Hoy vs Hay - How do you know when to use which one?

Question

Can someone explain to me when I would use "hoy" and when I would use "hay"? I'm trying to play catch-up in my Spanish class, and these are confusing me big time!

Thanks bunches! AlwaysMe2B

Answer 1

Hoy means today.

Hay is the impersonal form from haber. There is, there are

Answer 2

I really have nothing substantial to add, as Robert has already pretty much given you everything that you need to know.

What I will say is that the question you asked would be like a native Spanish speaker asking you something like "how do I know when to use bay or boy" or how do I know when to use cat vs. cot." It would be silly to study the meaning of "cot" while thinking about how it compares to the word "cat" and likewise, it is probably not a good idea to try to use this method to learn "hoy" and "hay."

The simple answer is that these words are completely unrelated and knowing when they are appropriate to use has little to do with what they mean in relation to each other but has more to do with learning the meanings of each, individually. In short, study your vocabulary and you will be just fine.

Answer 3

Hoy, hay una fiesta. = Today there is a party.