What is the Latin word for be?

The usual Latin words for “be” are exstō, versō, commoror; also utpote, quippe. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“be” in Latin

exstōto stand out or project; to be prominent or conspicuous; to exist versōto turn often, keep turning, handle, whirl about, turn over; to treat, manage; to pervert, alter, change commororto stop, stay or remain; to linger or delay; to detain or be detained utpotenamely as, inasmuch as, as, seeing that; introducing an explanation: since quippethe reason is that (introducing the reason for a previous assertion and expecting ready agreement); the reason is that (

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

esse; exstare (to be extant): versari; commorari (to be in a place): to be of that age, ea esse aetate: to be in one’s tenth year, decimum annum agere: to be at home, domi suae esse: to be not at home, esse foris: to be with anybody, cum aliquo, apud aliquem esse: to be constantly with any body, assidue cum aliquo esse; a latere alicujus non discedere: to let anything be, aliquid permittere; aliquid fieri pati: aliquid mittere, or missum facere (to let anything alone): let them be, mitte haec: let me be, mitte or omitte me: it is so, res ita est; res ita se habet: what is the matter? quid (quidnam) est? quid accidit?what is the meaning of this? quid hoc sibi vult? what is it to you? quid tibi est? how are you? quomodo vales i quomodo te habes? be it so, esto: in Latin the indicative is frequently used where we use the subjunctive; as, longum est, itwould be tedious: difficile est, it would be difficult: had it not been for Hor. Cocles, nisi Hor. Cocles fuisset.

Being = to be, esse. In ablative absolute before a noun it is untranslated: Teucer being our leader. Teucro duce: you being our helper, te adjutore or adjuvante. This being the case, quae cum ita sint.

As BEING, utpote, quippe. Democritus, as being a learned man, thinks the sun of great size, sol Democrito magnus videtur, quippe homini erudito: the people that could easily be numbered, as being small, populus numerabilis, utpote parvus.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for be?: The usual Latin words for “be” are exstō, versō, commoror; also utpote, quippe. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.