to be 动词学习路线 · 第 6 步，共 8 步 · A1-A2 级
to be 动词的过去时：was 和 were
to be 动词的过去时只有两种形式：was 用于 I、he、she、it 和单数主语；were 用于 you、we、they 和复数。它相当于中文的“曾经是”“当时在”或“当时……”。否定句加 not，疑问句把动词提前。
一眼看懂过去时
to be 动词的过去时怎么构成
用 to be 谈论过去时，你只需在两种形式之间选择，而决定权在主语：一个人或一件事物用 was，多个人和 you 用 were。形式不随含义变化：无论表示“曾经是”还是“当时在”，都一样。
肯定
主语 + was / were + 补语
She was at work.
她当时在上班。
否定
主语 + wasn't / weren't + 补语
We weren't hungry.
我们当时不饿。
疑问
Was / Were + 主语 + 补语 + ?
Was the film good?
电影好看吗？
如果你已经掌握了一般现在时，这一步很短：原来的 am 或 is 变成 was，原来的 are 变成 were。需要温习的话，请复习 to be 的一般现在时。如果 the family、everyone 或 if I were 这样的主语让你犹豫，有一份专门指南讲解何时用 was 或 were.
to be 动词过去时表：肯定、否定和疑问
七个人称的三种句型。否定给出完整形式和缩写；在对话和消息中，缩写是常态。
| 主语 | 肯定 | 否定 | 疑问 | 简短回答 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | I was | I was notI wasn't | Was I? | Yes, I was.No, I wasn't. |
| you | You were | You were notYou weren't | Were you? | Yes, you were.No, you weren't. |
| he | He was | He was notHe wasn't | Was he? | Yes, he was.No, he wasn't. |
| she | She was | She was notShe wasn't | Was she? | Yes, she was.No, she wasn't. |
| it | It was | It was notIt wasn't | Was it? | Yes, it was.No, it wasn't. |
| we | We were | We were notWe weren't | Were we? | Yes, we were.No, we weren't. |
| they | They were | They were notThey weren't | Were they? | Yes, they were.No, they weren't. |
You 既是单数也是复数，但永远搭配 were：You were right 可以是“你说得对”，也可以是“你们说得对”。
was 和 were 的中文：曾经是、当时在，还是过去的状态？
这是中文母语者真正的难点。中文不通过动词变化表达过去，而是靠“曾经”“当时”“了”等词；英语则用同一种形式处理所有这些情况。请根据语境选择译法，而不是照搬英语动词。
曾经是
过去的描述或身份。
The house was very old.
那栋房子以前很旧。
当时……
某个具体时刻的状态或处境。
I was tired when I got home.
我回到家时很累。
……了
对已结束事情的评价。
The concert was amazing.
音乐会太精彩了。
待了
有起点和终点的停留或状态。
We were in Lima for a week.
我们在利马待了一周。
有一个情况值得单独记住：“出生”用 to be 的过去时表达。I was born in 1998 意思是“我出生于 1998 年”，Where were you born? 意思是“你在哪里出生？”。
There was 和 there were：怎么说“曾经有”
要表示某物曾经存在或发生过，英语用 there 加 to be 的过去时。形式与后面的名词一致，而不是与 there 一致：单数或不可数用 there was，复数用 there were。
| 结构 | 例句 | 翻译 |
|---|---|---|
| There was + 单数 | There was a problem with the app. | 应用程序出了一个问题。 |
| There was + 不可数 | There was some coffee in the kitchen. | 厨房里有一点咖啡。 |
| There were + 复数 | There were many people at the party. | 派对上有很多人。 |
| There wasn't / weren't | There weren't any tickets left. | 没有票了。 |
| Was there / Were there…? | Were there any questions? | 有人提问吗？ |
与过去时搭配的时间表达
这些表达把句子放在一个已经结束的时刻。看到它们时，就想到 was 或 were。
具体时刻
- I was at the gym yesterday.我昨天在健身房。
- She was very busy last week.她上周很忙。
- They were in Canada two years ago.他们两年前在加拿大。
- It was cold last night.昨晚很冷。
时期和状况
- When I was a child, I was very shy.我小时候很害羞。
- In 2020 we were students.2020 年我们是学生。
- The streets were empty at that moment.那时街上空无一人。
- This morning the office was closed.今天早上办公室关门了。
19 秒看懂 to be 的过去时
四位朋友在傍晚的光线里翻看相册。讲解是中文，每个例句由母语者朗读；用列表回到任意片段。
带中文字幕，was、were、wasn't 和 weren't 由母语者朗读。
阅读文字稿
- 在过去时，to be 只有两种形式：
- Was. Were.
- 用于一个人或一件事物：
- I was at home. She was happy.
- 用于多个人，以及永远用于 you：
- We were friends. You were there.
- 否定形式是：
- Wasn't. Weren't.
was 和 were 最常见的错误
连中级学习者也会犯这些错误。认出它们是避免的最快方法。
I were at home.
I was at home.
I 搭配 was。唯一的例外是假设，比如 if I were you。
You was right.
You were right.
You 永远搭配 were，即使你只对一个人说话。
I born in Madrid.
I was born in Madrid.
“出生”需要 to be 动词：to be born。
Did you be at the party?
Were you at the party?
to be 提问和否定都不用 did：调换语序即可。
There was many people.
There were many people.
People 是复数，所以正确形式是 there were。
She didn't was tired.
She wasn't tired.
否定是在 was 后加 not：wasn't。
Was 和 were 也能做助动词：它们构成过去进行时（I was reading when you called）和过去时的被动语态（The letter was written in 1990）。更详细的说明请见to be 动词完整指南.
练习：填写 was、were、wasn't 或 weren't
填写缺失的形式：was、were、wasn't 或 weren't。按回车逐句核对，或在最后一起检查。完整形式（was not、were not）也可以。
昨天我在家。
I at home yesterday.
I 在过去时永远搭配 was。
我父母去年在罗马。
My parents in Rome last year.
My parents 是复数：相当于 they，搭配 were。
我们没在开会。
We at the meeting.
we 的否定：were not 或缩写 weren't。
考试难吗？
the exam difficult?
在问句中，was 放在相当于 it 的 the exam 前面。
两年前这里没有咖啡馆。
There a café here two years ago.
a café 是单数，所以用 there wasn't。
你昨晚累吗？
you tired last night?
you 永远搭配 were，即使你只对一个人说话。
我出生于 2001 年。
I born in 2001.
“出生”要说 to be born：I was born，绝不说 I born。
当时有很多问题。
There a lot of problems.
与后面的名词一致：a lot of problems 是复数，所以用 there were。
想继续练习？更多句子请见was 和 were 练习。
关于 to be 过去时的常见问题
to be 动词的过去时有哪些形式？
只有两种：was 和 were。前者搭配 I、第三人称单数和任何单数名词；后者搭配 you、we、they 和复数。否定形式变成 wasn't 和 weren't。
英语里“我出生于”怎么说？
用 to be 的过去时加 born：I was born in Mexico（“我出生在墨西哥”）。多个人时：We were born in the same year。I born 不存在。
怎么用 was 和 were 提问？
把 was 或 were 放在主语前面：Were you at home?。有疑问词时，疑问词放在最前面：Where were you yesterday?，Why was she late?。
there was 和 there were 有什么区别？
两者都表示“曾经有”。There was 搭配单数或不可数名词（There was a dog，There was some milk），there were 搭配复数（There were two dogs）。
肯定句里的 was 和 were 可以缩写吗？
不可以。肯定句里它们永远写完整：I was，they were。只有与 not 搭配时才缩写：wasn't 和 weren't。
was 和 were 也能做助动词吗？
能。它们构成过去进行时（I was reading when you called）和过去时的被动语态（The bridge was built in 1920）。在这两种情况下，was 和 were 的选择仍然取决于主语。
be动词学习路线 · 第 6 步，共 8 步
你的下一步
还剩 2 课即可完成路线。
第 7 步 · 过去时
Was 还是 were