是 (what is there)
what is at a place
Structure
地点 + 是 + 名词
What it means
Place + 是 + thing says what the thing at a spot is, like reading a map: “next door is a restaurant”.
How it is built
Place + 是 + noun: 商店旁边是一家小饭馆 (Next to the shop is a little restaurant). 书店后面是八号楼 (Behind the bookshop is Building 8).
When to use it
Use 是 to answer 旁边是什么？ or for a named place. 有 only says that something is there, often something new, and there may be other things too. The negatives are 不是 and 没有.
Watch out
Don't use 在 here: ✗ 旁边在饭馆 ✓ 旁边是饭馆. 是 and 有 start with the place; 在 starts with the thing.
Examples
商店旁边是一家小饭馆。
Next to the shop is a little restaurant.
我家前面是一家书店。
In front of my home is a bookshop.
书店后面是八号楼。
Behind the bookshop is Building 8.
Learn this in HSK 1 · Lesson 7: 我家楼下有商店 (My neighbourhood)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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