Part 5
6. Messrs. Brown & Co. of your city (de esa) have sent their agent over (aquí) to make considerable purchases.
7. We hastened to submit to them our best terms offering a credit of nine months against their acceptances.
8. These terms are better than those of our competitors. This is certain.
LESSON XIII. (Lección décima tercera.)
RELATIVE PRONOUNS.
+------------+-----------+------------------------------------+ | _Sing._ | _Plu._ | | +------------+-----------+------------------------------------+ |Quien |Quienes |(who, whom) | |El cual |Los cuales |(who, whom _or_ which) | |La cual |Las cuales | | |Que | |(that) | |Cuyo |Cuyos |(whose, _or_ of which (denoting | |Cuya |Cuyas | possession)) | +------------+-----------+------------------------------------+
_Quien_ is used for persons only. _El cual_ and _que_ are used for persons and things.
EXAMPLES--
El agente á quien (_or_ al cual) hemos escrito: The agent to whom we have written.
¿Son aquéllas las partidas de azúcares de las cuales me habló V. ayer? Are those the lots of sugar of which you spoke to me yesterday?
Me acuerdo de las personas y las cosas que V. ha mencionado: I remember the people and things that you mentioned.
El buque cuya tripulación ha desembarcado: The ship whose crew has landed.
El comerciante á cuyo hijo hemos conocido: The merchant whose son we have known.
_Que_ is used very often instead of _quien_ and _el cual. Que_ is to be preferred when the clause following is a mere complement of the principal clause (preceding), and _Quien_ or _El cual_ only when the following clause is considered not less in importance than the clause preceding, viz., when it introduces _a new idea,[99] as--
¿Ha visto V. al viajante que nos visitó esta mañana? Have you seen the traveller who called on us this morning?
He conocido al banquero quien era hombre muy juicioso y prudente: I knew the banker who was a very wise and prudent man.
[Footnote 99: This is practically saying: after a comma, only the use of the comma is so arbitrary that we preferred to explain the rule fully.]
After _ser_ and a noun or pronoun, translate "who" by _quien_, as--
Es él (Carlos) quien me lo ha dicho: It is he (Charles) who told it to me.
After a preposition translate "whom" by _quien_ (pl., _quienes_)[100], and "which" by _el cual (la cual_, etc.).
[Footnote 100: "Que" is found but rarely.]
EXCEPTION--
After _á, con, de, en_, we can also translate "which" equally well by _que_, or _el que, la que, los que, las que_.[101]
[Footnote 101: "Que" or "El que" is found also after other prepositions but rarely.]
"Which" relating to a whole sentence is _lo cual_ or _lo que_ (naturally, because a whole sentence has no gender).
Instead of _cuyo_ we may use _de quien, del cual, de que, del que_, as--
El buque, la tripulación del cual, de que, _or_ del que ha desembarcado: The ship whose crew has landed.
El comerciante al hijo de quien, _or_ del cual hemos conocido: The merchant whose son we have known.
"He who" is translated by _aquel que, el que_,[102] also _quien_.
"She who" is translated by _aquella que, la[102] que_, also _quien_.
"Those who" is translated by _aquellos que, los[102] que_, also _quienes_.
[Footnote 102: See Lesson XII.]
=Relative Pronouns= cannot be left out, understood, in Spanish, as--
El hombre á quien, _or_ que ví: The man I saw.
Expressions as "The man I spoke to" must, of course, be rendered "The man to whom I spoke" (El hombre á quien hablé).
Expressions as "I recommend you Messrs. So-and-So than which no better firm exists," are rendered "Le recomiendo á V. la casa de los Srs. Fulanos de Tal que no la hay mejor (_or_ de la cual, _or_ de la que no hay otra mejor)".
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | _Subjunctive Mood, Imperfect Tense_. | +-------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+ | =Haber=. | =Tener=. | =Ser=. | =Estar=. | |Que yo hubiese |Tuviese (that I|Fuese (that I |Estuviese (that I| | (that I might, | might, would,| might, would,| might, would, | | would, or should| or should | or should | or should | | have, etc.) | have, etc.) | be, etc.) | be, etc.) | | " tú hubieses |Tuvieses |Fueses |Estuvieses | | " él hubiese |Tuviese |Fuese |Estuviese | | " nosotros |Tuviésemos |Fuésemos |Estuviésemos | | hubiésemos | | | | | " vosotros |Tuvieseis |Fueseis |Estuvieseis | | hubieseis | | | | | " ellos hubiesen |Tuviesen |Fuesen |Estuviesen | +-------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
VOCABULARY.
=amargo=, bitter =armador de buques=, shipowner =arreglar=, to arrange =el bien=, the good =buque, barco, navio=, boat =cauto=, cautious =*conocer=, to know through the senses, to be acquainted with =deuda=, debt =doloroso=, painful =endosar=, to endorse =enseñar=, to teach, to show =esperar=, to expect, to hope, to wait =estadísticas=, statistics =falta=, want, absence of =flojo=, slack =fundar=, to found =gratitud=, gratitude =*hacer mención=, to mention =herida=, wound, sting =informar (de)=, to inform of, to acquaint with =llevar chasco=, to be disappointed, to be baffled =*negar=, to deny =periódico=, newspaper =premio=, reward, prize, premium =robar=, to rob, to steal =simpático=, pleasant, winsome, taking =*tener empeño=, to be earnest, anxious about anything
EXERCISE 1 (25).
Translate into English--
1. El hombre que me habló no es el á quien hemos escrito.
2. Hé aquí (here is) el libro que me enseñó esta regla.
3. He escrito al hombre que nos endosó la letra.
4. He comprado el periódico que contiene aquellas estadísticas.
5. He arreglado con el negociante quien (_or_ el cual) parece hombre muy simpático.
6. El corredor, quien (_or_ el cual) tiene mucho empeño en concluir la transacción, me vino á ver otra vez (again) esta mañana.
7. El capital, el cual se ha destinado á la explotación de las minas, es intangible (cannot be touched).
8. El hombre á quien (_or_ al cual) me refiero es armador de buques.
9. El negociante de quien (_or_ del cual) le hablaba es integérrimo (most upright).
10. El asunto á que me refería (_or_ de que trataba).
11. La pluma con que escribía y con la cual (_or_ con la que) puede escribir V.
12. La mina en que (_or_ en la cual) fundaba sus esperanzas.
13. El dinero sobre el cual contaba.
14. Los géneros para los cuales se dió (was given) la orden.
15. ¿Es él quien lo quiere y á cuyo hijo (_or_ al hijo de quien) V. conoce?
EXERCISE 2 (26).
Translate into Spanish--
1. He who robs you of (roba) money robs you of little, but he who denies you a debt of well-deserved gratitude robs you of more, which is obvious.
2. Those who deny this (nieguen, (_subj._)) have not experienced how (cuán) painful is the sting of ingratitude.
3. Those who do good should do it expecting ingratitude for (por) their reward, then they will not be disappointed.
4. It is a truth than which no bitterer exists.
5. The steamer I have bought is a first-class boat.
6. The little (pequeña) house I paid for.
7. The firm I made mention of enjoys good credit.
8. I wonder (me pregunto yo) if this is the engineer whose son is a lawyer.
9. Their market is very slack at present, which accounts for (explica) the want of their remittances.
10. I acquainted them with all the facts, which made them very cautious.
11. We are acquainted with Mr. McIntyre (conocemos al), who is a Scotchman.
12. He is only an acquaintance (un conocido _or_ un conocimiento).
LESSON XIV. (Lección décima cuarta.)
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS AND ADJECTIVES.
These are the same as the relative pronouns, only they are written with an accent--
¿Quién,-es? (who, whom?) ¿Cuál,-es? (which?) ¿Qué? (what?) ¿Cúyo,-a,-os,-as? (whose?) ¿De quién,-es[103]? (whose?) ¿Cuánto,-a,-os,-as? (how much, how many?)
[Footnote 103: "De quién" is more usual than "Cúyo" in interrogations.]
_Cuál_ when interrogative is used without the definite article which must accompany it when it is a relative pronoun. _Quién_, interrogative, is never an adjective.
EXAMPLES--
¿Quién vino a verme? Who came to see me?
¿Cuál arreglo le gusta á V. más? Which arrangement do you prefer?
¿Cúyo es este lápiz? Whose is this pencil? _or_ Whose ¿Cúyo lápiz es este? pencil is this? ¿De quién es este lápiz?
¿De quién recibió V. la consignación de madera? From whom did you receive the consignment of timber?
¿A quiénes nos refieren Vs. para informes? To whom do you refer us for information?
¿Cuánto me cobrará V.? How much will you charge me?
_Cuál_ (which) is often used instead of the English "what", as--
¿Cuáles son sus intenciones? What are your intentions?
_Qué_ is used in exclamatory sentences--"what a", as--
¡Qué lástima! What a pity! ¡Qué bonitos paños! What nice suitings![104]
[Footnote 104: Before an adjective without a noun following "qué" translates the English "how":--¡Qué bonito! how nice!]
An emphatic _tan_ or _más_ may be inserted, thus--
¡Qué paño tan bonito! What a very nice suiting! ¡Qué hombre más rico! What a very rich man!
_Cuál_ is used in exclamatory clauses instead of _cómo_ (how), as--
¡Cuál le han reducido las desgracias! How (_or_ to what a state) misfortunes have reduced him! ¡Cuál la ví! How (_or_ in what a state) did I see her!
_Cuánto_ is also used in exclamations, as--
¡Cuánto le agradezco su amabilidad! How much obliged I am for your kindness!
_Cual_ without article and without accent is used for "as," as--
Una casa (tal) cual yo la deseaba: A house (such) as I liked.
Such expressions as "He wrote me a letter, which letter I still possess," are translated "Me escribió una carta, cuya carta aun tengo."
_Subjunctive Mood, Imperfect Tense (2nd form)_.
+-----------------------+-------------+-----------+-------------+ =Haber=. | =Tener=. | =Ser=. | =Estar=. | +-----------------------+-------------+-----------+-------------+ |Que yo hubiera |Tuviera |Fuera |Estuviera | | " tú hubieras |Tuvieras |Fueras |Estuvieras | | " él hubiera |Tuviera |Fuera |Estuviera | | " nosotros hubiéramos|Tuviéramos |Fuéramos |Estuviéramos | | " vosotros hubierais |Tuvierais |Fuerais |Estuvierais | | " ellos hubieran |Tuvieran |Fueran |Estuvieran | +-----------------------+-------------+-----------+-------------+
_Subjunctive Mood, Future Tense._
+-----------------------+--------------+------------+--------------+ |Que yo hubiere (that |Tuviere (that |Fuere (that |Estuviere | | I shall have, | I shall have,| I shall be,| (that I shall| | etc.) | etc.) | etc.) | be, etc.) | | " tú hubieres |Tuvieres |Fueres |Estuvieres | | " él hubiere |Tuviere |Fuere |Estuviere | | " nosotros hubiéremos|Tuviéremos |Fuéremos |Estuviéremos | | " vosotros hubiereis |Tuviereis |Fuereis |Estuviereis | | " ellos hubieren |Tuvieren |Fueren |Estuvieren | +-----------------------+--------------+------------+--------------+
_Imperative Mood_. (This mood is used to command or beg.)
+--------+---------------------------------+---------------------------+ |Hablar |Habla[105](speak thou, _sing_.) |Hablad (speak you, _plu._) | |Temer |Teme (fear " ) |Temed (fear " ) | |Partir |Parte (depart " ) |Partid (depart " ) | |Haber |Hé[106] (have " ) |Habed (have " ) | |Tener |Ten ( " " ) |Tened ( " " ) | |Ser |Sé (be " ) |Sed (be " ) | |Estar |Está ( " " ) |Estad ( " " ) | +--------+---------------------------------+---------------------------+
[Footnote 105: The Imperative Mood has only a separate form for the 2nd pers. sing. and plu. It has no 1st pers. sing. and the 1st pers. pl. and 3rd pers. sing. and pl. are taken from the Pres. Subj.
The 2nd pers. pl. is derived from the Infinitive Mood by changing the final _r_ into _d_--no exception.
The 2nd pers. sing. is the same as the _3rd pers. sing. of the Pres. Indicative_, with a few exceptions (among which are Haber, Tener, Ser).]
[Footnote 106: Given as a form only, as Haber has no Imperative Mood in modern Spanish, except in Héme, héte, héle, aquí, etc. (here I am, here thou art, here he is, etc.), and in some other rare cases.
N.B.--In Spanish there is no imperative negative, the Pres. Subj. negative being used instead, as--
=Hablar=. No hables (do not (thou) speak). No habléis (do not (you) speak).]
VOCABULARY.
=*acordarse=, to remember =me acuerdo=, I remember =se acuerda=, he remembers =cartera=, pocket-book, portfolio =contestar á, responder á=, to answer =*decir=, to say =*devolver=, to return, give back =devuelto=, given back =devuelvo=, I return, give back =digo=, I say =dice=, he says =dije=, I said =dijo=, he said =disgustado=, annoyed, disgusted, displeased =flojedad=, slackness =*hacer escala=, to call at (steamers) =mucho me gusta=, I am very glad =negativa=, refusal =notas (billetes) de banco=, bank notes =*oir=, to hear =*perder=, to lose =perdiendo=, losing =*querer=, to want, to be willing to have =quiero=, I want, I am willing to have =quiere=, he wants, he is willing to have =responder=,[107] to answer =*seguir=, to continue =sorpresa=, surprise
[Footnote 107: "Responder"; past part., "respuesto"--otherwise regular.]
EXERCISE 1 (27).
Translate into English--
1. ¿Quién respeta las leyes?
2. ¿Cuáles leyes?
3. Las de este país. ¿Qué dice V.?
4. Lo que V. oye (you hear).
5. Estos pañuelos y zarazas son cuales V. deseaba.
6. Mucho me gusta saberlo.
7. ¡Qué hermosas telas! ¡y baratas!
8. ¡Cuánto pide V. por ellas?
9 ¿Cuántos dividendos ha pagado esa Compañía? Tres.
10. ¿Cuántos dijo V. (did you say)?
11. Tres ó cuatro, no me acuerdo exactamente.
12. ¿Cúya cartera es esta?
13. Es la cartera de mi hermano, cuya cartera, como V. habrá sabido, la perdió con £500 en notas de banco y le fué devuelta.
14. ¿De quién es el cargamento cuyo conocimiento ha llegado?
15. Es mío.
16. ¿Qué libro es este? Es el mío.
17. Ha seguido la flojedad en los valores, perdiendo mucho el amortizable.
18. Hubo pocas (few) transacciones en general.
19. ¡Cuál lo hallamos!
20. ¡Absolutamente desanimado! ¡Qué lastima!
EXERCISE 2 (28).
Translate into Spanish--
1. What reduction can you make?
2. Twopence a yard.
3. Which of the two will you have (quiere V.)?
4. What orders did you give?
5. Whose goods are these?
6. What a surprise!
7. How much money did you receive?
8. How many lots of white shirting have you placed?
9. Did you answer all his letters?
10. If we bought (si comprásemos) the (colonial) produce dearer than the figure you indicated we should have to answer for it (seríamos responsables).
11. The cotton prints and union drills we sent you will answer your requirements (corresponderán a sus necesidades).
12. Mr. Pérez seems annoyed by your refusal.
13. I am very sorry (lo siento mucho _or_ infinito) but it is not my fault.
14. I could not accept the rebate under (en) the circumstances.
15. Has the steamer called at Málaga?
16. I believe she has (que sí).
LESSON XV. (Lección décima quinta.)
INDEFINITE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS.
(Those marked with an asterisk are Pronouns only.)
Alguno, *alguien (pronounced álguien), (some, somebody, anybody) *Algo, alguna cosa (something, anything) *Uno-a,-os-as (one, a person, some, some persons) Uno á otro (one another, each other) Uno ú otro (one or the other, either) Uno y otro, ambos, entrambos (both) Ni uno ni otro (neither the one nor the other) Ni uno (not a single one) Los otros, los demás (the others) Mismo (same, self) Cierto-a,-os-as (a certain, certain) Cada (each) *Cada uno, *cada cual (each, each one) Otro (other, another[108]) Todo (all, everything, every) Todos (everybody, all) Poco (little) Pocos (few) Unos pocos, unos cuantos (a few) Mucho-a,-os-as (much, many) Varios (several) Cualquiera (_sing._), Cualesquiera (_pl._), (any, whichever) *Quienquiera (_sing._), quienesquiera (_pl._), (any, whoever, whomever) *Cualquiera cosa (anything, whatever) Propio-a, os-as (own, self, same) Tal (_sing._), tales (_pl._ such a, such) *Fulano, zutano, mengano (So-and-So) Cuanto (todo lo que), (all that which) Cuantos (todos los que), (all those who) Ninguno (no one, nobody, not any) *Nada (nothing), *nadie (no one, nobody) *Quien ... quien, *cual ... cual (some ... some)
[Footnote 108: "Another" is "otro," not "un otro."]
_Cada_ is an adjective only, as--
Cada huelga de obreros daña la industria nacional: Each workmen's strike injures national industry.
_Alguien, algo, cada, nada, nadie_ are invariable, and the verb accompanying them is always singular, as--
Alguien hizo un error de pluma: Somebody made a slip of the pen.
Algo es mejor que el dinero, el honor: There is something better than money, honour.
¿Hay algo peor que la ingratitud? Is there anything worse than ingratitude?
Nada es absolutamente perfecto y nadie es infalible: Nothing is absolutely perfect and nobody is infallible.
Further difference in meaning between _alguien_ and _alguno_--
_Alguien_ refers to persons only, and cannot be followed by _de_. _Alguno_ to persons or things, and may be followed by _de_,[109] as--
Alguien _or_ Alguno se ha quejado: Somebody has complained.
Quiere naranjas y melocotones y yo tengo algunos: He wants oranges and peaches, and I have some.
Alguno de ellos lo hará: Someone amongst them will do it.
The English "any," "anything," are translated by _alguno, alguna cosa (algo)_ when interrogative; _ninguno, ninguna cosa (nada)_ when negative; and _cualquiera, cualquiera cosa_ when affirmative, as--
¿Quiere V. algún refresco ó algo que comer? Do you want any refreshments[110] or anything to eat?
No quiero ningunos Holandillos: I do not want any Hollands.
Cualquier(a) muchacho de escuela echaría de ver que estas Batistas Victoria son más ordinarias: Any schoolboy could see that these Victoria Lawns are of lower quality.
_Alguno_ and _Ninguno_ are left understood oftener than in English, as--
¿Comprará V. (algunos) títulos de la nueva emisión? Will you buy any stock of the new issue?
Él no pide consejos: He does not ask any advice.
When _nadie_ and _ninguno_, or any other =negative word=, as the adverb _nunca_ (never), etc., precede a verb, no other negative is required; but when they =follow= it, =no= (not) must precede the verb, as: No he visto á nadie _or_ á nadie he visto: I have seen nobody.
[Footnote 109: Same difference between _nadie_ and _ninguno_.]
[Footnote 110: In Spanish the singular is found instead of the plural, as: ¿Tiene V. algún libro que prestarme? (have you any books to lend me?).]
Verbs ending in _car_ or _gar_ change the _c_ and _g_ into =qu= and =gu= respectively before =e=, as--
+------------------+---------------------+---------------------+ | | =Embarcar=[111] | =Cargar=[111] | | |(to embark, to ship) | (to load) | | _Past Def._ |Embarqué |Cargué | | _Pres. Subj._ |Embarque,-ques, que, |Cargue,-gues,-gue, | | |-quemos,-quéis,-quen.|-guemos,-guéis,-guen.| +------------------+---------------------+---------------------+
[Footnote 111: The primary parts (except, of course, the Infinitive) will be omitted in future _when they are regular_. The derivative parts will also be omitted when they are _regularly formed from their primary parts_ according to the rules given. See synopsis at the end of the book.]
VOCABULARY.
=agricola=, agricultural =amontonar=, to pile up =apertura=, opening =bajar=, to lower, to go or come down =bonito=, pretty =comarca=, region, district (of a country) =detenidamente=, at length =duplicar=, to double, to duplicate =exigua=, slight, trifling =fábricas de algodón=, cotton mills =géneros alimenticios=, food stuffs =*hacer caso=, to take notice =hilador=, spinner =impuesto=, tax =(la) incertidumbre=, uncertainty =industria=, industry =legislatura=, parliamentary session =ligero=, light (_adj._), slight, small =limitación=, curtailment =(la) luz=, light (_n._) =*mantener=, to hold up, to maintain =mejora=, improvement =ministerio=, ministry =obligaciones=, debentures =olvidar=, to forget =para que=, so that =patria=, country, fatherland =preferible=, preferable =*prevalecer, reinar=, to prevail, to rule =subir=, to go or come up =tejedor=, weaver =timbre=, stamp =tomar la delantera á=, to take the start on. =trigo=, wheat =varios=, several =vinícola=, wine (_adj._)
EXERCISE 1 (29).
Translate into English--
1. Alguien pretende que se duplicará el impuesto del timbre sobre las acciones y obligaciones de las compañías anónimas y que habrá algunos que protestarán enérgicamente.
2. Algo hay de eso y uno y otro partido político se interesan de la cuestión pero ni uno de los periódicos locales echa luz sobre las intenciones del ministerio.
3. Los demás proyectos de ley con ciertas modificaciones se presentarán (will be introduced) en esta misma legislatura, y cada uno se discutirá detenidamente.
4. Se anuncian varias empresas industriales en grande escala.
5. Cuanto se hace es poco cuando se piensa en lo que se debería hacer para que nuestros competidores no nos tomen la delantera.
6. Cualquiera echa de ver (can see) eso.
7. Cuantos hay que miran al verdadero interés de su patria deben olvidar sus propios intereses en favor del fomento de la industria vinícola y agrícola de esta comarca.
8. Cada casa tiene su sistema propio.
9. Yo no imito á Fulano, Zutano y Mengano, soy cauto y evito los riesgos.
10. Negocio papel extranjero, pero sólo letras bancarias, ó de firmas de primera clase y con dos endosos, nada más.
EXERCISE 2 (30).
Translate into Spanish--
1. Somebody thinks that the imports of food-stuffs will increase.
2. Some wheat buyers take little notice of the higher American cable advices (las subidas que se han telegrafiado desde América).
3. Weavers and spinners are all holding up their prices.
4. Each week shows an improvement.
5. We hear the same reports (noticias) from all quarters (partes).
6. Neither of these machines will suit (conviene á) our requirements.
7. We accept these bills but refuse the others.
8. Anybody who has his own interests at heart will contribute to the realisation of the scheme.
9. I did all I could (podía) so that nothing should be lost (no se perdiera nada).
10. Some say the market will go up, some say it will go down, and such is the position that one does not know (no sabe) what to do.
11. Anything is preferable to this uncertainty.
12. I have not seen anything so pretty before.
13. Mail advices (los anuncios por la mala) from America report an abnormal (anormal) curtailment of production in the United States Cotton Mills.
14. They cannot take the risk of piling up stocks when the demand is so slight (exigua).
15. Foreign Bourses.--Berlin. A weak tone ruled at the opening. During the later dealings (operaciones posteriores) a slight (ligera) improvement was noticeable (se observó).
LESSON XVI. (Lección décima sexta.)
THE VERB.
The verb is a word by which we affirm something. It is the essential word in a sentence: without it (expressed or understood) no sentence can be construed.
Verbs are divided into Auxiliary, Transitive and Intransitive.
The Auxiliary verbs in Spanish are: Haber, Tener, Ser, Estar.
_Haber_ is a true auxiliary because it helps to form compound tenses[112] but it presents the following peculiarities--
1. It is used as an impersonal verb (as well as the verb _hacer_ which is given here for the sake of completeness) for expressions of time, as--
Dos años ha (_or_ ha dos años) _or_ hace dos años la exportación de los Caldos españoles estaba muy floreciente: Two years ago the exportation of Spanish wines and oils was very flourishing.
Ha dos años (_or_ hace dos años) que la casa Guillermo Fernandez y Cía está establecida en La Coruña como Comisionistas: The firm, G.F. & Co., has been established in Corunna as Commission Agents these last two years.
¿Cuanto tiempo ha (_or_ hace) que estudia V. el castellano? How long have you been studying Spanish?
[Footnote 112: The Past Part. following "haber" IS ALWAYS INVARIABLE.]
2. It is also used impersonally as "there to be" (French, "y avoir"), as--
Hay mucha pimienta, clavos, y canela en el mercado de Londres: There are much pepper, cloves, and cinnamon in the London market.
Sí, hubo muchas especias el año pasado también: Yes, there were many spices last year also.
Cuando estaba en El Cairo había miedo de que estallara algún motín: When I was in Cairo there was the fear of some riots breaking out.
(N.B.--Impersonal verbs are only used in the 3rd pers. singular.)
In English we have "there is" and "there are," because "there to be" is not used impersonally, the meaning being, e.g., "a man is there"; "two men are there." In Spanish, however, _haber_ is used impersonally and both "there is a man" and "there are two men" are translated "Hay un hombre," "Hay dos hombres."
It will be noticed that _Haber_ used for "there to be" makes _Hay_ instead of _Ha_ for the present indicative. All its other tenses remain unchanged: _había, hubo, habrá, habría_, etc.