Mastering 'Be' (is/are) for He, She, They: A1 English Grammar — A1 English grammar lesson by Langcom

Mastering ‘Be’ (is/are) for He, She, They: A1 English Grammar

Raúl Maguiña

Fundador de Langcom | Examinador de Cambridge y del SIELE

septiembre 6, 2026

A1✏️ Gramática⏱️ 4 minutos de lectura
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To talk about people or things using he, she, o they in positive sentences, we use the verb be. Specifically, we use is for singular subjects like he (one male person) and she (one female person). For plural subjects like they (two or more people or things), we use are. You will often hear and see these forms shortened, which we call contractions. For example, he is se convierte en he’s, she is se convierte en she’s, y they are se convierte en they’re. These forms are essential for describing identity, nationality, or location in basic English.

What is the verb ‘be’?

El verbo be is one of the most important verbs in English. We use it to talk about who or what someone or something is, where they are, or how they feel.

It changes its form depending on the subject. For he, she, y they, we use specific forms.

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How do we use 'is' with 'he' and 'she'?

When you talk about one male person, you use the pronoun he. When you talk about one female person, you use the pronoun she.

  • Para he y she, the form of be es is.
  • We can say He is o She is.
  • In spoken English and informal writing, we often use a shorter form called a contraction: he's y she's.

How do we use 'are' with 'they'?

When you talk about two or more people or things, you use the pronoun they.

  • Para they, the form of be es are.
  • We say They are.
  • The contraction for they are es they're.

Why are contractions important?

Contractions are very common in everyday English. Native speakers use them all the time when they talk.

  • They make your English sound more natural.
  • He is y he's mean the same thing.
  • She is y she's mean the same thing.
  • They are y they're mean the same thing.
Positive Forms of 'Be' with He, She, They
Pronoun Full Form (+) Contracted Form (+)
he he is he's
she she is she's
they they are they're

Ejemplos

  • He is a student.
  • She is from Brazil.
  • They are happy.
  • He's my brother.
  • She's at home.
  • They're good friends.
  • He is tall.
  • She is a doctor.
  • They are in the park.

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Errores habituales de los hispanohablantes

Many Spanish speakers sometimes forget to use the verb be because in Spanish, you can often omit the subject pronoun and the verb 'ser/estar' is implied. However, in English, the verb be is almost always necessary.

  • Incorrecto: He happy.
  • Correcto: He is happy. o He's happy.

Another common mistake is confusing is y are:

  • Incorrecto: They is friends.
  • Correcto: They are friends. o They're friends.

Preguntas más frecuentes

What does 'be' mean when we use 'is' or 'are'?

When we use is o are, the verb be helps us describe someone's identity (He is a teacher.), their nationality (She is Spanish.), or their location (They are here.).

Can I use 'it is' with 'be'?

Yes, you can! Just like he is y she is, we use it is (o it's) for a single thing or animal. For example, It is a book.

Is 'he's' always 'he is'?

For A1 English, yes, you can think of he's as he is. Later, you will learn that he's can also mean he has, but for now, focus on he is.

Why is it important to learn 'be' forms correctly?

Learning the correct forms of be is very important because it is a basic building block for almost all English sentences. Using it correctly helps you make clear and understandable sentences right from the start.

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Sobre el autor: Raúl Maguiña

Raúl Maguiña es el director de la Asociación Educativa Langcom, un centro autorizado de preparación para el examen Cambridge English en tu país. Con más de una década de experiencia en la enseñanza de idiomas y la certificación internacional, ha ayudado a miles de estudiantes, profesores e instituciones educativas de 25 países a conseguir las certificaciones de inglés de Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL y Michigan.

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