Prefix · action · intensifier
A native English prefix meaning "around," "make," or intensifying: become, believe, belong.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Be- is one of the few prefixes of Old English (Germanic) origin, not Latin or Greek. It appears in some of the most fundamental words in English: become, believe, belong, begin, because, beneath, beside, behind, between, beyond. These words are learned early and used constantly — but their prefix is rarely analysed. Recognising be- as a prefix helps connect an otherwise unrelated-looking group of core vocabulary.
Be- functions in three main ways: (1) intensifies a verb (beware = be very careful; behold = look with attention); (2) converts a noun or adjective into a verb (befriend = make someone a friend; belittle = make small; bewitch = put under a spell); (3) forms prepositions and adverbs (beside = by the side of; below = by the lower part; behind = by the hind/back part; beyond = by the far side). This third function makes it key for learning the "be-" family of spatial prepositions.
Attaches to verbs, nouns, and adjectives with three main uses:
Pronunciation: /bɪ/ (usually unstressed). No direct Spanish equivalent — the meaning varies by use. Many be- words are now so common that the prefix is no longer felt: because, become, begin, believe, beside, beneath, behind, between, beyond.
be-/bɪ/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Be- is irregular in its functions. In "beware" it intensifies (be very careful). In "beside" it creates a preposition (by the side of). In "become" it signals transformation. In "because" it has fused into a conjunction. The key is not to always decompose be- analytically, but to recognise it as a signal of core Old English vocabulary.
A trick to remember it
Be- is the most common Old English prefix: become, believe, belong, because, begin, beside, beneath, behind, beyond, between. No fixed translation — but it marks fundamental vocabulary. Learning them as a family (all those "be-" words) is more effective than learning each one separately.
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
Which of these words does NOT contain the prefix be-?
The prefix be- a native English prefix meaning "around," "make," or intensifying: become, believe, belong.
The prefix be- is pronounced /bɪ/. For example, "become".
"come" becomes "become". It is a typical example of the be- prefix.
un-, re-, pre-, dis-, over-, in-... every beginning you need to unlock thousands of English words at once.