# belong to sb

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/belong-to-sb
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

To be owned by a person or a group. You use this to say who is the owner of something.

For teachers: To be the property or possession of a person or entity. This is a stative verb indicating ownership and is always followed by an object.

## Examples

- This pen belongs to Sarah.
- Excuse me, does this scarf belong to you? I found it on the floor.
- The disputed territories, which have historically belonged to the smaller nation, became the focus of intense international diplomacy.

## Pitfalls

- Not "This car is belonging to my father." but "This car belongs to my father." — 'Belong' is a stative verb, so it is not used in continuous tenses like the present continuous.

## Usage notes

- As a stative verb, it is not used in continuous tenses (e.g., 'is belonging').
- Teaching tip: Contrast the structure with 'own': the subject of 'belong to' is the item owned, while the subject of 'own' is the owner.

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