у вас есть
u vas yest'[u vas jesʲtʲ]word by word
In Russian, the phrase for "do you have" is у вас есть (u vas yest').
This phrase is used to ask if someone possesses or owns something. To state the negative "you do not have", you would replace есть with нет to form у вас нет.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "at you there is".
Which one should you use?
While у вас есть is the standard way to ask a question, you may encounter other versions. У вас имеется…? is a formal variation, and Есть ли у вас…? is an even more formal way to frame the question. Conversely, У тебя есть…? is the informal version used for people you know well.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a single person formally or a group, use у вас есть. When speaking to a single friend, family member or child, use the informal у тебя есть. In many contexts, the word есть can be omitted entirely, leaving just у вас to ask if someone has something.
How do you pronounce it?
u vas yest'
Did you know?
- Russian has no single verb that translates to 'to have'. Instead, it uses a preposition and a form of the verb 'to be' to create the meaning of ownership.
- While the word есть can mean 'to eat', in the phrase у вас есть, it functions as the verb 'to be'.
- The word есть in the phrase у вас есть is a descendant of the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁ésti, which also gave rise to the English word 'is'.
Examples in context
- А у вас есть?Do you have one?This sentence shows how to ask "Do you have one?" using у вас есть.Tatoeba #3426520 by Selena777, translation #16547 by CK
- У Вас есть сын?Do you have a son?This sentence shows how to ask if someone has a son using у вас есть.Tatoeba #2813373 by marafon, translation #2648552 by CK
- У вас есть кот?Do you have a cat?This sentence shows how to ask if someone has a cat using у вас есть.Tatoeba #3720252 by Balamax, translation #2648556 by CK
- У вас есть меню?Do you have a menu?
- У вас есть машина?Do you have a car?
- 938 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ekaterina is asking Dmitry for a pen at the office.
- Дмитрий DmitryПривет, Екатерина.Privet, Ekaterina.Hello, Ekaterina.
- Екатерина EkaterinaДмитрий, у вас есть ручка?Dmitriy, u vas yest' ruchka?Dmitry, do you have a pen?
- Дмитрий DmitryДа, конечно.Da, konechno.Yes, of course.
- Екатерина EkaterinaСпасибо большое!Spasibo bol'shoye!Thank you very much!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (у, вас, есть) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries вас, есть, у, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
