In Russian, the verb "to be" (быть) works a bit differently because we usually don’t say it when we're talking about the present. But it’s really important to know how to use it for the past and future.

How to Use "быть" in Different Tenses:

Present Tense:

• In the present tense, we don’t actually say "быть."
• Instead, we just show that something exists.

For example:

• When you say "Я (I) [=] студент," it means "I am a student."
• We just say: "Я студент."

Past Tense:

• Here’s how to say "was" in Russian:

  • Я был (I was - for boys)
  • Я была (I was - for girls)
  • Ты был (You were - for boys)
  • Ты была (You were - for girls)
  • Он был (He was)
  • Она была (She was)
  • Оно было (It was)
  • Мы были (We were)
  • Вы были (You were - when talking to many people)
  • Они были (They were)

Future Tense:

• Here’s how to say "will be":

  • Singular:
    • Я буду (I will be)
    • Ты будешь (You will be)
    • Он/Она будет (He/She will be)
  • Plural:
    • Мы будем (We will be)
    • Вы будете (You will be - when talking to many people)
    • Они будут (They will be)

Everyday Examples:

Talking About Family:

• Моя семья — моя мать была... (My family - my mother was...)

Talking About Food:

• Это был хороший обед. (That was a good lunch.)

Talking About Jobs:

• Он будет врачом. (He will be a doctor.)

Useful Phrases:

• Привет, ты где? (Hi, where are you?)
• Пока, до свидания! (Bye, see you later!)

Learning how to use "to be" in different tenses will help you speak better Russian and make sentences that really matter!