To say “there is” and “there are” in Spanish, you just need to say hay, pronounced like “eye” in English. It’s surprisingly simple. This one word can also easily be used in a question: ¿Hay…? (is there?/are there?)
Hay is an impersonal form of haber (one of the more common irregular verbs in Spanish). It’s a powerful way to describe surroundings and ask important questions. Learn hay along with Spanish question words and common Spanish proverbs to supercharge your communication.
Table of Contents
What does hay mean?
Hay is a powerful word to know in Spanish, because it encompasses what it takes four phrases to say in English. Hay means:
- There is…
- There are…
- Is there…?
- Are there…?
This means that when you’re translating sentences like “there are three pencils,” you won’t need to choose between ser and estar for the word “are.” It’s already included! Just use hay with a combination of Spanish articles and Spanish nouns and you’re on your way to describing anything and everything in your surroundings.
Here are some phrases you might hear in a classroom to talk about what’s around you or to ask “is there?” in Spanish.
- Hay veinte estudiantes en la clase. = There are twenty students in the class.
- Hay una nueva profesora. = There is a new teacher.
- ¿Hay tarea? = Is there any homework?
- ¿Hay preguntas? = Are there questions?
Add Spanish question words to ask more detailed questions.
- ¿Cuántos libros hay en tu mochila? = How many books are there in your backpack?
- ¿Dónde hay una farmacia abierta? = Where is there an open pharmacy?
- ¿Qué hay en la caja? = What is there in the box?
- ¿Por qué hay tanto ruido? = Why is there so much noise?
Scenarios perfect for using hay to say ‘there is’
It really is surprisingly simple, but English learners sometimes have trouble remembering the word hay. It’s helpful to see the word in multiple contexts to solidify your understanding.
To discuss the weather
Though other verbs like hacer (to do/to make) and estar (to be) help you describe the weather in most cases, you can also structure some sentences with hay.
- Hay mucho viento. = There is a lot of wind.
- Hay niebla. = There is fog.
- Hay más tormentas en invierno que antes. = There are more storms in the winter than before.
- Hay mucha nieve aquí. = There is a lot of snow here.
To describe where you live
In addition to telling what there is, you can discuss what’s missing by using no hay (there isn’t/there aren’t)
- En mi comunidad hay parques y hay oportunidades de recreo, pero no hay estadios grandes. = In my community, there are parks and there are opportunities for recreation, but there aren’t big stadiums.
- Hay un hospital pequeño cerca de la escuela. = There is a small hospital near the school.
- No hay grafiti en los edificios porque te multan. = There is no graffiti on the buildings because they fine you.
To tell people what’s available
If you have guests, you can give them a quick tour of where they’ll find the things they may need.
- Hay pan en la cocina. = There is bread in the kitchen.
- Aquí en este armario hay toallas adicionales. = Here in this closet there are more towels.
- Hay una silla para cada persona, ¿sí? = There’s a chair for each person, right?
- En la casa hay tres dormitorios y un baño. = In the house there are three bedrooms and one bathroom.
When not to use hay in Spanish
While the word hay can be used for a number of English words and phrases, there are some instances when you can’t use it. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words and remember not to use it when you exclaim “there it is!”
When you mean to say ay or ahí instead
The pronunciation of ahí (there) and allí (there, further away) may be tricky at first for English speakers, and also varies with regional accents. Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent speech recognition engine can help you form the sounds correctly from the beginning. Sometimes even native Spanish speakers need a quick lesson about words that sound alike. Keep in mind you might also hear:
- ¡Ay! (Ow/Oh!), an interjection of surprise, pain, or sorrow.
- Ahí (there), a word that demonstrates a location at a medium distance.
When you want to say ‘there it is’ in Spanish
If you are searching for something, you might exclaim, “there it is!” or “there they are!” in Spanish when you finally find what you’re looking for.
The addition of the tiny little word “it” changes this sentence in Spanish entirely, so you don’t use hay. Natural ways to express this would include the verb estar (to be).
| Spanish | English | Explanation |
| ¡ahí está! | There it is! | Singular noun, at a medium distance. |
| ¡ahí están! | There they are! | Plural noun, at a medium distance. |
| ¡allí está! | There it is! | Singular noun, at a further distance. |
| ¡allí están! | There they are! | Plural noun, at a further distance. |
| ¡aquí está! | Here it is! | Singular noun, close to speaker. |
| ¡aquí están! | Here they are! | Plural noun, close to speaker. |
Spanish phrases with hay
Learning proverbs, sayings, idiomatic expressions, and Spanish phrases can be a great way to remember structures that differ from English. Try these out next time you’re in conversation to wow native speakers with your knowledge of hay.
| Spanish | English Literal Translation | English Meaning |
| A buen hambre no hay pan duro. | To a good hunger, there is no stale bread. | Beggars can’t be choosers. If you’re truly in need, you take what you can get. |
| A buen sueño no hay mala cama | To a good “sleepiness,” there isn’t a bad bed. | Similar to above, you take what you can get without complaining. |
| Aquí hay gato encerrado. | Here there is a closed-in cat. | Something is “fishy”/doesn’t seem right. |
| Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho. | From what’s said to what’s done there’s a big distance. | Easier said than done. |
| No hay mal que dure cien años. | There is no bad thing/evil that lasts a hundred years. | This too shall pass. |
| No hay mal que por bien no venga. | There is no bad thing that doesn’t come for your good. | Everything happens for a reason. |
Key takeaways about hay in Spanish
Hay cuatro cosas aprendidas (There are four takeaways):
- Hay can be followed by either singular or plural words, translated as both “there is” and “there are” in English.
- ¿Hay…? expresses the question “is there?” or “are there?” in Spanish and can combine with other Spanish question words.
- The word hay is versatile and common, so use it to describe what there is in your room, your home, your community, your country, and beyond.
- Whatever you do, don’t pronounce it like “hey” in English. Remember the “h” is silent and explore more uses of hay with Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method.
0 Commentaires