1 A2 informal
To be in a romantic relationship with someone.
"How long have you been with your partner?"
inseparable
be with
A2 neutral inseparable transitive
To be in a relationship with someone, to understand someone, or to support someone's position.
In plain English
To be someone's boyfriend/girlfriend, to understand what someone is saying, or to agree with them.
What does "be with" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 idiomatic informal
To understand or follow what someone is saying.
"I lost you at the third step — are you able to go back? I'm not with you."
inseparable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
To support or agree with someone's position or idea.
"I'm completely with you on the need for more funding for public transport."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To be in the physical presence of someone.
Actually means
To be someone's boyfriend/girlfriend, to understand what someone is saying, or to agree with them.
Usage tip
Very common in everyday speech. 'Are you with me?' means 'do you understand?' in informal conversation. 'I'm with you on this' means 'I agree with you'. The romantic sense is more informal than 'be in a relationship with'.
Words that pair with "be with"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
someone me you them idea plan
How to conjugate "be with"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
be with
I/you/we/they
3rd person
is with
he/she/it
Past simple
was/were with
yesterday
Past participle
been with
have + pp
-ing form
being with
continuous
Hear "be with" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "be with" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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