Existence in Japanese

 あります います

Using arimasu and imasu

to Express Existence in Japanese
 ぶんぽう １
Nがあります
There is/are N (nonliving
thing)

Nがいます
There is/are N (living thing)
ぶんぽう １
ある （U-verb)
Dictionary Affirmative Negative
ある あります ありません

いる（Ru-verb)
Dictionary Affirmative Negative
いる います いません
The simplest form of sentence to
express existence will be...

 Noun が あります
Noun ga arimasu
Meaning: There is a Noun. (for inanimate
thing including plant)

 Noun が います
Noun ga imasu
Meaning: There is a Noun. (for people
and animal)
 つくえがあります。
tsukue ga arimasu
Meaning: There is a desk.

 きがあります。
ki ga arimasu
Meaning: There is a tree.

 おとこのこがいます。
otoko noko ga imasu
Meaning: There is a boy.

 ねこがいます。
neko ga imasu
Meaning: There is a cat.
 Place に thing が あります
or person が います
1.It calls for the particleに, rather than
で、for the place description. にcan
specify locations of existence like it
specifies times and dates.
２．The place description usually comes
at the beginning.
３．The thing description is usually
followed by the particle が, rather
thanは.
Use Particle に (ni) for the Place
of Existence

 Place に Noun があります

Place ni Noun ga arimasu
Meaning: There is a Noun in/at the
Place. (for inanimate thing including
plant)

 Place に Noun がいます

Place ni Noun ga imasu
Meaning: There is a Noun in/at the
Place. (for people and animal)
 へやにつくえがあります。
heya ni tsukue ga arimasu
Meaning: There is a desk in the room.

 こうえんにきがあります。
kouen ni ki ga arimasu
Meaning: There is a tree in the park.

 きょうしつにせんせいがいます。
kyoushitsu ni sensei ga imasu
Meaning: Teacher is in the classroom.

 キッチンにねこがいます。
kicchin ni neko ga imasu
Meaning: A cat is in the kitchen.
 Thing/Place/Person の
Position
 つくえのうえにりんごがあります。
tsukue no ue ni ringo ga arimasu
Meaning: There is an apple on the desk.

 こうえんのうしろにがっこうがあります。
kouen no ushiro ni gakkou ga arimasu
Meaning: There is a school behind the park.

 いすのしたにねこがいます。
isu no shita ni neko ga imasu
Meaning: There is a cat under the chair.
How to Ask Who or What Exists in the
Place?
 some question words like だれ (dare) for people and なに
(nani) for animal and thing.
 Place に だれ がいますか
Place ni dare ga imasuka
Meaning: Who is in/at the Place? (existence of people)

 Place に なに がいますか
Place ni nani ga imasuka
Meaning: What is in/at the Place? (existence of animal)

 Place に なに がありますか
Place ni nani ga arimasuka
Meaning: What is in/at the Place? (existence of thing)
 Question: かいぎしつにだれがいますか。 (kaigishitsu ni dare ga imasu ka)
Answer: かいぎしつにたなかさんがいます。 (kaigishitsu ni tanaka san ga imasu)
Meaning:
Question: Who is in the meeting room?
Answer: Mr Tanaka is in the meeting room.

 Question: いすのしたになにがいますか。 (isu no shita ni nani ga imasu ka)

Answer: いすのしたにねこがいます。 (isu no shita ni neko ga imasu)
Meaning:
Question: What is below the chair?
Answer: A cat is below the chair.

 Question: はこのなかになにがありますか。 (hako no naka ni nani ga

arimasuka)
Answer: はこのなかにりんごがあります。 (hako no naka ni ringo ga arimasu)
Meaning:
Question: What is inside the box?
Answer: An apple is inside the box.
How to Answer Yes/No Questions?
 Question: Place に Subject がいますか/ありますか
 Answer: はい、 Subject がいます/あります (positive answer)
 Answer: いいえ、 Subject がはいません/ありません (negative
answer)

Generally, particle は is used for negative sentences.

 Negative form of います → いません (imasen)
 Negative form of あります → ありません (arimasen
Question: こうえんにはながありますか。
(kouen ni hana ga arimasuka)
Answer: はい、はながあります。 (hai, hana
ga arimasu)
Answer: いいえ、はなはありません。 (iie,
hana wa arimasen)

Meaning:
Question: Is there flower in the park?
Answer: Yes, there is flower.
Answer: No, there is no flower.
 i

Using Partcle は (wa) as Topic

Marker in the Existence
Sentence

 Person は Place にいます

 Person wa Place ni imasu
 Meaning: Person is in the Place.

 Thing は Place にあります

 Thing wa Place ni arimasu
 Meaning: Thing is in the Place.
Person は どこ にいますか
Person wa doko ni imasuka
Meaning: Where is the Person?

Thing は どこ にありますか
Thing wa doko ni arimasuka
Meaning: Where is the thing?
 Using some examples to show
the sentence patterns...

Question: やまださんはどこにいますか。 (yamada san wa doko ni

imaska)
Answer: やまださんはきょうしつにいます。 (yamada san wa
kyoushitsu ni imasu)
Meaning:
Question: Where is Mr Yamada?
Answer: Mr Yamada is in the classroom.

Question: ほんはどこにありますか。 (hon wa doko ni arimasuka)

Answer: ほんはつくえのうえにあります。 (hon wa tsukue no ue ni
arimasu)
Meaning:
Question: Where is the book?
Answer: The book is on the desk.
 …ga arimasu
To describe what is in your room use the following
grammar pattern:

THING ga arimasu.

= There is…

Example: Terebi ga arimasu

There is a TV.
Describing items
in your room
わたし の へや
Watashi no heya
テレビ terebi
アイポッド aipoddo
けいたい keitai
パソコン pasokon
ラジカセ rajikase
まんが manga
ほん hon
しゃしん shashin
でんきスタンド
denkisutando
とけい tokei
いす isu
つくえ tsukue
ベッド beddo
おしいれ oshiire
たんす tansu
Can you make sentences using the pictures below and ‘ga arimasu’?
 …wa arimasen
To describe what isn’t in your room use the
following grammar pattern:

THING wa arimasen.

= There isn’t…

Example: Terebi wa arimasen

There isn’t a TV.
Can you make sentences using the pictures below and ‘wa arimasen’?
Are these sentences
correct?
 Beddo ga arimasu.
 Isu ga arimasu.
 Aipoddo ga arimasu.
 Denkisutando ga arimasu.
 Terebi wa arimasen.
 Pasokon wa arimasen.
 Hon wa arimasen.
 Keitai wa arimasen.
Can you describe this room?
SHUKUDAI: Homework 1

 Take a picture of your room (or draw a picture) then

describe it in Japanese.
 Please provide descriptions for the following:
 List 10 items that are present in your room using the
sentence pattern "[item] ga arimasu" (There is/are
[item]).
 List 10 items that are not present in your room using the
sentence pattern "[item] wa arimasen" (There is/are no
[item]).
 Remember to be specific in your descriptions. If an
item is present, mention it using "ga arimasu". If an item
is not present, use "wa arimasen".