📚OGENKI
grammar

ある/いる (Existence)

ある・いる

Japanese has two verbs for 'to exist/be': ある for inanimate objects and いる for living things. They also express 'to have' in Japanese.

[Thing] が あります

There is [inanimate thing]

Formation: [Place] に [Thing] が あります

Use ある/あります for non-living things

[Living thing] が います

There is [living thing]

Formation: [Place] に [Living thing] が います

Use いる/います for people, animals

[Person] は [Thing] が あります

[Person] has [thing]

Formation: [Person] は [Thing] が あります

This pattern expresses possession

[Person] は [Living thing] が います

[Person] has [pet/family member]

Formation: [Person] は [Living thing] が います