What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to choose between am, is, and are correctly and use them to describe yourself and others.
When do I use it?
Use the verb "to be" to introduce yourself, describe people and places, and talk about ages, professions, and feelings. It's the most useful verb in English: "I am 30," "She is a nurse," "We are happy."
How do I form it?
| I | am |
|---|---|
| You | are |
| He/She/It | is |
| We | are |
| They | are |
Only 'I' uses 'am'. 'Is' belongs to he, she, and it. 'Are' works with you, we, and they.
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
English uses "to be" where Spanish uses "tener" for age and feelings: "Tengo 25 años" is "I am 25 (years old)", and "Tengo hambre" is "I am hungry" — never "I have 25 years" or "I have hungry". Also, "to be" covers both ser and estar, so nothing changes for temporary states: "Estoy cansado" and "Soy profesor" both use "to be".
For age, hunger, sleep, and fear, English picks "to be", not "to have". Swap "tener" for "to be" in those cases.
Practice
Multiple Choice
A1Which form is correct: '___ you from Spain?'
Fill in the Blank
A1My parents from Argentina.
Hint: 'My parents' = they → 'are'.
Find the Error
A1Sentence Transformation
A1Task: Rewrite with the verb 'to be' in the negative
Hint: Add 'not' after 'is'.
Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: A1