"Been" is the past participle of the verb "be," which is used to indicate existence or a state of being. It is commonly used in various tenses, particularly in the present perfect tense, to describe actions or situations that have occurred at some point in the past but are relevant to the present. For example, in the sentence "I have been to Paris," it shows that the speaker visited Paris at some time before now. In addition to its grammatical function, "been" can also convey experiences or changes over time. For instance, saying "She has been happy" suggests a state of happiness that started in the past and continues to the present. This usage highlights the connection between past experiences and current feelings or situations.