Showing results for "were"

• an inflection of be.

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• were
  were

  verb

  a second person singular past indicative; first, second, and third person plural past indicative; and past subjunctive of be.
• we're
  we're

  contraction of we are:

were

¹ American  

[wur, wer, wair] / wɜr, wər, wɛər /

verb

1. a second person singular past indicative; first, second, and third person plural past indicative; and past subjunctive of be.

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we're ² American  

[weer] / wɪər /

1. contraction of we are:

   We're happy to see you.

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were ¹ British  

/ wɜː, wə /

verb

1. the plural form of the past tense (indicative mood) of be and the singular form used with you. It is also used as a subjunctive, esp in conditional sentences

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we're ² British  

/ wɪə /

contraction

1. we are

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Grammar

See subjunctive.

Usage

See contraction.

Were, as a remnant of the past subjunctive in English, is used in formal contexts in clauses expressing hypotheses ( if he were to die, she would inherit everything ), suppositions contrary to fact ( if I were you, I would be careful ), and desire ( I wish he were there now ). In informal speech, however, was is often used instead

Etymology

Origin of were

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English wǣre past subjunctive, wǣre 2nd-person singular past and wǣron 2nd-person plural past of wesan “to be”; cognate with Dutch, German waren, Danish var. See was

Example Sentences

When I first found out that these things were going around online, it really broke my heart, and I couldn’t do anything about it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026

No matter how they entered a tournament—whether they were favorites or merely sleeping giants—the Germans in a shootout were more reliable than any Mercedes or Porsche ever built.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026

There were four children in the car at the time of the crash, and one was taken to a hospital by a family member “as a precaution” for abrasions, Morton said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026

In addition, he points out, a law was passed to ensure there were equivalent living standards between these regions.

From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026

“Hold up. There’s no way these tickets were only fifty bucks,” I accuse her.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold