“Is” is used for determination, equivalence, or classification, roughly equivalent to "to be." "Have" expresses existence or possession, roughly equivalent to "there is/are" and "have." In Chinese, usually is is not used to express the meaning of "have," nor is have used to connect identity or attributes directly. Correctly distinguishing contexts is the foundation for clear expression.

“Is” connects the subject to identity, category, or specific attribute, equivalent to the English “to be” but not used with adjectives. Chinese commonly uses “is” to answer determinate questions such as “who” or “what.”

“有” is used to express that something exists somewhere; the typical structure is “place + 有 + object”. This usage corresponds to English “there is/are,” but Chinese relies more on word order rather than particles.

“Have” expresses that the subject possesses something or a property, corresponding to the English "have." In Chinese, possession can refer to tangible items or intangible things, such as time, ideas, or abilities.

In Chinese, attributes are usually expressed with “很 + adjective” rather than “是 + adjective.” When “是” is followed by an adjective, it tends to become a determiner sentence rather than a pure description. Choosing the correct structure helps avoid translation-sounding phrasing.

In English, “to be” often takes adjectives and nouns, but in Chinese, “是” primarily attaches to nominal components. English “there is/are” corresponds to Chinese “有,” not “是.” Word-for-word correspondence can lead to typical misusage.

Determinative questions are often answered with “是” or the structural particle ‘的’; existence or possession questions are usually answered with “有.” Choose the appropriate verb to make answers natural and concise.

“Is” negation is “不是”, used to negate determinations or classifications. The common negation of “have” is “没有”, used to negate existence or possession. The two structures are clear and should not be mixed.

“有” is often used with numerals and measure words to specify the quantity of items existing or possessed. In Chinese, it is common to place the numeral and measure word before the noun to make the sentence complete and natural.

In daily communication, “is” frequently appears in self‑introduction, identity confirmation, and time judgments. “Have” appears frequently in describing possession of objects, room descriptions, and expressing opportunities. Familiarity with these scenarios helps you apply them quickly.