Yes. BE is a valid word.
BE is valid in the North American word list used for the Scrabble board game and other crossword tile games.
BE is in the NASPA Word List 2023 (NWL2023), the North American list that Tileside uses for challenges and the one used in club and tournament play.
About BE
BE is the most common verb in English, and its forms AM, IS, ARE, WAS and WERE are all valid words. On the board, BE is a dependable way to place a B next to an E.
Settle the next one at the table: score your game free in Tileside →
BE scores 4 points
Before any bonus squares: B 3 + E 1 = 4. On a double-word square that's 8, on a triple-word 12, and every letter bonus under one of these tiles is applied first.
Example: BE as the first play
Later in the game, put the B on a 3L square and BE is worth 10 before any word bonus.
Hooks: one tile makes a new word
In front of BE (1):
After BE (8):
Place that one tile so it also forms a word in the other direction and both words score.
Longer words from BE
Words that start with BE:
- BEADa small ball with a hole through the middle
- BEAKbeaklike mouth of animals other than birds (e.g., turtles)
- BEAL
- BEAMa signal transmitted along a narrow path
- BEANany of various edible seeds of plants of the family Leguminosae used for food
- BEARhave
- BEATcome out better in a competition, race, or conflict
- BEAUa boyfriend
Change one tile
Swap any one letter of BE and these are still words:
Same letters, other words
Memory tip
BE means to exist, as in “to be or not to be”. Add a D for BED or a G for BEG when the board has room.
On these lists
Other two-letter words starting with B
Check words at the table, free
Tileside keeps score, checks words like this one during a challenge, tracks the tiles left in the bag and times turns. It runs in your phone's browser with no account and works offline.
Tileside checks words against the North American list, the NASPA Word List 2023. Your group's chosen dictionary always wins. Playing the international (Collins) list? Turn on its 20 extra two-letter words in Setup.
Word list: NASPA Word List 2023, used under license. NASPA Word List 2023 Edition © NASPA 2023. The copy included in this app is licensed for personal use. You may not use it for any commercial purposes.
Works with the Scrabble board game, played at the table. Tileside is an independent product, not affiliated with or endorsed by the makers of Scrabble.