Spanish Steps - At the supermarket - Grammar

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Looking for things: hay and tiene

¿Hay...?

 

Hay can mean there is or there are

 

En esta calle hay una farmacia. In this street there is a chemist's.
En esta calle hay dos farmacias. In this street there are two chemist's

In a question hay means: Is there...? or are there...?

Perdón, ¿hay un supermercado por aquí?  Excuse me, is there a supermarket nearby?

 

The answer No, no hay means No, there isn't.

 

¿Tiene...?

 

This word comes from the verb tener, to have, and provides the verb for the essential shopping question Have you got...?

 

¿Tiene agua mineral, por favor? Have you got any mineral water, please?

 

The replies could range from:

 

Sí, tengo. Yes, I have.
Sí, tenemos. Yes, we have.

to

Lo siento, no tenemos. Sorry, we haven't.