4.8: Lesson 3 Grammar - Expressing existence with 有 (yǒu)
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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.
Structure
Literally, this structure expresses that a place "has" a thing, which is to say, that thing is in the place.
Place + 有 + Obj.
Examples
- 我家有很多小狗。
Wǒ jiā yǒu hěn duō xiǎo gǒu.
There are a lot of puppies in my home.
- 我們學校有很多帥哥 。
Wǒmen xuéxiào yǒu hěn duō shuàigē.
There are a lot of cute guys in our school.
- 日本有很多中國人。
Rìběn yǒu hěn duō Zhōngguó rén.
There are many Chinese people in Japan.
- 你家有牛奶嗎?
Nǐ jiā yǒu niúnǎi ma?
Is there milk in your house?
- 這裡有一個問題。
Zhèlǐ yǒu yī gè wèntí.
There is a problem here.
- 房間裡有人嗎?
Fángjiān lǐ yǒu rén ma?
Is there anyone in the room?
- 杯子裡有水嗎?
Bēizi lǐ yǒu shuǐ ma?
Is there any water in the cup?
- 我的手機裡有你的號碼。
Wǒ de shǒujī lǐ yǒu nǐ de hàomǎ.
Your number is in my cell phone.
- 現在辦公室裡有人嗎?
Xiànzài bàngōngshì lǐ yǒu rén ma?
Is there anyone in the office now?
[adapted from AllSet Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki, Creative Commons License BY-NC-SA 3.0]
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