Chinese Grammar Reference logo

    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'to have' or 'there is/are' with 有 (yǒu)

    Existence & Possession

    Structure

    Subject + 有 + Object / Place + 有 + Noun

    Explanation

    有 (yǒu) means "to have" or "there is/are" and is one of the most essential verbs in Chinese. When the subject is a person, it means "to have," as in 我有一本书 (I have a book). When the subject is a place or 那里/这里, it means "there is/are," as in 这里有很多人 (There are many people here).

    Examples

    • 我有两个姐姐和一个弟弟。

      Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè jiějie hé yī gè dìdi.

      I have two older sisters and one younger brother.

    • 冰箱里还有一些鸡蛋。

      Bīngxiāng lǐ hái yǒu yīxiē jīdàn.

      There are still some eggs in the refrigerator.

    • 这附近有没有超市？

      Zhè fùjìn yǒu méiyǒu chāoshì?

      Is there a supermarket nearby?

    Similar Grammar

    Often Confused With

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