Meaning of wees | Babel Free

Definitions

1. To be.
   copulative
2. Used to form the perfect tense in certain cases; compare hê.
   auxiliary
3. Forms the perfect of the passive voice.
   auxiliary
4. Forms the perfect of gaan (“go”) + locative when the verb is elided.
   auxiliary
5. Optionally forms the perfect tense of the verbs wees (“be”), verloof raak (“get engaged”), trou (“marry”), skei (“get divorced”), oorly (“die”).
   auxiliary
6. Formerly formed the perfect tense of certain other intransitive verbs, e.g. kom (“come”).
   auxiliary, obsolete

Equivalents

Examples

“Ek was gister dronk (gewees).”

I was drunk yesterday.

“Hy kon al 'n dokter gewees het.”

He could have been a doctor by now.

“Ek word geslaan. → Ek is geslaan.”

I am (being) beaten. → I was / have been beaten.

“Hy gaan huis toe. → Hy is huis toe. (Without elision: Hy het huis toe gegaan.)”

He goes / is going home. → He went / has gone home.

“My ouers sal hierdie jaar skei. → My ouers is hierdie jaar geskei. (Alternatively: ... het hierdie jaar geskei.)”

My parents will get divorced this year. → My parents got divorced this year.

“My ouma sal vannag oorly. → My ouma is vannag oorlede. (Alternatively: ... het vannag oorly.)”

My grandma will die tonight. → My grandma died tonight.

CEFR level