The Focus of This Lesson Is Existence.
¿Hay algún bar por la zona?
"Is there any bar in the neighborhood?"

In Spanish, we use the verb haber to talk about existence. In the present tense, there is a special form hay, which is equivalent to the impersonal expression "there is" or "there are." This form is invariable, regardless of number.

For Example:

1. Hay mucha azúcar en mi café.
   "There's a lot of sugar in my coffee."
2. Hay varias huellas en la arena.
   "There are several footprints in the sand."

Note that as in English, we use hay impersonally: it takes no grammatical subject.

hay ("there is," "there are") This is the impersonal present tense form of the verb haber, meaning "to have." We use it exclusively to indicate existence.

unos ("some") This word can be an adjective when it modifies a noun (e.g., comí unos tacos ("I ate some tacos") It can also be a pronoun when it stands alone (e.g., ya me comí unos, meaning "I already ate some").

la cuadra ("block")

caro ("expensive," "dear")

barato ("inexpensive," "cheap")

Remember Your Manners in Spanish!

Disculpe ("excuse me"), perdone ("pardon me"), and perdón ("sorry") are all common polite ways to get a stranger's attention. Note that we conjugate the command forms, disculpe and perdone, in the formal register. Perdón, of course, is not a verb, so we do not conjugate it at all. Another common, polite way to get someone's attention is with oiga ("listen"), the formal register command form of the verb oír ("to hear").

To ask someone to move aside, or to ask politely to enter or exit a room, you may use con permiso ("excuse me").