be a family

Meaning

This phrase refers to living together, supporting each other, and sharing a life as a domestic unit. It emphasizes the emotional bond, unity, and love between a group of people, whether they are related by blood or choice.

Examples

• Even though we fight sometimes, we will always be a family.

  Even though we fight sometimes, we will always be a family.

• They adopted a child because they wanted to be a family.

  They adopted a child because they wanted to be a family.

• It is important for us to sit down for dinner and just be a family.

  It is important for us to sit down for dinner and just be a family.

• After they got married, they felt like they could finally be a family.

  After they got married, they felt like they could finally be a family.

• We are not just coworkers; we are so close that we are a family.

  We are not just coworkers; we are so close that we are a family.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We want to be family.

  ✓ We want to be a family.

  'Family' is a countable noun in this context, so it requires the indefinite article 'a' when describing a single unit.

• ✗ They are a family since ten years.

  ✓ They have been a family for ten years.

  Use the present perfect ('have been') with 'for' to express a state that started in the past and continues today.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Getting married and having kids helped them ___.

  💡 Form a unified household and bond.

  Show answer

  be a family

• No matter what happens, we will always ___.

  💡 Stay connected and support each other like relatives.

  Show answer

  be a family