🔧 Grammar ★ Core Say it yourself

Hay versus estar

Distinguish introducing the existence of something from locating a known, specific thing.

Use hay with indefinite or quantified nouns to say what exists. Use está/están with definite, demonstrative, possessive or named subjects to say where they are.

Patterns to reuse
Hay + un/una/algunos/muchos/numeral + noun
there is/are
El/La/Los/Las… está/están + place
the known thing is located
ehl
¿Hay…? versus ¿Dónde está…?
existence versus location
eye BEHR-soos DOHN-deh ehs-TAH
Watch out for
Hay la estación cerca.
La estación está cerca.

A definite known item is located with estar.

Hayn dos bancos.
Hay dos bancos.

Present hay never changes for plural.

Hay una farmacia cerca.
There is a pharmacy nearby.
eye OO-nah fahr-MAH-thyah THEHR-kah
La farmacia está al lado del banco.
The pharmacy is next to the bank.
lah fahr-MAH-thyah ehs-TAH ahl LAH-doh dehl BAHN-koh
Hay dos plazas en el barrio.
There are two squares in the neighbourhood.
eye dohs PLAH-thahs ehn ehl BAH-rryoh
¿Dónde están mis llaves?
Where are my keys?
DOHN-deh ehs-TAHN mees YAH-behs
Hay

Invariant in the present: hay for singular and plural.

Estar Agreement
singular
está
plural
están
Which word gives it away
Hay
un/unanumbersmuchos/pocosno article
Estar
el/la/los/laseste/estami/tu/suproper names
Try it out loud
choice
Choose hay, está or están in ten short location sentences.
What to include

Look at the determiner and meaning.

two step
Introduce a café, then locate it.
What to include

Hay un café. El café está…

production
Describe a room using three hay and three estar sentences.
What to include

Introduce first; refer back as definite.

Happy with all of this?
  • I can explain and use the existence/location contrast.
  • I never pluralise present hay.

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