Life in Motion • Existance

📍 Where Things Are (あります/います)

Express existence and location of objects and people. Master the crucial difference between あります (for things) and います (for living beings), and learn to describe where everything is located with precision and clarity.

Essential Grammar Point!

This lesson covers one of the most fundamental aspects of Japanese: describing what exists and where. You'll use these patterns constantly in daily conversation!

🎯 Learning Objectives

Distinguish between あります and います

Express location with に particle

Use positional vocabulary

Build natural location sentences

Ask and answer location questions

Use question forms

🔍 あります vs います - The Key Difference

Unlike English, Japanese has two distinct verbs for existence and they are both verbs that we have seen before. Which one you use depends on whether the subject is animate (can move by itself) or inanimate (cannot move by itself). This distinction is crucial for natural Japanese!

Remember This Rule!

Use あります for inanimate objects/non-living things (objects, places, events). Use います for animate objects/living things (people, animals).

Verb	Meaning	Used For	Example	Audio
あります	there is/are (inanimate objects)	For things, places, events	ほんがあります There is a book
います	there is/are (animate beings)	For people, animals	ねこがいます There is a cat

💡 Quick Decision Guide:

Use います for:

• People (ひと、こども、せんせい)
• Animals (ねこ、いぬ、とり)
• Fish (さかな) - they can move!
• Insects (むし)

Use あります for:

• Objects (ほん、ペン、くるま)
• Buildings (がっこう、いえ)
• Plants (き、はな) - they can't move!
• Events (パーティー、しけん)

👥 Animate vs Inanimate - Practice Examples

Let's practice distinguishing between animate and inanimate objects. This skill is essential for choosing the correct existence verb!

います - Animate (Living Things)

ひと

こども

せんせい

がくせい

ねこ

いぬ

とり

さかな

あります - Inanimate (Non-living Things)

ほん

ペン

かばん

つくえ

いす

くるま

でんわ

コンピューター

Special Cases to Remember!

Plants use あります (they can't move by themselves), robots use あります (not naturally alive), but fish use います (they can move in water). When in doubt, ask: "Can it move by itself naturally?"

📖 Essential Grammar Patterns

These three patterns form the foundation of describing existence and location. Understanding when to use each one will make your Japanese sound natural!

📝 Sentence Structure Summary:

• [Noun] は [Location] にあります/います。 - The [noun] is at [location]
• [Location] に [Noun] があります/います。 - There is [noun] at [location]

📍 Location Words - Describing Positions

These words help you describe exactly where things are located. Combine them with the の particle to create precise location descriptions!

うえ

above/on top

した

below/under

よこ

beside/next to

まえ

in front of

うしろ

behind

なか

inside

そと

outside

となり

next door/adjacent

あいだ

between

みぎ

right

ひだり

left

ちかく

near/close to

とおく

far from

むこう

over there/beyond

🎯 How to Use Location Words:

• Basic pattern: [Object] の [Location] - つくえのうえ (on top of the desk)
• With existence: つくえのうえにほんがあります (There is a book on the desk)
• Multiple words: つくえのうえのみぎ (on the right side of the desk top)
• Remember: The location word comes after the の particle

📍 Location Words with Examples

Here are practical examples using each location word. Notice how they combine with の to create precise position descriptions!

うえ (above/on top)

つくえのうえにほんがあります。

There is a book on top of the desk.

いすのうえにねこがいます。

There is a cat on the chair.

した (below/under)

ベッドのしたにかばんがあります。

There is a bag under the bed.

つくえのしたにいぬがいます。

There is a dog under the desk.

なか (inside)

くるまのなかにせんせいがいます。

The teacher is inside the car.

はこのなかになにがありますか。

What is inside the box?

となり (next to/adjacent)

がっこうのとなりにコンビニがあります。

There is a convenience store next to the school.

わたしのとなりにともだちがいます。

My friend is next to me.

まえ (in front of)

きょうしつのまえにがくせいがいます。

There are students in front of the classroom.

いえのまえにくるまがあります。

There is a car in front of the house.

うしろ (behind)

がっこうのうしろにこうえんがあります。

There is a park behind the school.

わたしのうしろにだれがいますか。

Who is behind me?

よこ (beside/next to)

つくえのよこにゴミばこがあります。

There is a trash can beside the desk.

せんせいのよこにせいとがいます。

There is a student beside the teacher.

あいだ (between)

いすといすのあいだにつくえがあります。

There is a desk between the chairs.

たろうとはなこのあいだにせんせいがいます。

The teacher is between Taro and Hanako.

みぎ (right) & ひだり (left)

つくえのみぎにまどがあります。

There is a window to the right of the desk.

わたしのひだりにねこがいます。

There is a cat to my left.

ちかく (near) & とおく (far)

えきのちかくにホテルがあります。

There is a hotel near the station.

がっこうのとおくにやまがあります。

There are mountains far from the school.

🎯 Pattern Practice:

• Structure: [Reference Object] の [Position] に [Subject] があります/います
• Example: つくえ (desk) + の + うえ (top) + に + ほん (book) + が + あります
• Translation: "There is a book on top of the desk"
• Remember: Use あります for objects, います for living things

Practice Tip!

Try describing your current surroundings using these location words. Look around and say where objects and people are positioned relative to each other!

🏢 Common Places and Locations

These are everyday places you'll often talk about. Practice using them with に to describe where things and people are located!

いえ

house/home

がっこう

school

こうえん

park

みせ

shop/store

えき

station

びょういん

hospital

としょかん

library

ぎんこう

bank

レストラン

restaurant

コンビニ

convenience store

きょうしつ

classroom

へや

room

💬 Example Sentences with Places:

• がっこうにせんせいがいます。(There is a teacher at school.)
• としょかんにたくさんのほんがあります。(There are many books in the library.)
• こうえんにこどもがたくさんいます。(There are many children in the park.)
• コンビニはえきのちかくにあります。(The convenience store is near the station.)

❓ Questions About Existence and Location

Learn how to ask and answer questions about what exists and where things are located. These question patterns are essential for daily conversation!

Question Pattern	Meaning	When to Use	Example Answer
なにがありますか？	What is there?	Asking about inanimate objects	ほんがあります。(There is a book.)
だれがいますか？	Who is there?	Asking about people	たなかさんがいます。(Tanaka-san is there.)
どこにありますか？	Where is it?	Asking for location of objects	つくえのうえにあります。(It's on the desk.)
だれがどこにいますか？	Who is where?	Asking about person's location	たろうはがっこうにいます。(Taro is at school.)

💡 Question Word Tips:

For Objects (あります):

• なに (what) - for things
• どこ (where) - for location
• いくつ (how many) - for countable items

For People/Animals (います):

• だれ (who) - for people
• どこ (where) - for location
• なんにん (how many people)

🌟 Advanced Examples and Complex Sentences

Once you master the basics, try these more complex patterns that include multiple objects, quantities. These will make your Japanese sound more natural and fluent!

Multiple objects in one location

わたしのへやにはベッドとつくえがあります。

In my room, there is a bed and a desk.

Quantity expression with animate beings

がっこうのまえにたくさんのがくせいがいます。

There are many students in front of the school.

Grammar Expansion!

Notice how you can add たくさん (many) and question forms with か. These patterns build on the basic existence verbs you've learned!

🎯 Practice Examples - Build Your Skills

Study these examples to see how location and existence work together. Pay attention to the choice between あります and います, and notice how the particles work together!

あります (Non-living)

つくえのうえにほんがあります。

There is a book on top of the desk.

います (Living)

こうえんにこどもがいます。

There are children in the park.

います (Living)

ねこはいすのしたにいます。

The cat is under the chair.

あります (Non-living)

コンビニはぎんこうのとなりにあります。

The convenience store is next to the bank.

あります (Non-living)

くるまのなかにかばんがあります。

There is a bag inside the car.

います (Living)

せんせいはきょうしつのまえにいます。

The teacher is in front of the classroom.

🎯 Practice Strategy:

1. First identify if the subject is animate or inanimate
2. Choose the correct existence verb (あります/います)
3. Add location with the に particle if needed
4. Use の to connect objects with position words
5. Practice by describing your current surroundings!

💡 Key Points to Remember

Animate vs Inanimate

Always ask: "Can it move by itself?" If yes → います. If no → あります. This includes plants (use あります) and robots (use あります). Fish and insects use います because they can move naturally.

に Particle for Location

Use に to mark where something exists: つくえのうえに (on top of the desk). The location word comes before に. Remember: [Location] に [Object] があります/います.

は vs が Usage

Use が for new information (何がありますか？- What is there?), は for known topics (ほんはつくえにあります - the book is on the desk). が introduces, は explains location.

の for Relationships

Use の to show spatial relationships: つくえのうえ (on top of the desk), いすのした (under the chair). The pattern is always [Object] の [Position].

Question Forms

Use なに for objects (なにがありますか？), だれ for people (だれがいますか？), and どこ for locations (どこにありますか？). Match your question word to what you're asking about!

🏋️ Test Your Knowledge

🎯 Try This Right Now:

• Look around you and describe 3 objects using あります
• Think of 3 people and say where they are using います
• Ask a question about location using どこ

Section Selection Negatives

📍 Where Things Are (あります/います)

🎯 Learning Objectives

🔍 あります vs います - The Key Difference

👥 Animate vs Inanimate - Practice Examples

📖 Essential Grammar Patterns

Pattern 2: [Location] に [Object] が あります/います

Pattern 3: [Object] は [Location] に あります/います

📍 Location Words - Describing Positions

📍 Location Words with Examples

🏢 Common Places and Locations

❓ Questions About Existence and Location

🌟 Advanced Examples and Complex Sentences

🎯 Practice Examples - Build Your Skills

💡 Key Points to Remember

🏋️ Test Your Knowledge