n'hi ha

En with Haver-hi for Quantified Existentials

Level 6

N’hi combines partitive en with hi, often when a quantity appears with haver-hi.

How It Works

Hi ha tres llibres becomes n'hi ha tres when the noun is understood. En represents the counted things and hi belongs to the existential construction. Keep the numeral or another quantity such as molts, prou or cap.

A quantified existential can maintain reference across sentences: abans hi havia moltes cadires; ara no n'hi ha cap. Cap supplies zero quantity and en supplies the omitted noun. In n'hi havia moltes, the feminine plural ending belongs to the understood cadires, while formal haver remains singular. Do not omit hi because en is present, and do not add en when an ordinary full existential noun phrase is already stated without dislocation.

Examples (3)

  1. N'hi ha moltes.

    There are many of them.

  2. No n'hi havia cap.

    There were none of them.

  3. N'hi haurà prou.

    There will be enough of them.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

n'hi haLevel 6En with Haver-hi for Quantified Existentials

Learn This First

Keep partitive en and existential or locative hi as distinct functions in one cluster. Retain the object quantity and gender when en replaces the noun.

Words in This Pattern

haver-hi