"He is rich" vs "He was rich"

Question

"He is rich" vs "He was rich"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'He is rich' is used to talk about someone's current state of wealth, while 'He was rich' is used to talk about someone's past state of wealth.

Last Updated: April 05, 2024

Use 'he is rich' to talk about someone's current state of wealth. It indicates that the person is wealthy at the present moment.

Examples:

He is rich, so he can afford to travel first class.
She is rich, but she prefers a simple lifestyle.

Alternatives:

He has a lot of money.
He is wealthy.
He is well-off.

Use 'he was rich' to talk about someone's past state of wealth. It indicates that the person was wealthy at a specific point in the past.

Examples:

He was rich when he lived in New York.
She was rich before the economic downturn.

Alternatives:

He used to be wealthy.
He was well-off in the past.
He had a lot of money back then.

Answer 1

He is rich

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe someone's current state of wealth.

Answer 2

He was rich

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe someone's past state of wealth.