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在 and 有

在 says where something is. 有 says that something exists, or that you have it.

The word order mirrors the meaning. With 在 the thing comes first and the place after: the bank is over there. With 有 the place comes first and the thing after: over there, there is a bank. 有 is also the ordinary verb for to have.

Examples

银行在那儿
yínháng zài nàr
the bank is over there
那儿有银行
nàr yǒu yínháng
there is a bank over there
附近有地铁站吗?
fùjìn yǒu dìtiězhàn ma?
is there a metro station nearby?
我有两个孩子
wǒ yǒu liǎng gè háizi
I have two children
Watch out: the mistake this causes

Using 是 for location, as in 银行是那儿. Location takes 在.