бях/беше

Past Tense of Съм

Level 2Sounds Like bâh/beše

The past of съм: бях, беше, беше, бяхме, бяхте, бяха. Вчера бях болен. (Yesterday I was ill.)

How It Works

The forms

  • аз бях (I was)
  • ти беше or бе (you were)
  • той, тя, то беше or бе (he, she, it was)
  • ние бяхме (we were)
  • вие бяхте (you were)
  • те бяха (they were)

Беше is the everyday form for ти and for той/тя/то; бе is shorter and a little more bookish. Notice the switch from я to е: бях but беше.

The subject pronoun is usually left out, because the form already shows the person: Бяхме на море. (We were at the seaside.) See Leaving Out Subject Pronouns.

Negatives and questions

Put не before the verb: Не бях вкъщи. (I was not at home.) For a question, add ли: Беше ли на работа? (Were you at work?) See Negating Съм.

Other uses

These same forms help build other tenses, such as the pluperfect бях чел (I had read). See The Pluperfect. For "there was", use имаше, not беше. See Past and Future of Има.

Examples (6)

  1. Вчера бях болен.

    Yesterday I was ill.

  2. Къде беше снощи?

    Where were you last night?

  3. Филмът беше много интересен.

    The film was very interesting.

  4. Бяхме на море през август.

    We were at the seaside in August.

  5. Те бяха в Пловдив.

    They were in Plovdiv.

  6. Тогава бе много студено.

    It was very cold then.

    Бе is a shorter form of беше.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the present of съм for a past time.

    Вчера съм болен.
    Вчера бях болен.

    Вчера points to the past, so the verb must be past too: бях.

  • Using the singular form with a plural subject.

    Те беше в Пловдив.
    Те бяха в Пловдив.

    Беше is only for ти and for той, тя or то. With те, use бяха.

  • Putting не after the verb.

    Бях не вкъщи.
    Не бях вкъщи.

    Не always comes before the verb it negates.

How It Connects

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

бях/бешеLevel 2Past Tense of Съм

Learn This First

The past of съм follows its present.

Words in This Pattern