State and existence
What exists, or what state is something in?
Significado
We can say that something exists, where it is, or what state it is in without describing an action. This lets us describe a situation, such as a room being warm or food being available. Some languages use a linking verb, a verb that connects something to its description, while others have no such verb or leave it out in some sentences. Identity and classification instead says who or what something is or which group it belongs to.
Como identificar
Look for a description of what exists, where something is, or what condition it is in, rather than an action or change.
Na tua língua materna
Estar links a subject to its condition or location, while ficar can describe entering or remaining in a condition. For existence or availability, Brazilian conversation commonly uses ter; standard writing also uses haver or existir. Existential ter and haver normally stay singular, while existir agrees with the things said to exist.
A água está fria.
Tem pão na cozinha.
Ter expresses availability here, a common use in Brazilian conversation.
Há duas farmácias nesta rua.
Há stays singular even though duas farmácias is plural.
Na tua língua de aprendizagem
English often uses be to describe a state or say where something is. To introduce something as existing or being present, it commonly uses there is or there are. Other verbs, such as exist, know, and belong, can express states too.
The kitchen is warm.
Is connects the kitchen to a description of its state.
My glasses are on the table.
Are is needed even though the sentence describes a location, not an action.
There is some milk in the fridge.
There is introduces something present; there does not mean in that place here.
Learners whose language leaves out the verb in descriptions may omit be in English. Learners whose language introduces something without a special subject word may leave out there in there is or there are.