יש לי שאלה על השיעור של היום.

there is

Breakdown of יש לי שאלה על השיעור של היום.

• לי: to me
• היום: today
• שיעור: lesson

Questions & Answers about יש לי שאלה על השיעור של היום.

Why does Hebrew use יש לי here instead of a verb meaning I have?

Hebrew usually expresses have with the pattern יש + ל־.

So יש לי literally means something like there is to me, but in natural English it means I have.

• יש לי שאלה = I have a question
• יש לי ספר = I have a book

This is the normal way to say possession in present-tense Hebrew.

A useful opposite pattern is:

• אין לי שאלה = I don’t have a question

What does יש mean by itself?

יש means there is / there are or more generally exists.

Examples:

• יש ספר על השולחן = There is a book on the table
• יש לי זמן = I have time
• יש בעיה = There is a problem

In your sentence, יש is part of the possession pattern יש לי.

What does לי mean, and why isn’t it a separate word for to me?