German 'There Is' and 'There Are': Expressing Existence with 'es gibt'
Learn to say that something exists or is present in German using 'es gibt'. This beginner lesson teaches the fixed expression, its accusative case, and common contexts.
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In German, to say that something exists or is present, you use the fixed expression 'es gibt' (literally 'it gives'). This is different from English 'there is' and 'there are', which change with number. In German, 'es gibt' stays the same whether you're talking about one thing or many. The noun that follows is always in the accusative case. This lesson will teach you how to use 'es gibt' correctly in sentences, with plenty of examples.
By the end, you can…
- use 'es gibt' to say that something exists or is present.
- form sentences with 'es gibt' and the correct accusative article.
- ask questions about existence using 'Gibt es ...?'
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Es gibt einen Park in der Nähe von meinem Haus.
There is a park near my house.
es geept AY-nen park in dair NAY-uh fon MY-nem hows
Use 'einen' because 'Park' is masculine and in the accusative case after 'es gibt'.
Es gibt viele Restaurants in der Stadt.
There are many restaurants in the city.
es geept FEE-luh res-toh-RAHNTS in dair shtaht
'Viele' means 'many' and does not change after 'es gibt'. The noun 'Restaurants' is plural.
Gibt es hier eine Bank?
Is there a bank here?
geept es heer AY-nuh bank
To ask a question, invert the verb and 'es': 'Gibt es ...?' The noun 'Bank' is feminine, so 'eine' is used.
Es gibt kein Brot mehr.
There is no bread left.
es geept kine broht mair
'Kein' negates a noun. 'Brot' is neuter, so 'kein' is used without an ending.
Es gibt einen Supermarkt um die Ecke.
There is a supermarket around the corner.
es geept AY-nen ZOO-pair-markt oom dee EK-uh
'Um die Ecke' is a common phrase meaning 'around the corner'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The expression 'es gibt' is always followed by a noun in the accusative case. For masculine nouns, the indefinite article changes from 'ein' to 'einen'. For example: 'Es gibt einen Bahnhof.' (There is a train station.) Feminine and neuter nouns do not change: 'Es gibt eine Kirche.' (There is a church.) 'Es gibt ein Hotel.' (There is a hotel.) In the plural, you use 'viele' or a number: 'Es gibt viele Geschäfte.' (There are many shops.)
When to use it
Use 'es gibt' to state that something exists or is available. It is not used to say where something is located if you already know it exists. For example, to say 'The park is near my house', you would say 'Der Park ist in der Nähe von meinem Haus.' But to introduce the existence of the park, you say 'Es gibt einen Park in der Nähe von meinem Haus.' Use 'es gibt' when you are mentioning something for the first time or asking if something exists: 'Gibt es hier einen Arzt?' (Is there a doctor here?)
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Entschuldigung, gibt es hier in der Nähe eine Apotheke?
Excuse me, is there a pharmacy near here?ent-SHOOL-dee-goong, geept es heer in dair NAY-uh AY-nuh ah-po-TAY-kuhJa, es gibt eine Apotheke in der Hauptstraße.
Yes, there is a pharmacy on the main street.yah, es geept AY-nuh ah-po-TAY-kuh in dair HOWPT-shtrah-suhDanke. Gibt es auch einen Supermarkt in der Nähe?
Thank you. Is there also a supermarket nearby?DAN-kuh. geept es owkh AY-nen ZOO-pair-markt in dair NAY-uhJa, es gibt einen Supermarkt gleich um die Ecke.
Yes, there is a supermarket just around the corner.yah, es geept AY-nen ZOO-pair-markt glykh oom dee EK-uhA little context goes a long way
In German, 'es gibt' is the standard way to express existence in all registers, from casual to formal. It is used in both spoken and written German. In Austria and Switzerland, you may hear 'es hat' instead of 'es gibt' in casual speech, but 'es gibt' is universally understood and preferred in formal contexts.
One thing to watch for
Using 'es ist' or 'es sind' to mean 'there is' or 'there are'.
Try this instead: 'Es ist' means 'it is' and 'es sind' means 'they are'. To express existence, always use 'es gibt'. For example, say 'Es gibt einen Park', not 'Es ist ein Park'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'There is a book on the table' in German? (Use 'ein Buch' for 'a book' and 'auf dem Tisch' for 'on the table'.)
Show a sample answer
Es gibt ein Buch auf dem Tisch.
'Buch' is neuter, so the article remains 'ein' in the accusative. 'Auf dem Tisch' is the correct prepositional phrase.
2Translate: 'Is there a train station here?'
Show a sample answer
Gibt es hier einen Bahnhof?
'Bahnhof' is masculine, so 'einen' is used in the accusative. The question is formed by inverting 'es' and 'gibt'.
3Fill in the blank: 'Es gibt ___ schöne Parks in Berlin.' (many)
Show a sample answer
viele
'Viele' means 'many' and is used with plural nouns. 'Schöne' is the adjective ending for plural accusative.
Use 'es gibt' to say that something exists or is present. It never changes for singular or plural, and the following noun is always in the accusative case. Remember to change 'ein' to 'einen' for masculine nouns.
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