“There is”: Place + 有 + Thing (and Place + 是 + Thing)
【一37】“有”字句 (存在) /【一36】“是”字句 (存在)
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
To say “there is something somewhere”, start with the place, then 有: 桌子上有一本书 (there's a book on the table). Negative: 房间里没有桌子.
Compare with 在:
• Place + 有 + thing: you learn what is there (new information, often with a number).
• Thing + 在 + place: you know the thing and ask where it is. 我的书在桌子上.
Place + 是 + thing says what occupies the place: 车站东边是一个学校 (“east of the station is a school”).
Typical question: 这儿有洗手间吗？ (is there a restroom here?)
Examples
房间里有两个人。
Fángjiān li yǒu liǎng ge rén.There are two people in the room.
学校旁边有一家商店。
Xuéxiào pángbiān yǒu yì jiā shāngdiàn.There's a shop next to the school.
这儿有洗手间吗？
Zhèr yǒu xǐshǒujiān ma?Is there a restroom here?
教学楼西边不是图书馆。
Jiàoxuélóu xībian bú shì túshūguǎn.West of the classroom building isn't the library.
Common mistakes
✗ 一本书在桌子上 (sounds odd) → ✓ 桌子上有一本书.
✗ 在桌子上有一本书 → ✓ 桌子上有一本书 (the place is the subject, no 在 needed).
✗ 桌子上是书吗 for “is there a book?” → ✓ 桌子上有书吗？