From Dutch wezen, from Proto-Germanic *wesaną. See Dutch zijn. See: Dutch 'wezen', Proto-Germanic '*wesaną'.
Cognates
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Sample Sentences
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.)