What is the difference between a and any? a post office or any post office?

[popri]

Let's suppose you've just moved in a new town and don't know anything about neighborhood yet.
You've decide to ask if there is any post office and talked to a passer-by.

1. Is there any post office around here?
2. Is there a post office around here?

What is the difference between the first one and the second one?
I'd like to know even a little bitty difference.

Thank you in advance.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Number 2 is correct. Number 1 is not.

 

[teechar]

Let's suppose you've just moved [STRIKE]in[/STRIKE] to a new town, and you don't know anything about your/the neighborhood yet.
[STRIKE] You've decide[/STRIKE] You want to know [STRIKE]ask[/STRIKE] if there is [STRIKE]any[/STRIKE] a post office nearby, [STRIKE]and talked to[/STRIKE] so you ask a passer-by:

1. Is there any post office around here?
2. Is there a post office around here?

What is the difference between the two [STRIKE]first one and the second one[/STRIKE]?
I'd like to know even if there's a little [STRIKE]bitty[/STRIKE] difference.

Thank you in advance.

See Mike's answer.
;-)

 

[popri]

Number 2 is correct. Number 1 is not.

Thank you for explaining.
Why is No. 1 incorrect?
I've learned that you can use singular nouns after "any" as well as plural nouns after "any."
Is usage of any + singer noun rare?

 

[MikeNewYork]

My objection was based on usage. The new arrivals were looking for "a" post office, presumably the closest, not "any" post office.

 

[popri]

Thank you for explaining.
Then, is “are there any post offices?” inappropriate in this situation?
That’s because they are looking for one post office.
Is that it?

 

[popri]

Thank you for correcting my English.

 

[teechar]

Then, is “are there any post offices?” inappropriate in this situation?

It sounds unnatural because most suburbs/neighbourhoods do not usually have a whole bunch of post offices in them!

;-)

 

[Barb_D]

I think that's the main point.
In a house, you might expect to find more than one banana.
Do you have any bananas? (Even if you only want one.)
But you expect only one post office.

Now, let's say you're looking for a box to post your letter. That's something that a neighborhood might have more than one of.

Where is the nearest mailbox?
Are there any mailboxes near here?
Is there a mailbox in this neighborhood?

 

[popri]

Thank you for explaining, but I’m still confused.

Don’t you come up with “Is there any mailbox in this neighborhood?” in any situations?
Should I use “Is there a mailbox?” with the same reason that you presumably think of the closest mailbox?

 

[teechar]

“Is there any mailbox in this neighborhood?”

You might say this if, after searching for one, you fail to find any!

 

[Matthew Wai]

Would it be incorrect to say the following without first trying to search for one?
'Is there any post office nearby?'

 

[MikeNewYork]

Why not use "a"?

 

[Matthew Wai]

Because I think any nearby post office can serve the purpose, but I am not a teacher.

 

[bhaisahab]

"Is there a mailbox near here?"
"Are there any mailboxes near here?" (Already suggested by Barb_D)
"Is there a post office nearby?"
As has been explained by others, it is not natural to ask about post offices plural.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I still don't understand why 'any post office nearby' is unacceptable.
Is it ungrammatical, unnatural, illogical or uncommon?

 

[bhaisahab]

Well it's certainly unnatural (as I have already said), and uncommon.