I can say what there is and isn't near my home — 我家旁边有一家超市 — recognize a supermarket, a hospital, and a school on a sign, and say where I live.
What's where: 有 and 是
What's where: 有 and 是
What for: say what there is near your home, and ask someone else.
English says “There's a supermarket next to my home”, with the place last. In Chinese the place always comes first: place + 有 + what. 我家旁边有超市。(Wǒ jiā pángbiān yǒu chāoshì.) “There's a supermarket next to my home.”
With a number you need a measure word. Stores, restaurants and companies are counted with 家: 一家饭店, 两家书店; rooms and schools with 个.
There isn't: place + 没有 + what, with no number: 这儿没有超市。(Zhèr méiyǒu chāoshì.) “There's no supermarket here.”
Question: …有…吗？ or …有什么？ Use 是 when you name what exactly is there: 公司后边是医院。(Gōngsī hòubian shì yīyuàn.) “Behind the company is a hospital.”
Where you live: the set phrase 住在 + place: 我住在莫斯科。(Wǒ zhù zài Mòsīkē.) “I live in Moscow.”
Common mistakes:
• ×超市有我家旁边 (Chāoshì yǒu wǒ jiā pángbiān.) → 我家旁边有超市。(Wǒ jiā pángbiān yǒu chāoshì.) (the place comes first).
• ×有两书店 (yǒu liǎng shūdiàn) → 有两家书店 (yǒu liǎng jiā shūdiàn) (a measure word is needed).
• 是 and 有 don't go together — choose one.
What's where: 有 and 是
The place always comes first; 是 names what exactly is there.
| Place | Verb | What | In English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 学校前边 (xuéxiào qiánbian) | 有 | 两家饭店 (liǎng jiā fàndiàn) | in front of the school — two restaurants |
| 我家后边 (wǒ jiā hòubian) | 没有 | 商店 (shāngdiàn) | there's no store behind my home |
| 公司后边 (gōngsī hòubian) | 是 | 医院 (yīyuàn) | behind the company — a hospital |
Places in the city
Stores, restaurants and companies are counted with 家; rooms and schools with 个.
| Characters (pinyin) | In English | Measure word |
|---|---|---|
| 房间 (fángjiān) | room | 个 |
| 店 (diàn) | shop, small store | 家 |
| 商店 (shāngdiàn) | store | 家 |
| 书店 (shūdiàn) | bookstore | 家 |
| 超市 (chāoshì) | supermarket | 家 |
| 饭店 (fàndiàn) | restaurant | 家 |
| 医院 (yīyuàn) | hospital | 家 |
| 电影院 (diànyǐngyuàn) | movie theater | 家 |
| 学校 (xuéxiào) | school | 个 |
| 大学 (dàxué) | university | 个 |
| 公司 (gōngsī) | company | 家 |
Lesson notes
What's where: 有 and 是
What for: say what there is near your home, and ask someone else.
English says “There's a supermarket next to my home”, with the place last. In Chinese the place always comes first: place + 有 + what. 我家旁边有超市。(Wǒ jiā pángbiān yǒu chāoshì.) “There's a supermarket next to my home.”
With a number you need a measure word. Stores, restaurants and companies are counted with 家: 一家饭店, 两家书店; rooms and schools with 个.
There isn't: place + 没有 + what, with no number: 这儿没有超市。(Zhèr méiyǒu chāoshì.) “There's no supermarket here.”
Question: …有…吗？ or …有什么？ Use 是 when you name what exactly is there: 公司后边是医院。(Gōngsī hòubian shì yīyuàn.) “Behind the company is a hospital.”
Where you live: the set phrase 住在 + place: 我住在莫斯科。(Wǒ zhù zài Mòsīkē.) “I live in Moscow.”
Common mistakes:
• ×超市有我家旁边 (Chāoshì yǒu wǒ jiā pángbiān.) → 我家旁边有超市。(Wǒ jiā pángbiān yǒu chāoshì.) (the place comes first).
• ×有两书店 (yǒu liǎng shūdiàn) → 有两家书店 (yǒu liǎng jiā shūdiàn) (a measure word is needed).
• 是 and 有 don't go together — choose one.