Chapter 3.5: Grammar Notes–the “Be” Verb
In Bangla sentences, the verb comes at the end and sentences follow a subject-object-verb pattern generally.
The verb আছ in the sentences আপনি কেমন আছেন “how are you” and আমি ভালো আছি “I am fine” expresses one’s state of being.
The present tense conjugation of the verb আছ- for first-, second-, and third-person is as follows:
| Bangla | English |
|---|---|
| আমি আছি | First-person |
| আপনি আছেন | Second-person (formal, honorific) |
| তুমি আছ | Second-person (familiar, middle grade honorific) |
| উনি আছেন | Third-person (formal, honorific) |
| ও আছে | Third-person (familiar, middle grade honorific) |
Sometimes the subject is omitted when the meaning is clear from the context: ভাল আছি “I am fine.”
Sometimes both the subject and verb are omitted. One can understand the meaning from the context: ভালো instead of the full sentence আমি ভালো আছি “I am fine.”
The Bangla “be” verb হ- is not usually expressed in a subject compliment sentence in simple present tense. That is why you would say “My name is Joy” আমার নাম জয় and “I am Sumit” আমি সুমিত in Bangla. This type of sentence is called a verb-less sentence in Bangla.
