my %hash = ( 'key' => 'value' ); print "exists \$hash{'key'}\n" if exists $hash{'key'}; my @array = ( 'value' ); print "exists \$array[\$index]\n" if exists $array[0]; #### exists operator argument is not a HASH element at test-5.00503.perl line 7. #### exists $hash{'key'} exists $array[$index]