Haber
El verbo haber
Hay, había, and haber as the auxiliary in the perfect tenses.
The rule
Haber wears three hats. EXISTENCE: hay = there is / there are, and it stays singular whatever follows: 'Hay un parque', 'Hay muchos niños' (never «hayn»). The split with estar: hay introduces something NEW and indefinite ('Hay una farmacia cerca'), está/están locates something already known and definite ('La farmacia está en la esquina'), so hay never takes el/la or a name.
In the past, había describes the scene ('Había mucha gente'), hubo reports an occurrence ('Hubo un apagón'). OBLIGATION: hay que + infinitive = one must, impersonally: 'Hay que cambiar el pañal' says the nappy needs changing without pointing at anyone (compare tener que, which names the person: 'Tengo que cambiarlo'). AUXILIARY: haber builds the perfect tenses with a participle (he comido, has estado, hemos dormido, había salido), and nothing can slip between them ('He comido ya', never «he ya comido»).
Examples
Hay una plaza con juegos cerca de casa.
There's a playground near our place. (new, indefinite → hay)
La plaza está al lado del mercado.
The playground is next to the market. (known, definite → está)
Hay muchos niños hoy.
There are lots of kids today. (hay stays singular)
Hay que esterilizar los biberones.
The bottles need sterilising. (impersonal obligation)
Todavía no ha dicho su primera palabra.
He hasn't said his first word yet. (auxiliary + participle)
Try it yourself
Three quick questions, straight from the app. No sign-up needed.
¿___ una farmacia por acá?
Is there a pharmacy around here?
All 12 Haber questions, free in Hablaba
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