Haver e Ter
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Há means there is / there are in the present tense.Há uma revista em inglês. There is a magazine in English.Há dois jornais em português. There are two newspapers in Portuguese.To form the interrogative, use a question mark at the end of the sentence when writing and use a question intonation when speaking:Há um recado para mim? Is there a message for me?Há três quartos disponíveis nesse hotel? Are there three rooms available in that hotel?Use não to form the negative:Não há nada para fazer. There is nothing to do.In conversational or informal Portuguese, however, the verb ter, to have, can be used instead:Tem mais café? Is there more coffee?Não têm dois ingressos. There aren't two tickets.Têm dois gatos no apartamento da minha vizinha. There are two cats in my neighbor's apartment.Notice that when the verb ter means there is or there are, the subject is not used. Compare:Tem alguém em casa? Is there somebody home?Ele tem uma casa bonita. He has a beautiful house.As a student, use há to practice when meaning there is or there are but also remember that native Portuguese speakers will use ter in informal speech.
