Hay or Haya

Question

My question is really a b1/b2 question, but I can't find where to put it.if one doesn't know if something exists, isn't "haya" (subjunctive) more correct?eg  ¿Haya un piscina cerca de aquí?

Accepted Answer

Hola Pippy,
When you ask a direct question you cannot use the subjunctive. When asking questions we are always trying to find out something because we don't know about something. Even when the speaker doesn't know of the existence of something we don't always use the subjunctive. For example:

Yo no sé si hay una farmacia por aquí.I don't know whether there is a pharmacy round here.
(hay, indicative)

I think you may be thinking about relative clauses with the indicative or subjunctive. For example:

1. Ella quiere a un chico que tiene ojos azules. (She wants a guy who has blue eyes.)
 tiene = indicative, she is talking about a specific boy that she knows.
2. Ella quiere a un chico que tenga ojos azules. (She wants a guy who has blue eyes) 
tenga = subjunctive, she is talking in general about any guy who may have blue eyes.

There is a lesson on this difference. Have a look here.
I hope it helps.
Saludos
Inma