Saying There Is and There Are in Spanish

It is often said that there is or there are is expressed in Spanish using the verb hay (a form of haber) — and indeed that is usually so. However, there are some instances where forms of the verb estar — typically està ¡ (singular) or està ¡n (plural) — should be used. The difference is one in meaning: Hay is used to refer to mere existence.Està ¡ or està ¡n is used when describing a location. As an example, examine this simple sentence: There is a book. At least in writing, the English is ambiguous — the sentence could be phrased as a book is there, meaning that a book is in a certain location. Or could be interpreted as A book exists. In Spanish a different verb would be used for each interpretation. To say that the book is in a location, use a form of estar: El libro està ¡ allà ­. (The book is there.)But to say it merely exists, use a form of haber, in this case hay: Hay un libro. (A book exists.) Eliminating Ambiguity in Translating There The same principle applies in many other cases where the English might be ambiguous: No hay dinero. (There isnt any money, because it doesnt exist.) El dinero no està ¡. (The money exists, but its not here.)No hay profesor. (Theres no teacher, meaning, for instance, that one hasnt been hired.) El profesor no està ¡. (Theres a teacher, but the teacher isnt here.)Hay dos escuelas. (There are two schools, that is, two schools exist.) Dos escuelas està ¡n allà ­. (There are two schools, meaning, two schools are in the direction that is being pointed to.)Hay vacas en Argentina. (There are cows in Argentina.) Las vacas està ¡n en Argentina. (The specific cows are there, in Argentina.)Sà ³lo hay una cosa importante. (There is only one important thing.) La cosa importante està ¡ en otro lado. (The important thing is on the other side. Here cosa refers to a specific object.) Abstract nouns, or nouns that dont refer to an object that can exist in a specific location, normally are not used with estar, but with hay: Hay muchos problemas. (There are many problems.)No hay felicidad sin amor. (There is no happiness without love.)Hay un montà ³n de cosas que quiero decirte. (There is a pile of things I want to say to you.)Hay dos tipos de dolor: el que te lastima y el que te cambia. (There are two kinds of pain: the kind that  hurts you and the kind that changes you.) Another way of understanding the differences involves looking the grammar of the English being translated. In sentences there is is translated using estar, there is functioning as an adverb of location. If here can be substituted for there and the sentence still makes sense, there is being used for location. However, when there is being used as a dummy word, haber is used in translation. Estar vs. Haber in Other Tenses Although examples in the present indicative tense were used above, the same rules apply in other tenses and in the subjunctive mood. Fui a su casa, pero no estaba. (I went to her house, but she wasnt there.)No habà ­a transportacià ³n porque no comprà © un coche. (There was no transportation because I didnt buy a car.)Si hubiera unicornios, la gente los verà ­an. (If there were unicorns, people would see them.)Quiero que haya paz en el mundo. (I want there to be peace in the world.)No quiero que à ©l està © allà ­. (I dont want him to be there.) A Similar Use of Ser When it is used to indicate mere existence, haber can be used only in the third person in standard Spanish. It is often possible to use ser in a similar way in the first- and second-person plural (we and you, respectively). This use is especially common with numbers. Somos seis. (There are six of us.)Ya somos veinte en la clase. (Now there are 20 of us in the class.)Son ustedes cinco hombres. (There are five of you men.)Si sois siete, te ruego que me digas  ¿cà ³mo puede ser? (If there are seven of you, I beg that you tell me, how this can be?) Key Takeaways Although forms of estar and haber can be used in translating there is and there are, their meanings are not the same.Estar is used when suggesting existence in a location, while haber is used in referring to mere existence.Haber also is used with abstract nouns, which dont refer to objects.