is/wees

To Be: Is and Wees

Level 1

is = am, is, are: ek is, jy is, ons is, hulle is. wees = be: Jy moet stil wees. Wees versigtig!

How It Works

Present: is for everyone
Ek is moeg. Jy is laat. Sy is my suster. Ons is gereed. Hulle is hier. English am, is and are all become is.

Infinitive: wees
Use wees in three places:

  • After a modal verb such as kan, moet, sal, wil, at the end of the clause: Jy moet stil wees. Môre sal dit warm wees. See Modal Verb Word Order.
  • In commands: Wees versigtig! Wees stil! See Commands.
  • After om te: Dit is lekker om hier te wees.

Past and short forms
The past is was for everyone: Ek was moeg. In speech, dit is often becomes dis. See Short Forms: Dis, Hy's, Daar's.

This verb is one of only two whose present form (is) differs from the infinitive (wees). The other is het and hê.

Examples (6)

  1. Ek is moeg, maar hulle is nog wakker.

    I'm tired, but they're still awake.

    Word by Word: I am tired, but they are still awake.

    Is is the same for ek and hulle.

  2. Jy moet stil wees.

    You must be quiet.

    Word by Word: You must quiet be.

    After moet, the infinitive wees goes to the end.

  3. Wees versigtig!

    Be careful!

    Word by Word: Be careful!

    A command starts with wees.

  4. Môre sal dit warm wees.

    It will be warm tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow will it warm be.

  5. Ons wil vroeg daar wees.

    We want to be there early.

    Word by Word: We want early there be.

  6. Dit is lekker om weer hier te wees.

    It's nice to be here again.

    Word by Word: It is nice for again here to be.

    Wees also follows om te.

Common Mistakes

  • Using wees as a present-tense verb.

    Ek wees moeg.
    Ek is moeg.

    In the present, to be is always is. Wees is only the infinitive.

  • Using is after a modal verb.

    Jy moet stil is.
    Jy moet stil wees.

    After moet, kan, sal or wil, the verb goes to the end in its infinitive form, wees.

  • Starting a command with is.

    Is versigtig!
    Wees versigtig!

    Commands use the infinitive wees.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

is/weesLevel 1To Be: Is and Wees

Learn This First

Is is the present tense of wees, and it has the same form for every person.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

wees