Word
was
US/ˈwɑz/
UK/wˈɒz/
Definitions
01past of 'be' (singular)
A1 · Beginner
v. the past form of 'be' used when talking about yourself (I) or one other person or thing (he, she, it).
v. the first-person and third-person singular past indicative of 'be'.
“I was at home yesterday because I felt a bit sick.”
“The atmosphere in the boardroom was remarkably tense as the CEO prepared to announce the quarterly results.”
Pitfall
They was very happy with the news.
They were very happy with the news.
In standard English, 'was' is only for singular subjects like 'I', 'he', or 'it'. Use 'were' for 'they', 'we', and 'you'.
02there was (plural)
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
v. used in the phrase 'there was' before a plural list or group in casual speech.
v. used with existential 'there' followed by a plural subject; common in informal spoken registers despite being non-standard.
“There was a lot of people at the party last night.”
“In casual conversation, many speakers naturally say 'there was three main reasons' rather than the grammatically prescribed 'there were'.”
Usage
Commonly used in speech when the speaker has not yet processed that the following noun is plural.
03non-standard plural
C1 · Advanced Dialect · Informal
v. used instead of 'were' for 'you', 'we', or 'they' in some local dialects.
v. a non-standard past indicative form used for second-person singular or any plural subject in specific regional dialects.
“We was just walking down the street when it started to rain.”
“The witness, speaking in a strong local dialect, testified that 'you was there' at the time of the incident.”
Teaching tip
Learners should recognize this in films or songs but avoid using it in their own writing or formal speech.
Synonyms
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes- Proto-Germanic *was Old English wæs Middle English was English was From Middle English was, from Old English wæs, from Proto-Germanic was, from Proto-Indo-European h₂we-h₂wós-e from *h₂wes- (“to reside”), whence also vestal. See also Scots was, West Frisian was (dated, wie is generally preferred today), Dutch was, Low German was, German war, Swedish var); also Kamkata-viri vos-, Sanskrit उवास (uvā́sa). The paradigm of “to be” has been since the time of Proto-Germanic a synthesis of three originally distinct verb stems. The infinitive form be is from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- (“to become”). The forms is and are are both derived from Proto-Indo-European h₁es- (“to be”). Lastly, the past forms starting with w- such as was and were are from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes- (“to reside”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/was