| Compound Forms: |
| Inglés | Español |
| appear to be [sth] v expr | (seem, look) (con oración subordinada) | parecer ser, parecer estar loc verb |
| (con infinitivo) | parecer ser, parecer estar loc verb |
| Ken appears to be very dedicated to his family. |
| Parece que Ken está muy dedicado a su familia. |
| Ken parece estar muy dedicado a su familia. |
| appear to be doing [sth] v expr | ([sth]: seem) | parecer que vi + conj |
| The rain appears to be easing off. |
| Parece que la lluvia aminora. |
| as it ought to be adj | (correct, proper) (correcto) | como debiera ser, como debería ser loc adv |
| (coloquial) | como Dios manda expr |
| She completed her inspection and found that everything was as it ought to be. |
| Terminó su inspección y descubrió que todo era como debería ser. |
| as it ought to be adv | (in an ideal state) (estado ideal) | como debería ser loc adv |
| Her speech gave us a vision of the world as it ought to be. |
| be cruel to be kind v expr | (act harshly in order to help [sb]) | ser cruel para hacerle un bien a alguien loc verb |
| hacer algo cruel por el bien de alguien loc verb |
| quien bien te quiere te hará llorar expr |
| Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind when teaching children how to behave properly. |
| be said to be [sth] vtr | (be described as) | tener fama de ser loc verb |
| It´s said to be a very good restaurant. |
| Antonio tiene fama de ser tacaño. |
Better safe than sorry,
Better to be safe than sorry expr | informal (It's wise to take precautions.) | más vale prevenir que curar expr |
| mejor prevenir que curar, mejor prevenir que lamentar expr |
| hombre prevenido vale por dos expr |
| I'd take an umbrella if I were you. Better safe than sorry! |
| Yo que tú me llevaría un paraguas, más vale prevenir que curar. |
bid fair to do [sth],
bid fair to be [sth] v expr | UK, literary (seem likely) | ser muy probable que loc verb |
| bride-to-be n | (woman: fiancée) | prometida nf |
| futura esposa loc nom f |
| I fell in love with my beautiful bride-to-be the moment I first saw her smile. |
| Me enamoré de mi prometida apenas vi su sonrisa. |
| bride-to-be n | (engaged woman) | futura novia loc nom f |
| The bride-to-be secretly spent half of her work day making wedding plans. |
| La futura novia se pasó medio día laboral planeando su boda en secreto. |
| cease to be v expr | (die, end) | dejar de existir loc verb |
| Sam's search for spiritual truth began because he couldn't bear the thought that when he died he would simply cease to be. |
| La búsqueda de Sam por la verdad espiritual empezó porque no podía creer que cuando uno muere simplemente deja de existir. |
| dejar de ser loc verb |
| La búsqueda de Sam por la verdad espiritual empezó porque no podía creer que cuando uno muere simplemente deja de ser. |
| cease to be [sth] v expr | (stop being) | cesar⇒ vi |
| I'm sorry to tell you that your conversation has ceased to be of interest to me. |
| Siento decirte que tu conversación ha cesado de interesarme. |
| no ser más, ya no ser loc verb |
| Siento decirte que tu conversación ya no es interesante para mí. |
| claim to be [sth] v expr | (say that you are) | decir ser loc verb |
| asegurar ser loc verb |
| afirmar ser loc verb |
| You claim to be a musician, but is this the truth? The young man claimed to be her long-lost son. |
| Dices ser músico, pero ¿es verdad? El hombre joven decía ser su hijo perdido hace tiempo. |
| come to be v expr | (come into existence) | llegar a ser loc verb |
| The scientists discussed theories of how the solar system came to be. |
| come to be v expr | (arise, happen) (informal) | terminar⇒ vi |
| llegar a vi + prep |
| How did it come to be that British and American English spell 'colour' differently? |
| ¿Cómo terminaron las ortografías de Inglaterra y Estados Unidos escribiendo "color" de forma distinta? |
| consider [sb/sth] to be [sth] v expr | (with a noun: judge as [sth]) | considerar⇒ vtr |
| I consider my actions that day to be a mistake. |
| Many consider Mozart's "Requiem" to be his masterpiece. |
| Considero que mis acciones de aquel día fueron un error. |
| consider [sb/sth] to be [sth] v expr | (with an adjective: judge) | considerar⇒ vtr |
| Many people today consider corporal punishment to be wrong. |
| Mucha gente considera que el castigo corporal está mal. |
| continue to be v expr | (go on living, keep existing) | seguir siendo loc verb |
| Even after we're dead, our love will continue to be. |
| Aun después de muertos, nuestro amor seguirá existiendo. |
be all it's cracked up to be,
be what it's cracked up to be v expr | (be as good as claimed) | no ser para tanto loc verb |
| Note: Often used in the negative. |
| That film's not all it's cracked up to be; I didn't enjoy it at all! |
| La película no es para tanto, no la disfruté. |
| declare yourself to be [sth] v expr | (announce) | declararse⇒ v prnl |
| I hereby declare myself to be a candidate in the forthcoming elections. |
| Me declaro como candidato en las próximas elecciones. |
| declare yourself to be [sb] v expr | (claim identity) | declararse⇒ v prnl |
| proclamarse⇒ v prnl |
| He declared himself to be the long-lost son of the deceased, returned to claim his inheritance. |
| Se declaró como el hijo perdido de la heredera para reclamar la herencia. |
| Se proclamó como el hijo perdida de la heredera para reclamar la herencia. |
| autoproclamarse⇒ v prnl |
| autodeclararse⇒ v prnl |
| Se autoproclamó como el hijo perdido del fallecido para reclamar la herencia. |
| declare yourself to be [sth] v expr | (state yourself to be for, against [sth]) | declarar estar loc verb |
| declarar ser loc verb |
| The minister declared himself to be against the introduction of the euro to Britain. |
| El ministro declaró estar en contra de la introducción del euro en Gran Bretaña. |
| deem [sb/sth] to be [sth] v expr | formal (view as being) | considerar como vtr + prep |
| ver como vtr + prep |
| The panel deemed Patricia to be suitable for the job and hired her. |
| El panel consideró como apta a Patricia y la contrató. |
estimate [sth] at [sth],
estimate [sth] to be [sth] v expr | (judge, assess) | estimar⇒ vtr |
| calcular⇒ vtr |
| Marco estimated his chance of winning to be 30%. |
| Marco estimó sus probabilidades de ganar en un 30%. |
| fit to be tied adj | informal (very annoyed) | que echa fuego por los ojos loc adj |
| muy enfadado loc adj |
a force to be reckoned with,
a power to be reckoned with n | ([sth/sb] powerful) (figurado, coloquial) | demonio nm |
| (figurado, coloquial) | fiera nf |
| persona imposible de tratar nf + loc adj |
| When Angela gets angry, she is a force to be reckoned with. |
| Cuando Ángela se enoja, se convierte en un demonio. |
| fun to be with adj | informal (enjoyable company) | divertido/a adj mf |
| agradable adj mf |
| He's fun to be with and a really good friend, but I don't want to marry him. |
| Es divertido y un muy buen amigo, pero no quiero casarme con él. |
| happen to be v expr | (be by any chance) | poder ser loc verb |
| casualmente adv |
| Would that happen to be the book I've been searching for? |
| ¿Podría ser ese el libro que andaba buscando? |
| ¿Ese podría ser casualmente el libro que andaba buscando? |
| husband-to-be n | (man: fiancé) | prometido nm |
| futuro esposo loc nom m |
| Joan refuses to move in with her husband-to-be until they are married. |
| Joan se niega a mudarse con su prometido hasta que estén casados. |
| husband-to-be n | (man who is to be married) | futuro novio loc nom m |
judge [sb] to be [sth],
judge [sb]⇒ vtr | (declare) | declarar a vtr + prep |
| He was judged to be guilty. |
| Lo declararon culpable. |
know [sb] as [sth/sb],
know [sb] to be [sth/sb]⇒ vtr | (perceive) | tener a alguien por loc verb |
| conocer a alguien por loc verb |
| percibir a alguien como loc verb |
| I know her as a woman of integrity. |
| La tengo por una mujer íntegra. |
leave much to be desired,
leave a lot to be desired v expr | (be inadequate) | dejar mucho que desear loc verb |
| Your table manners leave much to be desired. |
| The house was cute on the outside, but inside left a lot to be desired. |
| Tus modales en la mesa dejan mucho que desear. |
| look to be v expr | (appear) (edad) | parecer tener loc verb |
| That couch looks to be about 50 years old. |
| Este sillón parece tener unos 50 años. |
| parecer⇒ vi |
| parecer ser, parecer estar loc verb |
| Este sillón parece muy antiguo. |
| make [sb/sth] out to be [sth] v expr | (represent as) | pintar a alguien como loc verb |
| hacer pasar a alguien como loc verb |
| Note: Often refers to a false claim. |
| The press are making him out to be the greatest singer since Elvis, but he's not that good. |
| La prensa lo pinta como el mejor cantante desde Elvis, pero no es tan bueno. |
| meant to be adj | (predestined) | predestinado/a adj |
| (figurado) | cantado adj |
| I don't know how it happened, but I guess it was meant to be. |
| No sé cómo sucedió, pero supongo que estaba predestinado a suceder. |
| (figurado) | escrito/a adj |
| No sé cómo sucedió, pero supongo que estaba escrito. |
| ser el destino loc verb |
| No sé cómo sucedió, pero supongo que era el destino. |
| predestinado/a adj |
| No sé cómo sucedió, pero supongo que estaba predestinado a suceder. |
| mother-to-be n | (pregnant woman) | futura mamá adj + nf |
never to be forgotten,
never-to-be-forgotten adj | (memorable) | para no olvidar loc adj |
| para el recuerdo loc adj |
| que perdura en la memoria loc adj |
| imborrable, inolvidable adj mf |
| Note: Hyphens are used when the adjective precedes the noun |
| The photo of Neil Armstrong on the moon is an image never to be forgotten. |
| La foto de Neil Armstrong en la Luna es una imagen para no olvidar. |
no better than you should be,
no better than you ought to be expr | US, informal (morally inferior) | no tan bueno como deberías expr |
| not to be believed adj | (untrustworthy, not credible) | no ser de fiar loc verb |
| Do not trust that man, anything he says is not to be believed. |
| No confíes en lo que dice, no es de fiar. |
| falso/a adj |
| No confíes en lo que dice, es falso. |
| no fiable loc adj |
| No confíes en lo que dice, no es fiable. |
| not to be believed adj | (amazing) | increíble adj |
| That chef's desserts are not to be believed. |
| Los postres de ese chef son increíbles. |
| (coloquial) | alucinante adj |
| Los postres de ese chef son alucinantes. |
| not to be compared adj | (very different) | no poderse comparar loc verb |
| Kate Bush's singing style is not to be compared to that of Stevie Nicks. |
| ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. No se puede comparar el jamón ibérico con la mortadela. |
| ser muy distinto loc verb |
| ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. Los dos niños son muy distintos y no hay uno mejor que otro. |
| not to be expected expr | (unlikely) | poco probable loc adj |
| poco común loc adj |
| Gifts from them are not to be expected. |
| Recibir regalos de ellos es poco probable. |
not to be mistaken for [sth/sb],
not to be confused with [sth/sb] expr | (as distinct from [sth] else) | no poder confundirse con loc verb |
| diferenciarse claramente de loc verb |
| not to be trusted adj | (dishonest, unreliable) | no ser de fiar loc verb |
| Certain politicians are not to be trusted. |
| Algunos políticos no son de fiar. |
| no ser confiable loc verb |
| Algunos políticos no son confiables. |
| no ser de confianza loc verb |
| Algunos políticos no son de confianza. |
| pretend to be [sb/sth] v expr | (playact, imagine) | jugar a ser loc verb |
| She pretended to be a princess. |
| Ella jugaba a ser una princesa. |
| profess yourself to be [sth] v expr | (claim to be [sth]) | manifestarse⇒ v prnl |
| prove to be [sth] v expr | (turn out to be) | resultar [+ infinitivo] loc verb |
| The detective's hunch proved to be right. |
| La corazonada del detective resultó ser acertada. |
| purport to be [sth] v expr | (claim to be) | simular ser algo loc verb |
| decir ser algo, afirmar ser algo loc verb |
| The novel purports to be the autobiography of a 100-year-old man. |
| La novela simula ser la autobiografía de un hombre de cien años. |
| remains to be seen expr | (cannot be known yet) | estar por verse expr |
| todavía no conocerse, aún no saberse expr |
| The truth of the matter remains to be seen. |
| reputed to be [sb/sth] expr | (alleged) | presunto, supuesto adj |
| He is reputed to be the world's richest man. |
| Es el presunto (or: supuesto) hombre más rico del mundo. |
| seem to be [sth] v expr | (appear to be) (estado, condición) | parecer estar loc verb |
| (característica) | parecer ser loc verb |
| Note: "Ser" y "estar" permanecen en la forma infinitiva. |
| The pipes seem to be in good repair. |
| The patient seemed to be in good health, with a healthy glow in his cheeks. |
| Las cañerías parecen estar en buen estado. // El paciente parece estar en buen estado, con un saludable rubor en las mejillas. |
| show yourself to be [sth] v expr | (demonstrate that you are) | demostrar⇒ vtr |
| He showed himself to be an astute politician. |
| Demostró ser un astuto político. |
| mostrarse como v prnl |
| Se mostró como un astuto político. |
| study to be [sth] v expr | (become educated to qualify as) | estudiar para ser loc verb |
| He spent 3 years abroad, presumably studying to be an architect. |
| Pasó tres años afuera, supuestamente estudiando para ser arquitecto. |
| thought to be [sth/sb] expr | (believed or considered to be [sth]) | ser considerado algo loc verb |
| (con se impersonal) | pensar que alguien es algo, creer que alguien es algo loc verb |
| He was thought to be a good student, until he was caught with drugs. |
| Era considerado uno de los mejores estudiantes hasta que lo pillaron con drogas. |
| Se pensaba que era uno de los mejores estudiantes hasta que lo pillaron con drogas. |
| to be confirmed adj | (not yet officially decided) | por confirmar loc adj |
| a confirmar loc adj |
| Horario a confirmar. |
| to be continued expr | (more will come later) | continuará expr |
| At the end of the TV show episode, the words "To be continued" appeared at the bottom of the screen. |
to be expected,
only to be expected expr | (what should, usually happens) | es de esperarse expr |
| es de esperar expr |
| se espera expr |
| to be honest adv | informal (in truth) | sinceramente loc adv |
| para ser honesto adv |
| a decir verdad loc adv |
| To be honest, I knew the test would be difficult. |
| Sinceramente, sabía que el examen iba a ser difícil. |
| to be reckoned with expr | (powerful, impressive) | a tener en cuenta loc adj |
| This young woman is proving herself to be an athlete to be reckoned with. |
| to be sure adv | (certainly) | sin duda, sin duda alguna loc adv |
| Barry is handsome, to be sure, but his personality leaves a lot to be desired. |
| too good to be true expr | (so good it does not seem possible) | demasiado bueno para ser verdad expr |
| demasiado bueno para ser cierto expr |
| turn out to be [sth/sb] v expr | (be discovered to be) | resultar ser loc verb |
| The man convicted of the crime turned out to be innocent. |
| El hombre condenado por el crimen resultó ser inocente. |
| turn out to be [sth/sb] v expr | (become) | convertirse en v prnl + prep |
| Your son has turned out to be a hardworking young man; you must be proud of him. |
| Tu hijo se ha convertido en un joven muy trabajador; debes de estar orgullosa de él. |
used to do [sth],
used to be [sth] v expr | (did, was habitually) | soler⇒ vi |
| acostumbrar⇒ vi |
| Note: Used only in simple past tense. |
| Note: Se usa en pasado. |
| I used to go to the local church when I was young. |
| I used to be very shy. |
| Solía ir a la iglesia local cuando era joven. |
| wife-to-be n | (woman: fiancée) | futura esposa adj + nf |
| prometida nf |
| You've got to be joking! interj | (expressing disagreement) | me estás bromeando expr |
| Me, run a marathon? You've got to be joking! |
| You've got to be kidding! interj | informal (expressing disbelief) | no es cierto expr |
| You've got to be kidding! interj | informal (expressing disagreement) | no es cierto expr |
