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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing to have or there is with 有 (yǒu)

    Existence & Possession
    Numbers & Quantity

    Structure

    Subject + 有 + Object

    Explanation

    有 is one of the most fundamental Chinese verbs, meaning "to have" or "there is/are." It indicates possession when the subject is a person, and existence when the subject is a place. The negative form is 没有, never 不有.

    Examples

    • 我有两个哥哥和一个妹妹。

      Wǒ yǒu liǎng ge gēge hé yī ge mèimei.

      I have two older brothers and one younger sister.

    • 冰箱里有牛奶吗？

      Bīngxiāng lǐ yǒu niúnǎi ma?

      Is there milk in the fridge?

    • 桌子上有一本很有意思的书。

      Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yī běn hěn yǒu yìsi de shū.

      There is a very interesting book on the table.

    Similar Grammar

    Expressing to have or there is with 有 (yǒu) | Chinese Grammar