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 (yǒu), which means "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？Nàlǐ yǒu píjiǔ ma?Is there beer there?
• 日本 有 很 多 中国人。 Rìběn yǒu hěnduō Zhōngguó rén.There are many Chinese people in Japan.
• 这里 有 错误。Zhèlǐ yǒu cuòwù.There is a mistake here.
• 我 家 有 很 多 小 狗。Wǒjiā yǒu hěnduō xiǎo gǒu.There are a lot of puppies in my home.
• 我们 学校 有 很 多 帅哥 。Wǒmen xuéxiào yǒu hěnduō shuàigē.There are a lot of cute guys in our school.
• 房间 里 有 两 个 人 。Fángjiān lǐ yǒu liǎng gè rén.There are two people in the room.
• 这 个 酒吧 有 很 多 美女。Zhè gè jiǔbā yǒu hěnduō měinǚ.There are a lot of pretty girls in this bar.
• 杯子 里 有 什么？Bēizi lǐ yǒu shénme?What is (there) in the cup?
• 我 的 手机 里 有 你 的 号码。Wǒ de shǒujī lǐ yǒu nǐ de hàomǎ.Your number is in my cell phone.
• 现在 超市 里 有 人 吗？Xiànzài chāoshì lǐ yǒu rén ma?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) (p. 53) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (p. 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) (p. 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