# be off

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/be-off
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to leave a place or start a journey. You use this when you are ready to go right now.

For teachers: to depart or leave a location; often used in the present tense to signal immediate departure or as an imperative.

## Examples

- I'm off to the shops now.
- It is getting late, so I think I'll be off before the traffic gets too bad.
- The explorers were off at dawn, hoping to reach the summit before the weather turned against them.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I will off now." but "I'm off now." — the phrase requires the verb 'be' to function correctly as a predicate.

## Usage notes

- usually used in the present tense with 'be' or as a future intention.
- Teaching tip: this is a very common spoken alternative to 'leave' or 'go'; it can also mean food has gone bad, but the departure sense is more frequent for learners.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.