Expressing existence with "you"

有 (yǒu) can mean "to have," but it's also used to say "there is" or "there are."

Structure

The verb 有, "to have", can also be used to express existence. This is similar to saying "there is" or "there are" in English, and is sometimes expressed in other ways as well.

Place + 有 + Object

Examples

• 那里 有 啤酒 吗？Is there beer there?
• 日本 有 很 多 中国人。 There are many Chinese people in Japan.
• 这里 有 错误。There is a mistake here.
• 我 家 有 很 多小狗。There are a lot of puppies in my home.
• 我们 学校 有 很 多 帅哥 。There are a lot of cute guys in our school.
• 房间 里 有 两 个 人 。There are two people in the room.
• 这 个 酒吧 有 很 多 美女。There are a lot of pretty girls in this bar.
• 杯子 里 有 什么？What is there in the cup?
• 我 的 手机 里 有 你 的 号码。Your number is on my cell phone.
• 现在 超市 里 有 人 吗？Is there anyone in the supermarket now?

See also

• Expressing existence

Sources and further reading

• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 87-8) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 53) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (pp. 105) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 122-3) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 155) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (pp. 300-1)→buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (pp. 62, 73)→buy