Ter vs. Haver in Brazilian Portuguese: How to Say “There Is” — Practice

Recognize tem in everyday Brazilian speech

In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, speakers commonly use tem to say that something exists or is available. In this impersonal meaning, tem does not change to match a plural noun in standard usage: “Tem uma farmácia aqui” and “Tem duas farmácias aqui.”

This conversational pattern can surprise English speakers because ter usually translates as “to have.” Learn the entire phrase and situation together; do not assume that each Portuguese word maps to only one English meaning.

Use há for existence in more formal writing

Haver can express existence with the meaning “there is” or “there are.” In this use it is impersonal and stays singular: “Há um problema” and “Há três problemas.” You will often see há in formal writing, notices, reports, and careful explanations.

Há also appears in time expressions to say how long ago something happened: “Cheguei há dois dias” means “I arrived two days ago.” The spelling has an accent in this present-tense form; a appears without it in several other uses, so keep the complete expression in your notes.

Choose the expression for your situation

If you are speaking casually and pointing out what is available, tem is a very useful Brazilian pattern. If you are writing in a more formal register, há may fit better. Existe/existem is another option when you want to emphasize that something exists; it agrees with the noun in the usual way.

These options are not interchangeable in every sentence. The tone, construction, and meaning matter. Learn a few examples from the kind of conversation or writing you want to handle, then compare how a Brazilian speaker uses them in context.

Remember: Practice one spoken question with tem, one written sentence with há, and one example with existe. Real Life Portuguese helps you hear everyday speech; I Speak Portuguese teachers can explain register choices in your own sentences.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. Is there a bank near here?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Tem um banco perto daqui?

2. There are two free tables.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Tem duas mesas livres.

3. There is no coffee at home.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Não tem café em casa.

4. There is a simple solution.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Há uma solução simples.

5. There are many people in the line.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Há muitas pessoas na fila.

6. I have lived in Brazil for three years.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Moro no Brasil há três anos.

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

Practice one spoken question with tem, one written sentence with há, and one example with existe. Real Life Portuguese helps you hear everyday speech; I Speak Portuguese teachers can explain register choices in your own sentences.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Ter vs. Haver in Brazilian Portuguese: How to Say “There Is” lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.