ある expresses the existence or location of things, and can also say that an event takes place. For people and animals, use いる instead.

The idea

For an object, use place に + thing が + あります; は can mark a contrasting topic, especially in a negative. An event takes で for the place where it happens. The polite forms are あります, ありません and ありました; the plain negative is the irregular ない.

Patterns to compare
JapaneseForm
あるDictionary form
ありますPolite non-past
ありませんPolite negative
ありましたPolite past
あってて-form
ないPlain negative

Examples

  • 机つくえの上うえに本ほんがあります。There is a book on the desk.
  • 台所だいどころに水みずがあります。There is water in the kitchen.
  • この町まちに図書館としょかんがありますか。Is there a library in this town?
  • かばんの中なかに鍵かぎがありません。There is no key in the bag.
  • 昨日きのう学校がっこうで試験しけんがありました。There was an exam at school yesterday.
  • この店みせにはお茶ちゃがあります。This shop has tea.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Although plants are alive, Japanese normally uses ある for their existence. Also, the plain negative of ある is ない, not あらない.

Try it yourself

  1. 机つくえの上うえ＿ペンがあります。（に／で） Choose the particle in brackets.

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    に

    に marks the location of the book or pen in an existence sentence; で normally marks where an action or event occurs.

  2. かばんに鍵かぎは＿。（ある） Complete with the polite negative of the verb.

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    ありません

    ありません is the polite negative of あります; は sets the key up as the topic of the negative.

  3. 箱はこに本ほんが＿。（あります／います） Choose the verb in brackets.

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    あります

    A book is an inanimate thing, so choose あります rather than います.

Use it today

Describe two things in your room, then say one thing that is not there. If you mention an event, mark its venue with で.