verb 'be' and 'to be'

[ashok]

What is the difference between verb 'be' and verb ' to be'.
Do they mean the same?

Is 'to be' an infinitive?

[mykwyner]

The infinitive form of the linking verb (copula) is to be.

It conjugates as follows:

I am, I was
we are, we were

you are

he/she/it is, he/she/it was
they are, they were

be is the combining form used with modal auxilliaries:

can be, could be, will be, would be, should be, etc.