In English, when you want to say that something exists or is located somewhere, you use there is or there are. In Romanian this is există or simply a sentence like "Pe masă e o carte." — English uses a fixed structure instead.
| Structure | Use | Example | Romanian |
|---|---|---|---|
| There is (there's) | singular noun | There is a cat on the chair. | Este o pisică pe scaun. |
| There are | plural noun | There are two books on the table. | Sunt două cărți pe masă. |
💡 The Rule
There is = one thing (singular). Can be contracted to there's.
There are = two or more things (plural). No contraction.
"There is a lamp in the corner."
"There are three windows in the room."
Negative & Question Forms
| Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|
| There is a sofa. | There isn't a sofa. | Is there a sofa? |
| There are chairs. | There aren't any chairs. | Are there any chairs? |
Negative plurals: Use any → "There aren't any chairs." (not "some")
✏️ Practice – There is or There are?
Prepositions of place tell us where something is. They go between the verb and the noun they refer to.
✏️ Practice – Choose the correct preposition
Fill in the blank with the correct preposition from the box: in · on · under · next to · behind · between · above · in front of
Now combine there is / there are with a preposition to describe exactly what is in a place and where it is.
There is a sofa in front of the television.
There is a small table next to the sofa.
There is a lamp on the table.
There are two pictures on the wall.
There is a cat under the table.
There is a big window behind the sofa.
There aren't any chairs — only the sofa.
✏️ Practice – Complete with there is / there are + preposition
Fill in both blanks in each sentence.
My flat is in the centre of Cluj-Napoca, on the third floor of an old building. It is small but very comfortable. There are four rooms: a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom.
The living room is my favourite. There is a big, comfortable sofa in front of the television. There are bookshelves on the wall next to the window. There is a small coffee table in front of the sofa. There isn't a dining table — I eat at the kitchen table.
The kitchen is small but practical. There is a new fridge next to the oven, and there are white cupboards above the worktop. The table is in the corner, between the window and the door.
Outside, there is a small park opposite my building. I walk there every morning. There are tall trees and a fountain in the middle. It is a quiet, beautiful place.
Comprehension Questions – Answer in English
2. The sofa is in front of the television.
3. No, there isn't a dining table in the living room.
4. The table is in the corner, between the window and the door.
5. There is a small park opposite the building.
Translation – English → Romanian
Translate each sentence using there is / there are and the correct preposition.
2. There are three windows in the room.
3. There isn't a supermarket next to my house.
4. There is a coffee on the table.
5. There are books under the bed.
6. Is there a park opposite the school?
7. There are two pictures on the wall.
8. There aren't any chairs in front of the window.
Topic: Describe a room in your home
Write at least 80 words. Use there is / there are at least 5 times and at least 5 different prepositions.
- Which room are you describing?
- What furniture is in the room? Where exactly?
- Is there a window? Where is it?
- Include one thing that is not in the room (there isn't…)
Lesson Complete!
Here is your final score for the graded exercises:
correct answers