Using the correct word

Question

How to differentiate "Hay" from "Tener"?

Accepted Answer

Hola Bjar
We use tener to talk about possession as the lesson explains, i.e. meaning "to have" [something] and we use "hay" (from the verb haber) to say "there is/there are [something, some things]". Here are some examples that show the difference:

En mi ciudad hay dos cines.
In my town there are two cinemas.
Mi ciudad tiene dos cines.
My town has two cinemas.
En el frigorífico hay una cerveza.
There is a beer in the fridge.
Lo siento, no tengo cerveza.
Sorry, I don't have [any] beer.

I hope this helps and clarifies. You can see our lessons on hay and tener with more examples. I'd suggest adding them to your notebook so you can be tested on them both. 
Hay
Tener 
Saludos
Inma