daar is
There Is and There Are
Use daar is to say that something exists or can be found somewhere: Daar is 'n probleem (There is a problem).
How It Works
Daar is introduces something new: it tells the listener that a thing or person exists or is present. The word daar here does not point to a place. It only fills the first slot of the sentence, much like English there in there is.
Because is is the same for every person and number, there is no separate plural form:
- Daar is 'n winkel op die hoek. (There is a shop on the corner.)
- Daar is baie winkels in die stad. (There are many shops in the city.)
Questions. For a yes/no question, is comes first and daar follows it: Is daar 'n bank naby? See yes/no questions. With a question word, the order is question word, is, daar: Hoeveel mense is daar?
Negatives. Use nie ... nie or geen: Daar is nie melk nie or Daar is geen melk nie (There is no milk).
Two kinds of daar. Daar can also mean there as a place. A sentence can even have both: Daar is 'n goeie restaurant daar (There is a good restaurant there). When you point at something and say Daar is jou sleutels!, it means There are your keys! See hier and daar.
Other verbs. Daar can start a sentence with other verbs too, especially verbs of place: Daar woon baie mense in Johannesburg (Many people live in Johannesburg). In speech, daar is often becomes daar's: see short forms.
Examples (6)
- Daar is 'n probleem met my kar.
There is a problem with my car.
Word by Word: There is a problem with my car.
- Daar is baie mense by die strand.
There are a lot of people at the beach.
Word by Word: There is many people by the beach.
The same is is used for a plural noun.
- Is daar melk in die yskas?
Is there any milk in the fridge?
Word by Word: Is there milk in the ice-cupboard?
In a question, is comes first and daar follows it.
- Daar is geen brood nie.
There is no bread.
Word by Word: There is no bread not.
Geen still takes nie at the end.
- Hoeveel kamers is daar in die huis?
How many rooms are there in the house?
Word by Word: How-many rooms is there in the house?
- Daar woon baie mense in Johannesburg.
Many people live in Johannesburg.
Word by Word: There live many people in Johannesburg.
Daar can also start a sentence with other verbs, such as woon.
Common Mistakes
Using dit is to say that something exists.
Dit is 'n kat in die tuin.Daar is 'n kat in die tuin.Dit is 'n kat means It is a cat. It names what something is. To say that a cat is present in the garden, use daar is.
Leaving out the second nie in a negative.
Daar is nie melk.Daar is nie melk nie.A negative sentence ends with nie when the first nie is not already the last word.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Daar is and daar was introduce things that exist, using the verb is.
Related Patterns
- hier/daarHere and There
Daar also means there as a place, which is a different use from daar is.
Level 1 - geenNo, Not Any: Geen
Daar is geen ... nie is a common way to say there is no ....
Level 2 - nie ... nieDouble Negation
Negative daar is sentences need the second nie at the end.
Level 1 - dis/hy's/daar'sShort Forms: Dis, Hy's, Daar's
In speech daar is is often shortened to daar's.
Level 2 - daar word/is + ge-Passive Without a Subject: Daar Word
At a higher level, daar also starts passive sentences with no subject.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice daar is in Bubblegum
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