Det er vs. Det finnes
Det er og det finnes
'Det er' (there is/are) is used for specific or known items. 'Det finnes' (there exists) is used for general existence. 'Det er en katt i hagen' (There is a cat in the garden) vs. 'Det finnes mange katter i Norge' (There are many cats in Norway).
Rule
Specific: Det er + noun | General existence: Det finnes + noun
Examples
Det er en butikk her.
There is a store here.
Det finnes mange fjorder i Norge.
There are many fjords in Norway.
Det er kaldt i dag.
It is cold today.
Common Mistake
Det finnes en katt i stua.
Det er en katt i stua.
Use 'det er' for specific things in specific locations. 'Det finnes' is for general statements about existence. Hindi doesn't make this distinction.
English vs Norwegian
| English | Norsk |
|---|---|
| There is a store here. | Det er en butikk her. |
| There are many fjords in Norway. | Det finnes mange fjorder i Norge. |
| It is cold today. | Det er kaldt i dag. |
English
There is a store here.
Norsk
Det er en butikk her.
English
There are many fjords in Norway.
Norsk
Det finnes mange fjorder i Norge.
English
It is cold today.
Norsk
Det er kaldt i dag.