Food / A1

BEEN/biːn/

A bean is a seed you cook and eat, often from a pod: green beans, baked beans (very British, in tomato sauce). Beans is the usual plural on a plate. Coffee beans are for drink, not a vegetable. Been is the past of be — same sound for many speakers.

Meaning

A seed that you cook and eat as a vegetable, often from a pod.

Examples

• “We had rice and beans.”
• “Would you like baked beans on toast?”
• “Add the beans to the rice.”

Good to know

baked beans (British). Mix-up: been. Coffee beans ≠ vegetable beans.

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