Remember your grammar!

SIMPLE / Active to be – was/were - been zijn
1. present he is hij is
2. past he was hij was
3. present perfect he has been Hij is geweest
4. past perfect he had been Hij was geweest
5. future (present) he will be hij zal zijn
6. future past he would be hij zou zijn
7. future present perfect he will have been hij zal geweest zijn
8. future past perfect he would have been hij zou geweest zijn

future: shall/will/should/would followed by the infinitive
perfect: “have” followed by the past participle
The present participle: verb + -ing

To be is an auxiliary for
1. the continuous. It is then followed by a present participle Instead of saying: “Ik ben aan het denken”, people used to say “Ik ben denkende”
2. the passive. It is then followed by a past participle. The meaning of “to be” is then worden. E.g. These cars are made in Germany.

Ik ben geboren in 1987.  I was born in 1987.
Ik ben in New York geweest.  I have been to New York.
Ik ben gesloten vanaf 5 uur ’s middags.  I am closed from