Verb

gab es

Translation

there was, there were

Früher gabs hier einen Bäcker.

There used to be a bakery here.

Gabs gestern Probleme?

Were there problems yesterday?

gabs sth. (acc.) there was/were sth. Gabs yesterday cake?

es existierte (it existed)

A colloquial contraction of 'gab es', where 'gab' is the simple past of 'geben' (to give). 'Es gab' means 'there was/were'.

Remember this as the past tense of 'es gibt' (there is/are). The verb 'gibt' changes to 'gab' in the past tense.