Existential sentences: 有/是/着 + location
An existential sentence says what exists, is or lies at a place, with the pattern location + verb + thing. It uses 有 (there is), 是 (it is) or a verb + 着 (is lying, hanging, standing), as in 床上躺着一只小猫.
Three types, all with structure Location + Verb + Thing:
| Type | Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 有-existential | 有 | Something exists at the location |
| 是-identificational | 是 | Something is identified at the location |
| 着-existential | V+着 | Something is in a state at the location |
- 桌子上有一本书。(There is a book on the desk.)
- 这里是图书馆。(This place is a library.)
- 墙上挂着一幅画。(A painting is hanging on the wall.)
Word order is fixed: Location FIRST, then verb, then the thing — opposite of English "A book is on the desk."
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 教室里有三十个学生。 | Jiào shì lǐ yǒu sān shí gè xué shēng. | There are thirty students in the classroom. | 有-existential: Location (教室里) + 有 + indefinite thing (三十个学生) |
| 楼下是一家咖啡厅，生意很好。 | Lóu xià shì yī jiā kā fēi tīng, shēng yì hěn hǎo. | Downstairs is a coffee shop; business is good. | 是-identificational: Location (楼下) + 是 + identified entity |
| 床上躺着一只小猫，睡得很香。 | Chuáng shàng tǎng zhe yī zhī xiǎo māo, shuì de hěn xiāng. | A little cat is lying on the bed, sleeping soundly. | 着-existential: Location + V着 + thing; 躺着 = in a lying state |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
有 (yǒu)
Introduces something new that exists at a place.
Structure: place + 有 + (number + measure word) + thing
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 桌子上有两杯茶。 | Zhuō zi shang yǒu liǎng bēi chá. | There are two cups of tea on the table. |
| 学校旁边有一个公园。 | Xué xiào páng biān yǒu yí ge gōng yuán. | There is a park next to the school. |
| 冰箱里有很多水果。 | Bīng xiāng lǐ yǒu hěn duō shuǐ guǒ. | There is lots of fruit in the fridge. |
Not: 桌子上有那本书。 有 introduces something new; a known thing with 那 uses 在: 那本书在桌子上。
有 is also explained in: The 有-Sentence: Possession and Existence (HSK 1) · Existential Sentences with 着: 桌子上放着书 (HSK 2).
是 (shì)
Says what is at a place, usually the only thing or the whole picture.
Structure: place + 是 + thing
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我家前面是一条小河。 | Wǒ jiā qián miàn shì yì tiáo xiǎo hé. | In front of my home is a small river. |
| 银行对面是邮局。 | Yín háng duì miàn shì yóu jú. | Opposite the bank is the post office. |
| 这条路的尽头是海。 | Zhè tiáo lù de jìn tóu shì hǎi. | The road ends at the sea. |
Not: 我的家前面是有一条河。 是 and 有 do not appear together; pick one.
是 is also explained in: The 是-Sentence: Identity and Classification (HSK 1) · Existential Sentences with 着: 桌子上放着书 (HSK 2).
着 (zhe)
Describes the posture or state that something is in at a place.
Structure: place + V + 着 + thing
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 门口站着一个人。 | Mén kǒu zhàn zhe yí ge rén. | A person is standing at the door. |
| 桌子上放着一本词典。 | Zhuō zi shang fàng zhe yì běn cí diǎn. | A dictionary lies on the desk. |
| 黑板上写着今天的作业。 | Hēi bǎn shang xiě zhe jīn tiān de zuò yè. | Today's homework is written on the board. |
Not: 墙上挂一幅画。 The verb needs 着 here; say 墙上挂着一幅画。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, particles (动态助词).
着 is also explained in: Existential Sentences with 着: 桌子上放着书 (HSK 2) · Continuous State 着: Persistent Action or State (HSK 2) · 着: continuous/accompanying state (HSK 4) · Object Semantics: Existential & Affected Objects (HSK 5).
Compared side by side: 有 vs 是.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
What this opens up
These patterns list Existential sentences among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
The same pattern at other levels
- Existential Sentences with 着 — HSK 2
Questions about Existential sentences
What does 存在句 (Existential sentences) mean in Chinese?
An existential sentence says what exists, is or lies at a place, with the pattern location + verb + thing. It uses 有 (there is), 是 (it is) or a verb + 着 (is lying, hanging, standing), as in 床上躺着一只小猫. It is an HSK 4 grammar point.
How do you use 存在句 (Existential sentences) in a sentence?
教室里有三十个学生。 — Jiào shì lǐ yǒu sān shí gè xué shēng. — There are thirty students in the classroom. 有-existential: Location (教室里) + 有 + indefinite thing (三十个学生).
What do you need to know before 存在句 (Existential sentences)?
着 (HSK 4), Existential Sentences with 着 (HSK 2). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
What does 存在句 (Existential sentences) lead to?
Object Semantic Types (HSK 6), Object Semantics (HSK 5), '有' Sentences (HSK 5). Each of them names 存在句 (Existential sentences) among its own prerequisites.
Why does the place come first?
Because the sentence introduces what is there: place, then verb, then thing. 桌子上有一本书 is the normal order, not 一本书在桌子上 for something new.
What is the difference between 有 and 是?
有 says there is something there, possibly among other things. 是 says what the place is made of or what is there: 前面是学校。
Existential sentences is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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