1 A2 informal
To arrive or come to a place in a short time; to be on one's way.
"Don't worry — the plumber said he'll be along before noon."
be along
A2 informal intransitive
To arrive or come to a place soon.
In plain English
To get to a place shortly; to be on the way and arrive soon.
What does "be along" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
Used to describe a bus, train, or other regular service that will arrive soon.
"Another bus should be along in about five minutes."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To be moving along (the way) toward a destination — transparent.
Actually means
To get to a place shortly; to be on the way and arrive soon.
Usage tip
Common in spoken British and American English. Usually used in the future tense or with modal verbs ('will be along,' 'should be along'). Often used to reassure someone that a person or thing is coming soon.
Words that pair with "be along"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shortly soon in a minute presently bus doctor
How to conjugate "be along"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
be along
I/you/we/they
3rd person
is along
he/she/it
Past simple
was/were along
yesterday
Past participle
been along
have + pp
-ing form
being along
continuous
Hear "be along" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "be along" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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