If you’re learning Spanish, you’ve probably come across sentences like:

Hay un libro en la mesa.
El libro está en la mesa.

They look very similar, right? In both cases, we’re talking about something “on the table.” But in Spanish, there’s an important difference between hay and estar, and understanding it is essential to speak and write correctly.

This distinction appears everywhere in everyday Spanish — when describing a place, explaining what’s in a room, or asking where something or someone is.

In this article, we’ll explain when to use hay and when to use estar, with clear examples and simple tips to help you stop confusing them.

1. First things first: what do hay and estar mean?

Both verbs express the presence or location of something, but they’re not used in the same way:

• Hay means there is / there are — it talks about existence in general.
• Estar means to be — it talks about the specific position or location of something or someone.

In short:

• Hay = there is / there are (in general)
• Estar = is / are (something or someone specific)

Let’s see how that works in practice.

2. When to use hay

We use hay to talk about existence or quantity, that is, to say that something exists, without being specific.
It’s the impersonal form of haber, and it never changes for number — hay is used for both singular and plural.
Use hay:

a) With indefinite articles

– Hay una niña en el jardín. 

The article una shows we’re talking about a girl in general, not a specific one.

b) With numbers

– Hay doce platos en la mesa. 

We’re counting the plates, not identifying which ones — it’s a general statement.

c) With quantifiers

– Hay poca gente en casa. 

We’re talking generally about quantity, not about who the people are.

d) Directly with a noun

– Hay flores en la ventana. 

We don’t specify which flowers — just that some exist there.

3. When to use estar

We use estar when talking about something specific, already known, or when saying where something or someone is.
It’s the equivalent of the English is / are / is located.
Use estar: 

a) With definite articles

– En la cocina está el reloj. 

Here we’re talking about a specific clock — one that’s already known to both speakers.

b) With possessive adjectives

– ¿Está mi madre en tu casa? 

The person we’re referring to (mi madre) is clearly identified.

4. Hay or Estar? Here’s the trick to remember

Both verbs can appear in the same sentence or dialogue — but they express different ideas.

• Hay un restaurante en esta calle. → There’s a restaurant on this street. (existence, general)
• El restaurante está en esta calle. → The restaurant is on this street. (location, specific)

See the difference?
In the first case, we don’t know which restaurant — in the second, we do.

5. Common mistakes to avoid

💡 Mistake 1: Using estar with indefinite articles

❌ Está un libro en la mesa.

✅ Hay un libro en la mesa.

💡 Mistake 2: Using hay with definite articles

❌ Hay la silla al lado de la ventana.

✅ Hay una silla al lado de la ventana.

💡 Mistake 3: Changing hay for the plural

Hay un libro → Hay tres libros

Remember — hay never changes!

6. Why is it important to get them right?

Because you’ll find hay and estar everywhere in Spanish. You use them when describing rooms, cities, people, or events — and to answer everyday questions like: ¿Qué hay en tu mochila? o ¿Dónde está el baño?

Learning to use them correctly will help you:

• make your descriptions clearer,
• understand native speakers better,
• and sound more natural when speaking Spanish.

7. Want to learn more?

Check out the grammar sheet “Hay – Estar” in the Sillabi A1 grammar resources: for a simple summary of the rules, clear examples, and quick reminders to help you fix the difference once and for all.

And if you’d like to keep practising Spanish and build strong grammar foundations, discover our course ¡Ojalá! – Level A1: a practical, motivating program that helps you learn Spanish step by step!