Saying There Is or Is Not

Level 1Sounds Like ima; nema za postoen̂e

Има also means there is or there are, and нема means there isn't or there aren't: Има леб. Нема вода.

How It Works

One form for everything. English changes is to are. Macedonian keeps има:

  • Има една аптека тука. (There is a pharmacy here.)
  • Има многу луѓе тука. (There are a lot of people here.)

There is not. Use нема, never не има: Нема вода. (There is no water.) Нема проблем. (No problem.)

Asking. Има ли некој дома? (Is anyone home?) or Дали има аптека тука? (Is there a pharmacy here?) A short answer is just Има. or Нема.

Where. Add a place with Being Somewhere: Во Охрид има многу туристи.

A known person or thing. To say that someone specific is not here, Macedonian adds a short pronoun: Марко го нема. See Saying Someone Is Not Here.

The past forms are имаше and немаше: see Had and Did Not Have.

Examples (6)

  1. Има леб во кујната.

    There is bread in the kitchen.

  2. Нема вода.

    There is no water.

  3. Има ли некој дома?

    Is anyone home?

  4. Во Охрид има многу туристи.

    There are many tourists in Ohrid.

    Има stays the same with a plural noun.

  5. Нема проблем.

    No problem.

  6. Дали има аптека тука?

    Is there a pharmacy here?

Common Mistakes

  • Making има plural to match a plural noun.

    Имаат многу луѓе тука.
    Има многу луѓе тука.

    Има in the meaning there is has no subject, so it always stays има. Имаат means they have.

  • Saying не има for there is not.

    Не има вода.
    Нема вода.

    The negative is always нема.

  • Using е, like English there is, to say that something exists.

    Во собата е многу луѓе.
    Во собата има многу луѓе.

    Е says what something is or where a known thing is. To say that something exists, use има.

How It Connects

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Saying There Is or Is NotLevel 1

Learn This First

There is and there is not reuse има and нема.

Words in This Pattern