Arimasu vs Imasu: How to Say ‘There Is’ in Japanese

Use あります (arimasu) for things and places, and います (imasu) for people and animals. A convenience store takes あります and a shop assistant takes います. Both are polite forms you can use with someone you have just met.

Say where first, then say what is there

Start with place + に + person or thing + が + あります／います. Here, に marks the location and が marks who or what is there.

駅の前にコンビニがあります。
えきの まえに コンビニが あります。
There is a convenience store in front of the station.

公園に猫がいます。
こうえんに ねこが います。
There is a cat in the park.

Ask if a place has what you need

Add か to the end to make a question. If you are approaching a stranger, start with すみません (‘excuse me’).

すみません、駅にトイレがありますか。
すみません、えきに トイレが ありますか。
Excuse me, is there a toilet at the station?

はい、２階にあります。
はい、にかいに あります。
Yes, there is. It’s on the second floor.

Use は to ask where a specific person is

If you and the listener already know you are looking for Tanaka, put 田中さん first with は to make Tanaka the topic. Use どこに for ‘where’.

田中さんはどこにいますか。
たなかさんは どこに いますか。
Where is Tanaka?

会議室にいます。
かいぎしつに います。
Tanaka is in the meeting room.

Common mistake: choosing by whether something can move

A car can move, but you still use あります to say that there is a car in the car park. Also, 公園に猫がいます tells you where the cat is. In 猫が公園で遊びます (‘The cat plays in the park’), で marks where the action happens. Compare に and で for places.

Quick practice

1. There is a car in the car park. Choose the right verb.
   駐車場に車が（あります／います）。
2. There is someone at reception. Choose the right verb.
   受付に人が（あります／います）。
3. Complete the Japanese question: ‘Is there a toilet at the station?’
   駅にトイレが（　）か。
4. Put the Japanese words in order to ask ‘Where is Tanaka?’
   （どこに／田中さんは／いますか）

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15 phrases for everyday Japanese conversations

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