Learn Hardcore Chinese: yǒu dìtiě hé gōngjiāochē, qù gōngsī hěn fāngbiàn. - With the subway and buses, it's very convenient to go to the company.

Here 有 is existential, meaning there is/are. The place is implied by context (e.g., “here/nearby/this area”). You could say it explicitly: 这里有地铁和公交车 or 在附近有地铁和公交车. It’s not “I have a subway.”

Why can the sentence start without a subject?

Chinese allows subject omission when it’s clear from context. Also, existential sentences often use a location as the “subject,” which is implied here. Think of it as a topic-comment structure: the topic is “this area,” and the comment is “there are subway and buses; going to the office is convenient.”

Should there be 在 before 这里?

Both are fine depending on emphasis:

这里有地铁和公交车 (most common)
在这里有地铁和公交车 (slightly emphasizing the location or when the place phrase is long: 在我们公司附近有…)

Do I need measure words after 地铁 and 公交车?

Not when speaking about the systems/services in general. Use measure words only when counting:

一辆公交车 (one bus), 一趟公交车/一趟车 (one bus trip)
一条地铁线 (one subway line), 一趟地铁 (one subway ride), 一列地铁列车 (one train)

Is 和 the right “and” here? Could I use 跟?

Yes. 和 links nouns naturally: 地铁和公交车. 跟 can also mean “and” in informal speech: 地铁跟公交车. They’re interchangeable for linking nouns; to link clauses, Chinese often just uses a comma or words like 而且.

Why is 很 used before 方便? Is it really “very”?

In modern Mandarin, 很 before an adjective often functions as a neutral linker, not strong “very.” 去公司很方便 usually means “going to the office is convenient.” To emphasize degree, use 非常/特别/超. Saying 去公司方便 (without 很) can sound comparative or abrupt.

Can I add 是: 去公司是很方便?

Normally no. Predicative adjectives don’t need 是. 去公司是很方便 is only used for contrastive emphasis: 去公司是很方便，不过房租很贵. For a plain statement, use 去公司很方便.

Is 方便 an adjective or a verb? Any pitfalls?

Here it’s an adjective (“convenient”). It can also be:

A polite verb meaning “to make it convenient/possible”: 能不能帮我方便一下？
A restroom euphemism: 我去方便一下 (“I need the bathroom”). Context decides.

How do I explicitly say “by subway/bus”?

Use 坐/乘/搭 + 交通工具:

Mainland: 坐地铁/坐公交车; formal: 乘坐地铁/公交车
Taiwan: 搭捷運/搭公車
Hong Kong: 坐/搭地鐵; buses are often 巴士 Example: 坐地铁去公司很方便。

What’s the difference between 去公司 and 上班?

去公司: go to the office (physically go to the company).
上班: be on duty/go to work (the act of working). You can combine them: 去公司上班很方便. You’ll also hear 上班很方便, which idiomatically means “the commute to work is convenient.”

Can I use 到 instead of 去?

Yes, with a nuance:

去公司: the action of going.
到公司: arriving/reaching. Both 去公司很方便 and 到公司很方便 are natural; the latter slightly emphasizes ease of reaching the destination.

Is the comma showing cause and effect? Could I write 因为/所以?

Yes. The comma creates a cause-effect link by juxtaposition. You can make it explicit: 因为有地铁和公交车，所以去公司很方便。

How do I negate it naturally?

Use 不 with the adjective:

去公司不方便。 (not convenient) Softer:
去公司不太方便。 (not very convenient)
去公司有点儿不方便。 (a bit inconvenient)

Where do time/place words go?

Time and place typically precede the verb phrase:

周末去公司很方便。
从这儿去公司很方便。
早上坐地铁去公司很方便。 For the existential clause, put the location first: 这附近有地铁和公交车，去公司很方便。

Why no classifier for 公司?

You’re not counting; you mean your office in general. When counting companies, use 家: 一家大公司. For your workplace, 去公司 is standard.

Could I use 便利 instead of 方便?

Yes, but 便利 is more formal/literary. In speech, 方便 is more natural. On signs or in writing you’ll see 交通便利 (“transport is convenient”).

Pronunciation check?

Pinyin with tones: yǒu dìtiě hé gōngjiāochē, qù gōngsī hěn fāngbiàn.

地铁: dì (4) + tiě (3)
和 (and): hé (2)
公交车: gōng (1) + jiāo (1) + chē (1)
方便: fāng (1) + biàn (4) — not neutral on the second syllable in standard Mandarin

Can I list more transport modes? How to punctuate?

Yes. Use 、 for lists and 和/以及 before the last item:

有地铁、公交车和出租车，去公司很方便。
有地铁以及公交车，去公司很方便。