¿Cuándo y cómo se usa?
"There is" y "there are" expresan existencia: sirven para decir que "hay" algo en algún lugar. Es una de las estructuras más rentables del A1, porque la usas para describir tu casa, tu ciudad, una foto o cualquier escena.
La elección depende de lo que viene DESPUÉS, no de un sujeto: singular o incontable → "there is"; plural → "there are". "There is a book", "There are two books", "There is some milk".
La gran trampa del hispanohablante: en español "hay" es invariable y muchos lo traducen con "have" o "it has". En inglés NUNCA se usa "have" para "hay": es siempre "there is/are". (Y si necesitas el pasado, es "there was / there were".)
Lo que manda es lo que sigue
Mira el sustantivo que viene justo después: singular o incontable → "there is" (There is a problem / There is some water); plural → "there are" (There are five chairs).
En una lista, concuerda con el PRIMER elemento: "There is a sofa and two chairs" (concuerda con "a sofa"); "There are two chairs and a sofa" (concuerda con "two chairs").
Negativo, pregunta y some/any
Negativo: there isn't / there aren't, normalmente con "any": "There isn't any milk." Pregunta: se invierte → "Is there a bank nearby?", "Are there any seats?". Respuesta corta: "Yes, there is" / "No, there isn't".
Regla de some/any: "some" en afirmativas (There are some apples), "any" en negativas y preguntas (There aren't any apples / Are there any apples?).
Contracción y pasado
En el habla, "there is" se contrae a "there's" (There's a problem). Para el plural, al escribir se mantiene "there are".
El pasado existe y funciona igual: "there was" (singular) y "there were" (plural): "There was a party" / "There were many people".
Tablas de referencia
| Forma | Singular / incontable | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Afirmativa | There is a chair | There are two chairs |
| Negativa | There isn't any milk | There aren't any chairs |
| Pregunta | Is there a chair? | Are there any chairs? |
| Pasado | There was a party | There were many people |
| Tipo de oración | Se usa | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| Afirmativa | some | There are some apples. |
| Negativa | any | There aren't any apples. |
| Pregunta | any | Are there any apples? |
Ejemplos
- There is a book on the table. — Hay un libro en la mesa.
- There are three windows in the room. — Hay tres ventanas en la habitación.
- There isn't any milk in the fridge. — No hay leche en el refrigerador.↳ incontable + negativa → there is + any.
- Are there any students here? — ¿Hay estudiantes aquí?↳ pregunta plural → are there + any.
- There's a sofa and two chairs. — Hay un sofá y dos sillas.↳ concuerda con el primer elemento (a sofa).
- There were many people at the party. — Había mucha gente en la fiesta.↳ pasado plural → there were.
- Yes, there is. / No, there isn't. — Sí (lo hay). / No (no lo hay).↳ respuesta corta.
Del español al inglés (evita la traducción literal)
- Hay un problema.→There is a problem.
"hay" → there is, nunca "have".
- Hay mucha gente.→There are many people.
"people" es plural → there are.
- No hay leche.→There isn't any milk.
incontable + negativa → there is + any.
- ¿Hay un banco cerca?→Is there a bank nearby?
la pregunta invierte el orden.
- Había dos sillas.→There were two chairs.
pasado plural → there were.
Errores comunes de hispanohablantes
- ✗ There are a problem.✓ There is a problem.
Singular → there is.
- ✗ It has many people.✓ There are many people.
Para "hay" se usa there is/are, no "have".
- ✗ There is two cats.✓ There are two cats.
Plural (two cats) → there are.
- ✗ There are any chairs. (afirmativa)✓ There are some chairs.
En afirmativa se usa "some", no "any".
- ✗ Have a book on the table.✓ There is a book on the table.
Existencia → there is, no "have".
💡 Truco: Para decir "hay" NO uses "have": es there is/are. Mira lo que viene después: singular/incontable → there is; plural → there are. Y recuerda some (afirmativa) vs any (negativa/pregunta).