No me tomo la molestia de corregir los mensajes: los mando tal cual, con errores de ortografía y todo. |
| can't be bothered to do [sth] adj | informal (unwilling to make effort) | dar pereza loc verb |
| | (AR, coloquial) | dar paja loc verb |
| | Nieve wore her work clothes to the restaurant because she couldn't be bothered to change. |
can't be helped,
cannot be helped v expr | informal (unavoidable) | no quedar más remedio loc verb |
| | | no poderse hacer nada loc verb |
| | | no haber nada que hacer loc verb |
| | It's a pity that Deborah can't come with us, but it can't be helped. |
| | Es una lástima que Deborah no pueda venir, pero no queda más remedio. |
| | Es una lástima que Deborah no pueda venir, pero no se puede hacer nada. |
| can't be in all places at one time v expr | US, informal (have too many obligations) (coloquial) | no poder estar en todo loc verb |
| | | no poder hacer mil cosas a la vez loc verb |
| | | no poder estar en la procesión y repicando expr |
| | I can't be in all places at one time so someone will have to help me. |
| | No puedo estar en todo así que alguien va a tener que ayudarme. |
| | | no poder hacerlo todo uno solo loc verb |
| | | ser imposible estar en dos sitios a la vez loc verb |
| | No puedo hacerlo todo yo solo así que alguien va a tener que ayudarme. |
| be caught up in [sth] v expr | (be engrossed in [sth]) | estar absorto en loc verb |
| | | estar perdido en loc verb |
| | | estar metido en loc verb |
| | My mother was caught up in her book and didn't notice what we were doing. |
| | Mi madre estaba absorta en su libro y no se dio cuenta de lo que estábamos haciendo. |
| be caught up in [sth] v expr | (find oneself involved in [sth]) | meterse⇒ v prnl |
| | | verse envuelto en loc verb |
| | Unwittingly, he had got caught up in a corruption scandal inside the company he was working for. |
| | Sin saberlo, se había metido en un escándalo de corrupción dentro de la compañía donde trabajaba. |
| cease to be v expr | (die, end) | dejar de existir loc verb |
| | Sam's search for spiritual truth began because he couldn't bear the thought that when he died he would simply cease to be. |
| | La búsqueda de Sam por la verdad espiritual empezó porque no podía creer que cuando uno muere simplemente deja de existir. |
| | | dejar de ser loc verb |
| | La búsqueda de Sam por la verdad espiritual empezó porque no podía creer que cuando uno muere simplemente deja de ser. |
| cease to be [sth] v expr | (stop being) | cesar⇒ vi |
| | I'm sorry to tell you that your conversation has ceased to be of interest to me. |
| | Siento decirte que tu conversación ha cesado de interesarme. |
| | | no ser más, ya no ser loc verb |
| | Siento decirte que tu conversación ya no es interesante para mí. |
be champing at the bit to do [sth],
be chafing at the bit to do [sth],
also US: chomp v expr | figurative (person: be impatient) | no ver la hora de hacer algo loc verb + prep |
| | | estar ansioso por hacer algo v cop + loc adj |
| | (figurado, coloquial) | comerse las uñas por hacer algo loc verb + prep |
| | I'm champing at the bit to go on my vacation. |
| | No veo la hora de irme de vacaciones. |
be characterized by [sth],
also UK: be characterised by [sth] v expr | (have as an identifying trait) | caracterizarse por v prnl + prep |
| | Summers here are characterized by hot days and cool nights. |
| | Los veranos aquí se caracterizan por días calurosos y noches frescas. |
be charged with [sth],
be charged with doing [sth] v expr | (with crime) | ser acusado de loc verb |
| | Tom is charged with robbery. |
| | Tom es acusado de robo. |
| be charged for [sth] adj | (have to pay money for [sth]) | cobrar⇒ vtr |
| | She was charged for a night's stay when she had, in fact, only had dinner at the hotel. |
| | Le cobraron una noche cuando, en realidad, sólo había cenado en el hotel. |
be checkered with [sth] (US),
be chequered with [sth] (UK) v expr | figurative (have a feature intermittently) (figurado) | estar cuadriculado de loc verb |
| | | estar lleno de loc verb |
| | The beach was checkered with umbrellas. |
| be chuffed vi + adj | UK, informal (be pleased) | estar feliz loc verb |
| | | estar contento loc verb |
| | I'm chuffed that you made it to the party. |
| be chuffed with [sth] v expr | UK, informal (be pleased with) | estar feliz con loc verb |
| | | estar contento con loc verb |
| | I'm chuffed with your decision to come! |
| claim to be [sth] v expr | (say that you are) | decir ser loc verb |
| | | asegurar ser loc verb |
| | | afirmar ser loc verb |
| | You claim to be a musician, but is this the truth? The young man claimed to be her long-lost son. |
| | Dices ser músico, pero ¿es verdad? El hombre joven decía ser su hijo perdido hace tiempo. |
be cockeyed,
be cock-eyed vi + adj | (have a squint) | ser bizco v cop + adj |
| | | bizquear⇒ vi |
| | (formal) | ser estrábico v cop + adj |
| be cold vi + adj | (weather: uncomfortably low temperature) | hacer frío loc verb |
| | Put your coat on; it is cold outside today. |
| | Ponte un abrigo, hace frío hoy. |
| be cold vi + adj | (feel lack of heat) | tener frío loc verb |
| | I'm cold; please would you close the window? |
| | Tengo frío; ¿podrías cerrar la ventana? |
| come to be v expr | (come into existence) | llegar a ser loc verb |
| | The scientists discussed theories of how the solar system came to be. |
| come to be v expr | (arise, happen) (informal) | terminar⇒ vi |
| | | llegar a vi + prep |
| | How did it come to be that British and American English spell 'colour' differently? |
| | ¿Cómo terminaron las ortografías de Inglaterra y Estados Unidos escribiendo "color" de forma distinta? |
come within an inch of doing [sth],
be within an inch of doing [sth] v expr | figurative (almost do) | estar a punto de expr |
| | | estar a un pelo de expr |
| be compelled to do [sth] v expr | (be forced, obliged) | estar obligado v cop + participio |
| be comprised of [sth/sb] v expr | (contain, be made up of) | estar compuesto de loc verb |
be confident,
feel confident vi + adj | (have self-confidence) | sentirse seguro v prnl + adj |
| | | sentir confianza loc verb |
| | Sue felt confident when she walked into the interview. |
| | Sue se sentía segura cuando entró a la entrevista. |
| be confronted with [sth] adj | (have to face [sth]) | verse cara a cara con loc verb |
| | She broke into tears when she was confronted with her husband's infidelity. |
| be connected with [sb] adj + prep | (have an association with [sb]) | tener relación con loc verb |
| | | estar relacionado con loc verb |
| | He said that he was not connected with Eva anymore, but I saw a text message from her on his phone. |
| | Digo que ya no tenía relación con Eva, pero vi un mensaje de ella en su teléfono. |
| be connected with [sth] adj + prep | (have to do with [sth]) | estar conectado con loc verb |
| | | estar relacionado con loc verb |
| | The police say this missing-person case seems to be connected with a house fire thirty miles away. |
| | La policía dice que el caso de la persona desaparecida parece estar conectado con un incendio a unos treinta millas. |
| be conscious that v expr | (with clause: aware that) | ser consciente de que loc verb |
| | | estar al tanto de que loc verb |
| | | saber que vtr + conj |
| | When I took the exam, I was conscious that my parents were expecting a lot of me. |
| | Cuando tomé el examen, era consciente de que mis padres esperaban mucho de mí. |
| be conscious of [sth/sb] v expr | (aware) | ser consciente de v cop + loc adj |
| | He was conscious of the people around him, but did not acknowledge them. |
| | Era consciente de las personas que lo rodeaban, pero no las saludó. |
| be conscious of doing [sth] v expr | (aware of your actions) | ser consciente de v cop + loc adj |
| | | estar al tanto de loc verb |
| | We make judgements about people all the time without being conscious of doing so. |
| | Nos formamos juicios sobre la gente todo el tiempo sin ser conscientes de hacerlo. |
| be conscious of [sth/sb] v expr | (self-conscious about [sth]) | ser consciente de v cop + loc adj |
| | He was conscious of his big feet, so he avoided dancing. |
| | Era consciente de sus enormes pies, y por eso evitaba bailar. |
| be conscious of doing [sth] v expr | (mindful of your actions) | estar atento a v cop + loc adj |
| | | prestar atención a, poner atención a loc verb + prep |
| | Be conscious of how you step, because the rocks are slippery. |
| | Debes estar atento a dónde pisas, estas piedras son resbaladizas. |
| consider [sb/sth] to be [sth] v expr | (with a noun: judge as [sth]) | considerar⇒ vtr |
| | I consider my actions that day to be a mistake. |
| | Many consider Mozart's "Requiem" to be his masterpiece. |
| | Considero que mis acciones de aquel día fueron un error. |
| consider [sb/sth] to be [sth] v expr | (with an adjective: judge) | considerar⇒ vtr |
| | Many people today consider corporal punishment to be wrong. |
| | Mucha gente considera que el castigo corporal está mal. |
| continue to be v expr | (go on living, keep existing) | seguir siendo loc verb |
| | Even after we're dead, our love will continue to be. |
| | Aun después de muertos, nuestro amor seguirá existiendo. |
| be controlled by [sb] adj | (person: be manipulated by [sb]) | controlado por adj + prep |
| | | manejado por adj + prep |
| | Stacy is controlled by her husband; she will do anything he wants her to do. |
| | Stacy está controlada por su esposo: hará todo lo que él quiera. |
| | Stacy está manejada por su esposo: hará todo lo que él quiera. |
| be conversant with [sth] v expr | (be knowledgeable about [sth]) | estar familiarizado con algo v cop + loc adj |
| | | ser conocedor de algo v cop + loc adj |
| | (formal) | ser versado en algo v cop + loc adj |
| | To do this job, it helps to be conversant with Python. |
| | Para hacer este trabajo, es bueno que estés familiarizado con Python. |
| Could be interj | informal (It's possible) | podría ser loc interj |
| | | puede ser loc interj |
| | | es posible loc interj |
| | "Do you think the neighbor is the murderer?" "Could be." |
| | ¿Crees que el vecino es el asesino? Podría ser. |
be all it's cracked up to be,
be what it's cracked up to be v expr | (be as good as claimed) | no ser para tanto loc verb |
| Note: Often used in the negative. |
| | That film's not all it's cracked up to be; I didn't enjoy it at all! |
| | La película no es para tanto, no la disfruté. |
| be crawling with [sth/sb] v expr | figurative (be very crowded with) | estar repleto de v cop + loc adj |
| | | estar plagado de v cop + loc adj |
| | In summer, the city centre is crawling with tourists. |
| | En verano, el centro de la ciudad está repleto de turistas. |
| be your cup of tea v expr | figurative, informal (area of interest or liking) (informal) | ser la onda de loc verb |
| | (AR, coloquial) | ser el mambo de loc verb |
| | (ES, coloquial) | ser el rollo de loc verb |
| | (formal) | ser del interés de loc verb |
| | This is the sort of book that is exactly my cup of tea. |
| | Particle physics is not my cup of tea. |
| | Este tipo de libros es exactamente mi onda. // La física de partículas no es mi onda. |
| be cut out for [sth] v expr | informal, figurative (person: able, suited) | estar hecho para loc verb |
| | | servir para loc verb |
| | | tener vocación para, tener talento para loc verb |
| | (coloquial) | tener madera de loc verb |
| | When he got caught the second time, he decided he wasn't cut out for a life of crime. |
| | Cuando lo atraparon por segunda vez, decidió que no estaba hecho para una vida de delincuente. |
| be cut out for doing [sth] v expr | informal, figurative (person: able, suited) | estar hecho para loc verb |
| | | haber nacido para loc verb |
| | Some people aren't cut out for dealing with the public. |
| | Algunas personas no están hechas para tratar con el público. |
| be cut out to do [sth] expr | informal, figurative (person: suited) | estar hecho para loc verb |
| | | servir para loc verb |
| | | tener madera de loc verb |
| | She was never cut out to be a doctor. |
| | Nunca estuvo hecha para ser médica. |
| be decked out in [sth] v expr | (decorated with [sth]) | estar adornado con loc verb |
| | | estar engalanado con loc verb |
| be decked out in [sth] v expr | (wearing: fancy clothes) (coloquial) | ir de punta en blanco loc verb |
| | | ir engalanado loc verb |
| | | ir ataviado loc verb |
| | Audrey was decked out in her favourite dress and a pair of knee-length boots. |
| | Audrey iba de punta en blanco con su vestido favorita y una botas altas. |
| declare yourself to be [sth] v expr | (announce) | declararse⇒ v prnl |
| | I hereby declare myself to be a candidate in the forthcoming elections. |
| | Me declaro como candidato en las próximas elecciones. |
| declare yourself to be [sb] v expr | (claim identity) | autoproclamarse⇒ v prnl |
| | | autodeclararse⇒ v prnl |
| | He declared himself to be the long-lost son of the deceased, returned to claim his inheritance. |
| | Se autoproclamó como el hijo perdido del fallecido para reclamar la herencia. |
| | | declararse⇒ v prnl |
| | | proclamarse⇒ v prnl |
| | Se declaró como el hijo perdido de la heredera para reclamar la herencia. |
| | Se proclamó como el hijo perdida de la heredera para reclamar la herencia. |
| declare yourself to be [sth] v expr | (state yourself to be for, against [sth]) | declarar estar loc verb |
| | | declarar ser loc verb |
| | The minister declared himself to be against the introduction of the euro to Britain. |
| | El ministro declaró estar en contra de la introducción del euro en Gran Bretaña. |
| deem [sb/sth] to be [sth] v expr | formal (view as being) | considerar como vtr + prep |
| | | ver como vtr + prep |
| | The panel deemed Patricia to be suitable for the job and hired her. |
| | El panel consideró como apta a Patricia y la contrató. |
| be deep in debt v expr | (in extreme financial debt) (coloquial) | endeudado hasta el cuello, endeudado hasta la coronilla expr |
| | | hasta el cuello de deudas, al horno de deudas expr |
| Note: Esta locución no funciona con adverbios como "tan". |
| | She was so deep in debt that the only solution appeared to be bankruptcy. |
| | Estaba endeudada hasta el cuello y la única solución parecía ser la bancarrota. |
| | (coloquial, figurado) | ahogado en deudas loc adj |
| | | asfixiado por las deudas loc adj |
| | (MX, coloquial) | endrogado adj |
| | Estaba tan ahogada en deudas que la única solución parecía ser la bancarrota. |
| be in deep weeds v expr | figurative (be in trouble) (coloquial, figurado) | estar hasta el cuello expr |
| | | estar en problemas loc verb |
| | | estar en apuros loc verb |
be deep in the weeds,
be deep into the weeds v expr | figurative (deal with [sth] in detail) | ser meticuloso loc verb |
| | | tratar en detalle loc verb |
| be directed by [sb] v expr | (movie: have as director) (cine) | ser dirigido por loc verb |
| | '2001, A Space Odyssey' was directed by Stanley Kubrick. |
| | La película "2001, Odisea en el Espacio" fue dirigida por Stanley Kubrik. |
| be directed by [sb] v expr | (project: be coordinated by) | ser dirigido por loc verb |
| | | estar bajo la dirección de loc verb |
| | This book series was directed by the chair of the department. |
| | Esta serie de libros fue dirigida por el presidente del departamento. |
| be directed by [sb] v expr | (be controlled, ordered by) | estar dirigido por loc verb |
| | | estar orquestado por loc verb |
| | The bombing was directed by the top general in charge. |
| | El bombardeo fue dirigido por el general al mando. |
| be directed to do [sth] v expr | (be instructed) | indicar⇒ vtr |
| | I was directed to fill out the form. |
| | Me indicaron que llenara este formulario. |
| be disappointed in [sb] adj | (dissatisfied with [sb]) | decepcionar⇒ vtr |
| | I was disappointed in her, she had promised to help us, but she did nothing. |
| | Me decepcionó, nos había prometido ayudar pero no hizo nada. |
| be disappointed with [sth] adj | (dissatisfied with [sth]) | decepcionar⇒ vtr |
| | I was disappointed with his performance. |
| | Me decepcionó su actuación. |
| be disinclined to do [sth] v expr | (be unwilling, reluctant) | inclinarse a no loc verb |
| | | tender a no loc verb |
| | Given how many times he has lied in the past, I am disinclined to believe his excuses. |
| | Dada la cantidad de veces que ha mentido en el pasado, me inclino a no creer en sus excusas. |
| | Dada la cantidad de veces que ha mentido en el pasado, tiendo a no creer en sus excusas. |
| be dismissive of [sth/sb] v expr | (treat with disdain) | menospreciar a vtr + prep |
| | | mostrarse contrario a loc verb + prep |
| | | mostrar desdeño ante loc verb + prep |
| | The professor is often dismissive of first year students. |
| | You wouldn't be so dismissive of the education tax if you had children in school. |
| | El profesor a menudo menosprecia a las estudiantes de primer año. |
| be divergent from [sth] v expr | (deviate from) | ser divergente a loc verb |
| | | ser diferente a loc verb |
| | The southern dialect is remarkably divergent from the standard form of the language. |
| be doing well v expr | (thrive) | estar bien loc verb |
| | | ir bien loc verb |
| | (coloquial) | andar bien loc verb |
| | (ante problema) | arreglárselas bien loc verb |
| | Sarah and Jim are pleased to announce the arrival of their daughter Grace. Both mother and baby are doing well. |
| | Sarah y Jim anunciaron felizmente la llegada de su hija Grace. Tanto la madre como la hija están bien. |
| be doing well v expr | (recover) | estar recuperándose loc verb |
| | | estar mejorando loc verb |
| | A month after her car accident, Mary is doing well. |
| | Un mes después del accidente de auto, Mary está recuperándose. |
| be domiciled vi | (live, reside) (formal) | tener domicilio en loc verb + prep |
| | | residir en vi + prep |
| | | vivir en vi + prep |
| | The suspect is domiciled in Germany. |
| | El sospechoso tiene domicilio en Alemania. |
| be done vi + adj | (have been carried out) | estar terminado loc verb |
| | Once your chores are done you can play the Playstation. |
| | Una vez que tus tareas estén terminadas, podés jugar con la Playstation. |
| be done vi + adj | informal (have finished doing [sth]) | terminar⇒ vi |
| | Are you done yet? |
| | ¿Terminaste ya? |
| be done with [sth] v expr | informal (finished with [sth]) | terminar con, acabar con vi + prep |
| | As soon as I'm done with my current project, I'll begin the next one. |
| | Tan pronto como termine con este proyecto empezaré con el nuevo. |