be

be ⇒ Usage note : be , vi (p prés being ; 3^e pers sg prés is ; prét was ; pp been)

1 gen être ; it's me, it's I c'est moi ; he's a good pupil c'est un bon élève ;

2 (in probability) if Henri were here si Henri était là ; were it not that… si ce n'était que… ; were they to know s'ils savaient ; if I were you à ta place ; had it not been for Frank, I'd have missed the train sans Frank j'aurais raté le train ;

3 (phrases) so be it d'accord ; be that as it may quoi qu'il en soit ; as it were pour ainsi dire ; even if it were so même si c'était le cas ; I preferred it as it was je l'aimais mieux avant ; leave it as it is ne changez rien ; to be or not to be être ou ne pas être ; let ou leave him be laisse-le tranquille .

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.