In Japanese, the verbs ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru can both be used in cases where you might use the English verbs “to be,” or “to exist.” The verb you use will depend on whether the thing that exists is animate (living) or inanimate (non-living).
| Plain | Polite | What "exists"? |
|---|---|---|
ある Transcription: aru | あります Transcription: arimasu | something inanimate or static |
いる Transcription: iru | います Transcription: imasu | something animate or static |
However, these verbs don’t correspond one-to-one with the verb “to be” in English! The verbs ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru have three main functions:
Existence: There is an apple (on the table).
Possession: Linda has an apple.
Location: The apple is on the table.
In this article, we will first discuss how to conjugate ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru, and the differences between them, then we’ll look at each of these three main uses. Finally, then we’ll take a look at some of the cases where you use “be” in English, but you shouldn’t use ある transcribed aru or いる transcribed iru in Japanese. Ready? Let’s dive in!
How to conjugate ある [aru] and いる [iru]
Like other Japanese verbs, ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru are conjugated into various forms. Though they are mostly regular, there are a few exceptions to learn.
| Tense | ある transcribed aru | いる transcribed iru | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-past affirmative | ある Transcription: aru | あります Transcription: arimasu | いる Transcription: iru | います Transcription: imasu |
| Past affirmative | あった Transcription: atta | ありました Transcription: arimashita | いた Transcription: ita | いました Transcription: imashita |
| Non-past negative | ない Transcription: nai | ありません Transcription: arimasen | いない Transcription: inai | いません Transcription: imasen |
| Past negative | なかった Transcription: nakatta | ありませんでした Transcription: arimasen deshita | いなかった Transcription: inakatta | いませんでした Transcription: imasen deshita |
Here are some notes to help you learn the conjugations of ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru:
Be careful with the negative plain forms of ある transcribed aru! They’re shorter than you would expect.
- ✅ないTranscription: nai
- ❌あらないTranscription: aranai
- ✅なかったTranscription: nakatta
- ❌あらなかったTranscription: aranakatta
In colloquial Japanese, you can use ないです transcribed nai desu and なかったです transcribed nakatta desu to replace the polite negative forms of ある transcribed aru.
In certain types of writing, like the newspaper, public documents, or textbooks, you can find ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru written in kanji:
- 有る / 在るTranscription: aru
- 居るTranscription: iru
However, the Japanese government recommends using hiragana, ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru, for official and public documents.
When to use ある [aru] vs. いる [iru]?
As we mentioned above, ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru have the same basic meanings — “be,” “exist,” or “have” — but they are not interchangeable.
ある transcribed aru is usually used to say an inanimate or immobile thing exists.
いる transcribed iru is usually used to say an animate or self-moving thing exists.
However, these are just general tendencies, and there’s a bit more to this distinction. Let’s look at the most important rules to follow when using ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru in Japanese!
Use ある [aru] with inanimate objects
ある transcribed aru is used to say that an inanimate object exists or is possessed.
You’ll also use this verb with other inanimate nouns for things you can touch, even ones you might not usually think of as “objects.”
Use ある [aru] with abstract nouns and concepts
ある transcribed aru is also used with abstract nouns for things you cannot touch or feel, like a dream, thought, rule, plans, event, etc.
Use いる [iru] for living, moving things
We use いる transcribed iru with living things that move by themselves, like people and animals.
Use ある[aru] for immobile “living” things
Though barnacles and trees are certainly living things, we still use ある transcribed aru with them, because they are immobile and cannot move by themselves.
You’ll also use ある transcribed aru for dead animals.
Use いる [iru] for inanimate objects that “feel” animate
いる transcribed iru can also be used with inanimate objects that “feel” like they’re alive for some reason. This might be because they move by themselves (e.g. vehicles) or it might be because the speaker is giving them a living personality in their imagination (e.g. toys).
Use ある [aru] when a living thing is treated as a concept
You can sometimes ある transcribed aru with an animate noun that is being treated as a concept. In these cases, you can still use いる transcribed iru, but using ある transcribed aru will give your statement a more old-fashioned or poetic tone.
You might do this, for example, when making generic statements:
You might also do this if you’re talking about someone’s character:
When you’re just starting out, it’s simpler and safer to just use いる transcribed iru with all animate nouns, but you’re quite likely to encounter this use of ある transcribed aru in literary works, song lyrics, etc., so it is good to keep in mind!
How to use ある [aru] and いる [iru] as the main verb of a sentence?
In Japanese, we use ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru as the main verb of a sentence in three main cases:
To say that something exists:
There is an apple on the table.To express possession or ownership:
Linda has an apple.To describe the location or whereabouts of something:
The apple is on the table.
Both verbs can be used in all three patterns. Let’s go through each one and look at how to structure your sentence!
Existence: How to use ある [aru] and いる [iru] for “there is”?
To use ある transcribed aru or いる transcribed iru to express existence, like you might use “there is” or “there are” in English, follow the sentence pattern below:
Location + に transcribed ni
(optional)
Noun + が transcribed ga
ある transcribed aru / いる transcribed iru
Use the negative versions of the verbs to say that something is not at a location, where you might use “there is no” or “there aren’t any” in English.
に [ni], は [wa], or には [ni wa]: Which particle marks the location?
If you follow the sentence pattern above, the phrase that describes the location or position of the noun will most often end be marked with one of the following: に transcribed ni , は transcribed wa, or には transcribed ni wa. The marker you use will depend on how the location you’re discussing is relevant to the broader conversation.
In a more neutral sentence, use に transcribed ni alone:
この町に日本人があまりいません。Transcription: Kono machi ni Nihonjin ga amari imasen.Translation: There are not that many Japanese people in this town.Use には transcribed ni wa or は transcribed wa if you’re contrasting one location with another:
- この町には日本人があまりいません。Transcription: Kono machi ni wa Nihonjin ga amari imasen.Translation: In this town (unlike others), there aren’t that many Japanese people.Here we focus a bit more on the town as a location.
- この町は日本人があまりいません。Transcription: Kono machi wa Nihonjin ga amari imasen.Translation: Talking about this town, there are not that many Japanese people.Here we focus a bit more on the town as a noun with certain characteristics.
To learn more about why you might include or not include the particle は transcribed wa, check out our post on は transcribed waand が transcribed ga in Japanese!
Possession: How to use ある [aru] and いる [iru] for “to have”?
In Japanese, you can useある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru express possession or ownership, in cases where you might use the verb “to have” in English. You’ll do this using a structure much like that used in the “existence” sentences above, except that the possessor is the location.
This means that when you use this sentence pattern to express something like “I have an apple,” you’re literally saying something more like “With me there is an apple.” Let’s look at some examples!
Possessor + には transcribed ni wa
Possessed + が transcribed ga
ある transcribed aru / いる transcribed iru
As you can see, this sentence structure looks just like the “existence” structure we saw above, except that the possessor is the location. This means that when you use this sentence pattern to express something like “I have an apple,” you’re literally saying something more like “With me there is an apple.”
You can use ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru to discuss all kinds of possession. Let’s go through some common cases:
Owning or holding a physical thing:
佐藤さんは去年車がありませんでした。Transcription: Satō-san wa kyonen kuruma ga arimasen deshita.Translation: Ms. Sato didn’t have a car last year.“Having” a relative, friend, employee, or other related person:
佐藤さんには孫がいます。Transcription: Satō-san ni wa mago ga imasu.Translation: Ms. Sato has a grandchild.“Having” an abstract characteristic:
- 佐藤さんはセンスがない。いつも変な服を着ている。Transcription: Satō-san wa sensu ga nai. Itsumo henna fuku o kiteiru.Translation: Ms. Sato doesn’t have any taste (in clothes). She always wears strange clothes.
- 佐藤さんは熱意がある。Transcription: Satō-san wa netsui ga aru.Translation: Ms. Sato has enthusiasm.
“Having” a symptom:
佐藤さんは熱がある。Transcription: Satō-san wa netsu ga aru.Translation: Ms. Sato has a fever.“Having” a physical characteristic (height, five fingers, etc.):
- 犬は足が４本ある。Transcription: Inu wa ashi ga yon-hon aru.Translation: Dogs have four legs.
- 佐藤さんは身長が１７０cmある。Transcription: Satō-san wa shinchō ga 170cm aru.Translation: Ms. Sato has a height of 170cm.This is the typical phrasing when you want to describe someone’s height.
Note that the “possessor” does not have to be a human! It can also be a place. In this case, there is really no difference between translating the sentence using “there is” or “have.”
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As we mentioned above, though, ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru are not the only verbs we use to express possession in Japanese. Let’s look at a few of your other options!
When to express “have” with 持つ [motsu]?
The Japanese verb 持つ transcribed motsu is also sometimes used to translate the English verb “to have.” Grammatically, this verb is a lot like the English verb “to have,” in that the owner is the subject and the possessed thing is the object.
However, the verb 持つ transcribed motsu is narrower in its meaning than the English verb “have,” and can only be used in certain situations. It depends on what kind of noun someone “has.” For example, you can’t use 持つ transcribed motsu to say that you “have” a relative:
Let’s compare the uses of 持つ transcribed motsu to ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru:
| Thing possessed | ある transcribed aru / いる transcribed iru | 持つ transcribed motsu |
|---|---|---|
a physical thing | ✅ | ✅ |
a person | ✅ | ❌ |
an abstract characteristic | ✅ | ✅ |
a symptom | ✅ | ❌ |
a physical attribute | ✅ | ❌ |
When to express “have” with している [shite iru]?
In Japanese, we often use している transcribed shite iru when we say that someone “has” certain characteristics. These characteristics can be physical (e.g. beautiful hair) or they can be abstract (e.g. good taste).
However, you’ll only use している transcribed shite iru this way if the characteristic is described by an adjective. Here is the sentence pattern to follow:
Person + は transcribed wa
adjective + body part + を transcribed o
Remember, though, that to use this expression there must be an adjective. If you just want to say that someone “has hair,” you wouldn’t use している transcribed shiteiru!
Check out our post on habitual actions to learn more about the expression している transcribed shiteiru and why we use it in this case!
Location: How to use ある [aru] and いる [iru] to say where something is?
Finally, we can use the verbs ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru to describe where something is. When you use the sentence pattern below, everyone already knows that the noun exists, we just want to describe where.
Noun + は transcribed wa
Location + に transcribed ni
ある transcribed aru / いる transcribed iru
When to use a locative vs. existential sentence?
In Japanese, both locative (location) sentences and existential (existence) sentences can describe the location of a noun. So what’s the difference?
While there are some cases where you could use either, here is the general rule to tell the difference.
Use a location sentence when everyone knows that the noun exists, but you want to describe where:
Mike:東京大学はどこにありますか。Transcription: Tōkyō Daigaku wa doko ni arimasu ka.Translation: Where is The University of Tokyo?Ms. Sato:東京大学は東京都の文京区にあります。Transcription: Tōkyō Daigaku wa Tōkyō-to no Bunkyō-ku ni arimasu.Translation: The University of Tokyo is in the Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo Prefecture.Mike already knows that The University of Tokyo exists, so Ms. Sato uses a location sentence to describe where it is.Use an existence sentence when you want to tell someone that a known location “has” the noun.
Mike:東京には東京大学しかありませんか。Transcription: Tōkyō ni wa Tōkyō Daigaku shika arimasen ka.Translation: Is The University of Tokyo the only university in Tokyo?Literally: Are there no universities in Tokyo but The University of Tokyo?Ms. Sato:いいえ、東京には大学がたくさんありますよ。Transcription: Lie, Tōkyō ni wa daigaku ga takusan arimasu yo.Translation: No, there are many universities in Tokyo.In this case, the speaker was wondering about the characteristics of the location (Tokyo) and whether it “has” any universities, so Ms. Sato used an existence sentence.
When to use だ [da] or です [desu] instead of ある [aru] or いる [iru]?
In location sentences, you can often use だ transcribed da or です transcribed desu instead of using ある transcribed aru or いる transcribed iru. When using だ transcribed da or です transcribed desu, the particle に transcribed ni that usually follows the location is not included.
- With ある [aru]:鍵は、テーブルの上にある。Transcription: Kagi wa tēburu no ue ni aru.Translation: The key is on the table.
- With だ [da]:鍵は、テーブルの上だ。Transcription: Kagi wa tēburu no ue da.Translation: The key is on the table.Notice that in this structure, the particle に transcribed ni is not needed after the location!
Here are a few more examples of location sentences that use だ transcribed da or です transcribed desu vs. ある transcribed aru or いる transcribed iru. Notice that there is not really any difference in meaning between the two!
| ある transcribed aru or いる transcribed iru | だ transcribed da or です transcribed desu |
|---|---|
スーパーは駅の前にあります。 Transcription: Sūpā wa eki no mae ni arimasu. Translation: The supermarket is in front of the station. | スーパーは駅の前です。 Transcription: Sūpā wa eki no mae desu. Translation: The supermarket is in front of the station. |
田中さんは３階にいます。 Transcription: Tanaka-san wa san-gai ni imasu. Translation: Mr. Tanaka is on the 3rd floor. | 田中さんは３階です。 Transcription: Tanaka-san wa san-gai desu. Translation: Mr. Tanaka is (on) the 3rd floor. |
When to use ある [aru] and いる [iru] as auxiliary verbs
The sections above have discussed how you can use ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru as the main verb in a sentence, but these can also be used alongside another verb, as auxiliary verbs (or “helping verbs”), usually after the te-form of the verb they “help.”
Here are three of the most common expressions you’ll see that are like this. Follow the links to learn more about each one!
We use the 〜てある transcribed -te aru form to discuss a task or duty you’ve completed.
まだ、11月だけど、子供のためのクリスマスプレゼントはもう買ってある。Transcription: Mada jūichigatsu da kedo, kodomo no tame no kurisumasu purezento wa mō katte aru.Translation: It’s still November, but I’ve already bought a Christmas present for my child.When discussing an ongoing situation, you can use the 〜ている transcribed -te iru form. We use this both for actions in progress (e.g. “is eating”) and the continuing result of a past event (e.g. “has eaten”).
- 音楽を聞いている。Transcription: Ongaku o kiite iru.Translation: (I) am listening to music.
- 今、服を着ている。Transcription: Ima, fuku o kite iru.Translation: I have put on my clothes now.I put them on in the past and they are still on now.
When you say that you have a past experience, you’ll often use the expression ことがある transcribed koto ga aru along with a verb for some action you’ve done before.
experienceすしを食べたことがあるTranscription: Sushi o tabeta koto ga aruTranslation: I have eaten sushi.
There are also other constructions that will use ある transcribed aru and いる transcribed iru as “helping” verbs, so keep an eye out for them as you learn!
To sum up
In this article, we discussed how to use the verbs いる transcribed iru and ある transcribed aru as the main verb to express “to be”, “to exist,” or “to have.” Here are the most important things to remember:
The difference between the two verbs:
ある transcribed aru is used with an inanimate noun that does not move itself
いる transcribed iru is used with an animate noun, or something that moves itself
Both verbs have three main uses:
Existence: “there is”
Location + には transcribed ni wa
Noun + が transcribed ga
ある transcribed aru / いる transcribed iru
Possession: “have” or “own”
Possessor + には transcribed ni wa
Noun + が transcribed ga
ある transcribed aru / いる transcribed iru
Location: “is at/on/in”
Noun + は transcribed wa
Location + に transcribed ni
ある transcribed aru / いる transcribed iru
いる transcribed iru and ある transcribed aru are also often used as auxiliary verbs.
Ready to practice what you’ve learned? Check out our いる transcribed iru and ある transcribed aru exercises to test your skills! Happy learning!
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