Spanish HAY vs ESTAR

One of the most common doubts for students is the difference between the Spanish hay and estar. Today we are going to help you understand how to use these two verb forms.

First of all, it is important to know that hay is an impersonal form of the verb haber while está is the third person singular of the present indicative of the verb estar. 

The Spanish hay could be translated in English with there is/there are and is used with both singular and plural nouns, for example:

• En este pueblo hay un solo bar (In this village there is only one bar)
• En este pueblo hay tres bares (In this village there are three bars)

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HOW TO USE HAY AND ESTAR 

HAY	ESTAR
1️⃣🟦Hay is used to talk about the existence of something or someone not known	1️⃣🟧Estar is used to indicate the location of something or someone mentioned before
2️⃣🟦Hay is used to refer to the existence of something or someone indeterminate	2️⃣🟧Estar is used to refer to the location of something unique or specific
3️⃣🟦Hay is used to ask for the location of something or someone unknown	3️⃣🟧Estar is used to ask for the location of something known

1️⃣🟦The existence of something or someone not known. 

• Hay un señor que quiere hablar contigo.* (There is a man who wants to talk to you.)

*(I don’t know who this man is)

• Hay un restaurante nuevo en el barrio.* (There is a new restaurant in the neighbourhood.)

*(I don’t know this restaurant)

1️⃣🟧 The location of something or someone mentioned before.

• Está en la recepción.* (He is at the reception desk.)

*The man I have told you about.

• Está en la calle Menorca.* (It is in Menorca street.)

*The restaurant I have told you about.

2️⃣🟦The existence of something or someone indeterminate.

• Hay un cine en la calle Minerva. (There is a cinema in Minerva Street.)

• En Madrid hay muchos museos. (There are many museums in Madrid.)

2️⃣🟧The location of something unique or specific.

• El cine Verdi está en la calle Minerva.  (The Verdi cinema is in Minerva street.)
• El Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza está en Madrid. (The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is in Madrid.)

3️⃣🟦The location of something or someone unknown.

• Perdone, ¿dónde hay una farmacia?* (Excuse me, where is there a pharmacy?)

*I don’t know of any pharmacy in this neighbourhood.

• ¿Dónde hay un restaurante?* (Where is there a restaurant?)

*I don’t know of any restaurant in this neighbourhood.

3️⃣🟧The location of something known.

• ¿Dónde está la farmacia de tu primo?* (Where is your cousin’s pharmacy?)

*I know that your cousin has a pharmacy.

• ¿Dónde está La Taberna de Chana?* (Where is La Taberna de Chana?)

*I know the restaurant La Taberna de Chana but I don’t know where it is.

REMEMBER:

Since the Spanish hay is used to talk about something or someone indeterminate or unknown, it is not possible to use it together with the definite articles (el/la/los/las) or with possessive adjectives (mi/tu/su/…). 

• Hay El Museo de Cera en la Plaza de Colón ❌
• Hay un museo en la Plaza de Colón (There is a museum in Colon square) ✔️
• El museo de Cera está en la Plaza de Colón (The wax museum is in Colon square) ✔️

 

• ¿Dónde hay el estanco? ❌

• ¿Dónde hay un estanco? (Where is there a supermarket?) ✔️

• ¿Dónde está el estanco más cercano? (Where is the nearest supermarket?) ✔️

 

• ¿Dónde hay mi tablet? ❌
• ¿Dónde hay una tablet? (Where is there a tablet? ✔️
• ¿Dónde está mi tablet? (Where is my tablet?) ✔️

Now that you know how to use the Spanish hay, why not continue learning Spanish with one of our native and qualified Spanish teachers?

Book a free trial lesson today! 

EXERCISES:

Choose between hay and está

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