être

Senses

1. 1.

   to be (existence)

   to exist or have a quality or state

2. 2.

   to be located

   to be in a place or position

3. 3.

   to belong to

   to be owned by or associated with someone

4. 4.

   to have been (auxiliary)

   used with past participles to form the passé composé and other compound tenses

Examples

• "Je suis heureux."

  I am happy.

• "Où est la gare ?"

  Where is the train station?

• "Elle est allée au marché."

  She (has) gone to the market.

Usage

Être is one of the two most fundamental verbs in French and is highly irregular. It serves as both a main verb expressing existence, state, or location, and as an auxiliary verb (with être-verbs and all passives). Master its present tense forms: je suis, tu es, il/elle est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils/elles sont.