The idiom "be an item" means that two people are romantically involved or in a relationship. It is often used to describe two people who are dating or seeing each other regularly.
For example, if you see two people holding hands and spending a lot of time together, you might say, "I think they're an item." This means that you believe they are in a romantic relationship.
The phrase can also be used in the past tense, such as "They used to be an item," which means that they were once in a relationship but are no longer together.
Overall, "be an item" is a casual and informal way to describe a romantic relationship between two people. It is commonly used in conversation and is a part of everyday slang in English.
• The rumor has it that the famous actor and the model are an item, but they keep denying it. (conditional)
• John and Mary are an item. (simple present)
• They have been an item for a year now. (present perfect)
• It's obvious that they are an item, they are always holding hands. (present continuous)
• Despite their busy schedules, they managed to stay an item for over a decade. (past perfect)
• I heard that Tom and Lisa used to be an item. (past simple)