grammar.verbs.haber-vs-estar
Hay vs está: existence vs location
Hay introduces something new and indefinite; está locates something already identified: hay un banco cerca → el banco está en la esquina.
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Explanation
Use hay when the listener doesn't know the thing exists yet (indefinite: un, una, dos, muchos, nada). Use estar to say where a known, definite thing is (el, la, mi, este).
The article is the tell: hay + indefinite, está(n) + definite. ¿Hay un cajero por aquí? — Sí, está al lado del súper.
The two often work as a pair in the same exchange: you introduce a thing with hay and then locate it with estar. ¿Hay una farmacia por aquí? — Sí, la farmacia está en la esquina. Trying to say *hay la farmacia or *está una farmacia both sound wrong to native ears.
Examples
There's a market on Saturdays; it's on the square.
Region: global
Where is my phone?
Region: global
—Is there a bathroom here? —Yes, it's at the back on the right.
Region: global