être
/ɛtʁ/
To say to be in French, use être. It is one of the most common verbs in the language.
être is used to describe people and things, to say where they are and to form many fixed expressions such as Être de retour, to be back.
Which one should you use?
Se trouver is used to state where someone or something is located. Exister means to exist and is common in formal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
être is irregular. In the present tense it goes suis, es, est, sommes, êtes, sont.
How do you pronounce it?
être is pronounced /ɛtʁ/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use être for age. French uses avoir, the verb to have, so you say you have a number of years.
Did you know?
- The French verb être is a linguistic hybrid, combining the roots of two different Latin verbs: 'esse' to mean 'to be' and 'stare' to mean 'to stand'.
- While French uses one word for 'to be', its close relative Spanish uses two different verbs, ser and estar, to distinguish between permanent and temporary states.
- The French word être can function as a noun meaning 'a being' or 'a creature', as in un être humain for 'a human being'.
Examples in context
- Je dois y être.I have to be there.y être means to be there.Tatoeba #7774674 by Aiji, translation #4135176 by CK
- Ça va être dur.It's going to be tough.va être means is going to be.Tatoeba #12002172 by zogwarg, translation #6532075 by CK
- Ça va être long.This is going to be long.long here means it will take a long time.Tatoeba #6167047 by Aiji, translation #2892219 by CK
- Je suis fatigué(e).I am tired.
- Il est médecin.He is a doctor.
- Elle est intelligente.She is intelligent.
- Le musée se trouve au centre-ville.The museum is located downtown.
- Il est stylé, ce mec !He's stylish, this guy!
- Elle est géniale !She's awesome!
- Je suis en train de travailler.I am in the process of working.
- Ils sont en train de manger.They are in the process of eating.
- Je vais devenir avocat.I am going to become a lawyer.
- Elles sont fatiguées.They (feminine) are tired.
- J'ai étéI have been
- T'es prêt ?Are you ready?
- Mon collègue est très compétent.My colleague is very competent.
- Mon pote est super cool.My buddy is super cool.
- Le film est génial !The movie is awesome!
- 2650 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are discussing their upcoming travel plans.
- LéaEst-ce que tu vas être prêt demain ?Are you going to be ready tomorrow?
- GabrielOui, je vais être prêt à l'heure.Yes, I am going to be ready on time.
- LéaC'est super, on doit être en route à midi.That's great, we must be on the road by noon.
- GabrielD'accord, je serai là.Okay, I will be there.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry être, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries être, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
