Remember, word order in Japanese can be flexible! Just make sure the particles are right.
noun + がlocation
本がかばんの中にあります。
Hon ga kaban no naka ni arimasu.
There is a book in the bag.
Japanese Articles
How to say “to be” in Japanese? ある [aru], いる [iru] and more
By: Akiko Kashiwagi-Wood Mon Jun 08 2026
In Japanese, the ある[aru] and いる[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 aru | あります arimasu | something inanimate or static |
いる iru | います 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[aru] and いる[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 ある[aru] and いる[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 [aru] or いる[iru] in Japanese. Ready? Let’s dive in!
How to conjugate ある [aru] and いる [iru]
Like other Japanese verbs, ある[aru] and いる[iru] are into various forms. Though they are mostly regular, there are a few exceptions to learn.
Tense | ある[aru] | いる[iru] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Plain form | Polite form | Plain form | Polite form | |
Non-past affirmative | ある aru | あります arimasu | いる iru | います imasu |
Past affirmative | あった atta | ありました arimashita | いた ita | いました imashita |
Non-past negative | ない nai | ありません arimasen | いない inai | いません imasen |
Past negative | なかった nakatta | ありませんでした arimasen deshita | いなかった inakatta | いませんでした imasen deshita |
Here are some notes to help you learn the conjugations of ある[aru] and いる[iru]:
Be careful with the negative plain forms of ある[aru]! They’re shorter than you would expect.
✅ない
nai
❌あらない
aranai
✅なかった
nakatta
❌あらなかった
aranakatta
In colloquial Japanese, you can use ないです[nai desu] and なかったです[nakatta desu] to replace the polite negative forms of ある[aru].
In certain types of writing, like the newspaper, public documents, or textbooks, you can find ある[aru] and いる[iru] written in kanji:
有る / 在る
aru
居る
iru
However, the Japanese government recommends using hiragana, ある[aru] and いる[iru], for official and public documents.
When to use ある [aru] vs. いる [iru]?
As we mentioned above, ある[aru] and いる[iru] have the same basic meanings — “be,” “exist,” or “have” — but they are not interchangeable.
ある[aru] is usually used to say an inanimate or immobile thing exists.
いる[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[aru] and いる[iru] in Japanese!
Use ある [aru] with inanimate objects
ある[aru] is used to say that an inanimate object exists or is possessed.
inanimate noun
りんごがテーブルの上にある。
Ringo ga tēburu no ue ni aru.
There is an apple on the table.
子供の頃の写真が本棚にあった。
Kodomo no koro no shashin ga hondana ni atta.
(I) had a picture of me on the bookshelf when I was a kid.
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.”
inanimate noun
ここは田舎なので、コンビニが全然ない。
Koko wa inakana node konbini ga zenzen nai.
Since this is a rural area, there are no convenience stores at all.
冷蔵庫の中には何も食べ物がなかった。
Reizōko no naka ni wa nani mo tabemono ga nakatta.
There was no food in the refrigerator.
Use ある [aru] with abstract nouns and concepts
ある[aru] is also used with abstract nouns for things you cannot touch or feel, like a dream, thought, rule, plans, event, etc.
abstract noun
彼には絵の才能がありません。
Kare ni wa e no sainō ga arimasen.
He has no talent for painting.
何か意見がありますか。
Nani ka iken ga arimasu ka.
Do you have any opinion?
「私には夢がある。」
"Watashi ni wa yume ga aru."
"I have a dream!"
→ Famous speech by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963.
Use いる [iru] for living, moving things
We use いる[iru] with living things that move by themselves, like people and animals.
animate noun
動物園にパンダがいる。
Dōbutsuen ni panda ga iru.
There are pandas in the zoo.
先生は研究室にいなかった。
Sensei wa kenkyūshitsu ni inakatta.
The teacher wasn’t there at the office.
私には兄弟がいません。一人っ子です。
Watashi ni wa kyōdai ga imasen. Hitorikko desu.
I have no siblings. I am an only child.
Use ある[aru] for immobile “living” things
Though barnacles and trees are certainly living things, we still use ある[aru] with them, because they are immobile and cannot move by themselves.
immobile living thing
あの公園には去年までとても大きい木がありました。
Ano kōen ni wa kyonen made totemo ōkī ki ga arimashita.
Until last year, there was a big tree in that park.
You’ll also use ある[aru] for dead animals.
dead animal
まな板の上に魚があります。
Manaita no ue ni sakana ga arimasu.
There is a fish on the cutting board.
Use いる [iru] for inanimate objects that “feel” animate
いる[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).
alive-seeming object
あ、バスがいるよ！急いで、急いで！
A, basu ga iru yo! Isoide, isoide!
Oh, there is a bus! Hurry, hurry!
のんちゃんのお人形さんはどこにいるの？
Non-chan no oningyō-san wa doko ni iru no?
Where is Non-chan’s doll?
Use ある [aru] when a living thing is treated as a concept
You can sometimes ある[aru] with an animate noun that is being treated as a concept. In these cases, you can still use いる[iru], but using ある[aru] will give your statement a more old-fashioned or poetic tone.
You might do this, for example, when making generic statements:
treated as a concept
この方法に異を唱える人もある。
Kono hōhō ni i o tonaeru hito mo aru.
There are also some people who disagree with this method.
→ We aren’t talking about any specific physical person, more about affirming the existence of “disagree-ers” conceptually.
You might also do this if you’re talking about someone’s character:
treated as a concept
今の私があるのは、先生のおかげです。
Ima no watashi ga aru no wa, sensei no okage desu.
I am who I am today thanks to my teachers.
→ A more literal translation might be “Who I am now exists…”: you’re not talking about your physical self so much as your concept of yourself.
When you’re just starting out, it’s simpler and safer to just use いる[iru] with all animate nouns, but you’re quite likely to encounter this use of ある[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[aru] and いる[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[aru] or いる[iru] to express existence, like you might use “there is” or “there are” in English, follow the sentence pattern below:
Location + に[ni]
(optional)
Noun + が[ga]
ある[aru] / いる[iru]
本がある。
Hon ga aru.
There is a book.
かばんの中に本があります。
Kaban no naka ni hon ga arimasu.
There is a book in the bag.
子供がいる。
Kodomo ga iru.
There is a child.
あそこに子供がいます。
Asoko ni kodomo ga imasu.
There is a child over there.
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.
locationnoun + がnegative verb
この家には 子供が いない。
Kono ie ni wa kodomo ga inai.
There is no child in this house(hold).
この棚には本がたくさんあるけれど、あの棚には一冊も ない。
Kono tana ni wa hon ga takusan aru keredo, ano tana ni wa issatsu mo nai.
There are many books on this shelf, but there aren’t any on that shelf over there.
Tip
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[ni] , は[wa], or には[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[ni] alone:
この町に日本人があまりいません。
Kono machi ni Nihonjin ga amari imasen.
There are not that many Japanese people in this town.
Use には[ni wa] or は[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。
Kono machi ni wa Nihonjin ga amari imasen.
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。
Kono machi wa Nihonjin ga amari imasen.
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[wa], check out our post on は[wa]and が[ga] in Japanese!
Possession: How to use ある [aru] and いる [iru] for “to have”?
In Japanese, you can useある[aru] and いる[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[ni wa]
Possessed + が[ga]
ある[aru] / いる[iru]
佐藤さんは軽井沢に別荘がある。
Satō-san wa Karuizawa ni bessō ga aru.
Ms. Sato has a vacation home in Karuizawa.
lit. To Ms. Sato, there is a vacation house in Karuizawa.
→ Karuizawa is a resort town in the mountains in Nagano, Japan.
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.”
Important
Whether you use ある[aru] or いる[iru] depends on the animacy the possessed thing. So if you “have” an object you’ll use ある[aru], but if you “have” a pet, you’ll use いる[iru]! Keep your eyes out for that in the examples below.
You can use ある[aru] and いる[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。
Satō-san wa kyonen kuruma ga arimasen deshita.
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。
Satō-san ni wa mago ga imasu.
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。
Satō-san wa sensu ga nai. Itsumo henna fuku o kiteiru.
Ms. Sato doesn’t have any taste (in clothes). She always wears strange clothes.
佐藤さんは熱意がある。
Satō-san wa netsui ga aru.
Ms. Sato has enthusiasm.
“Having” a symptom:
佐藤さんは熱がある。
Satō-san wa netsu ga aru.
Ms. Sato has a fever.
“Having” a physical characteristic (height, five fingers, etc.):
犬は足が４本ある。
Inu wa ashi ga yon-hon aru.
Dogs have four legs.
佐藤さんは身長が１７０cmある。
Satō-san wa shinchō ga 170cm aru.
Ms. Sato has a height of 170cm.
→ This is the typical phrasing when you want to describe someone’s height.
Exception!
If you want to describe someone’s body parts using an adjective (e.g. “...has long fingers”), you’ll usually want to use the phrase している[shite iru] instead, as this sounds a lot more natural. We’ll talk more about this expression below.
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.”
location / possessorsubject / possessed
この図書館には本が10万冊あります。
Kono toshokan ni wa hon ga jyūman-satsu arimasu.
There are 100,000 books at this library.
This library has 100,000 books.
As we mentioned above, though, ある[aru] and いる[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[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.
subjectverbdirect object
佐藤さんは 軽井沢に別荘を 持っています。
Satō-san wa Karuizawa ni bessō o motte imasu.
Ms. Sato has a vacation home in Karuizawa.
However, the verb 持つ[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[motsu] to say that you “have” a relative:
person
❌ 佐藤さんは孫を持っています。
Satō-san wa mago o motte imasu.
Intended: Ms. Sato has a grandchild.
Let’s compare the uses of 持つ[motsu] to ある[aru] and いる[iru]:
Thing possessed | ある[aru] / いる[iru] | 持つ[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[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[shite iru] this way if the characteristic is described by an adjective. Here is the sentence pattern to follow:
Person + は[wa]
adjective + body part + を[o]
している
shite iru
佐藤さんは綺麗な髪をしている。
Satō-san wa kireina kami o shiteiru.
Ms. Sato has beautiful hair.
森さんは綺麗な髪をしている。
Mori-san wa ii sensu o shiteiru.
Ms. Mori has good taste (for clothes).
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[shiteiru]!
no adjective
❌ 佐藤さんは髪をしている。
Satō-san wa kami o shiteiru.
Intended: Ms. Sato has hair.
Check out our post on habitual actions to learn more about the expression している[shiteiru] and why we use it in this case!
Tip
Here’s another common sentence structure you can use to describe someone’s physical characteristics using an adjective:
佐藤さんは髪が綺麗だ。
Satō-san wa kami ga kireida.
As for Ms. Sato, (her) hair is beautiful.
Check out our post on forming descriptions using は[wa] and が[ga] to learn more about this!
Location: How to use ある [aru] and いる [iru] to say where something is?
Finally, we can use the verbs ある[aru] and いる[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[wa]
Location + に[ni]
ある[aru] / いる[iru]
本はあそこにある。
Hon wa asoko ni aru.
As for the book, (it) is over there.
そのラーメン屋はこの商店街にありません。
Sono rāmenya wa kono shōtengai ni arimasen.
As for that ramen shop, (it) is not in this shopping district.
子供はあそこにいる。
Kodomo wa asoko ni iru.
As for the child, (she/he) is over there.
学生は教室にいません。
Gakusei wa kyōshitsu ni imasen.
As for the students, (they) are not in the classroom.
Tip
Don’t forget that word order can change with context, as long as the particles remain the same!
locationnoun + は [wa]
この商店街にそのラーメン屋はありません。
Kono shōtengai ni sono rāmenya wa arimasen.
As for that ramen shop, (it) is not in this shopping district.
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。
Tōkyō Daigaku wa doko ni arimasu ka.
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。
Tōkyō Daigaku wa Tōkyō-to no Bunkyō-ku ni arimasu.
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。
Tōkyō ni wa Tōkyō Daigaku shika arimasen ka.
Is The University of Tokyo the only university in Tokyo?
lit. 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。
Lie, Tōkyō ni wa daigaku ga takusan arimasu yo.
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[da] or です[desu] instead of using ある[aru] or いる[iru]. When using だ[da] or です[desu], the particle に[ni] that usually follows the location is not included.
- With ある [aru]:
鍵は、テーブルの上にある。
Kagi wa tēburu no ue ni aru.
The key is on the table.
- With だ [da]:
鍵は、テーブルの上だ。
Kagi wa tēburu no ue da.
The key is on the table.
→ Notice that in this structure, the particle に[ni] is not needed after the location!
Important
There is basically no difference in meaning between the two sentences above and they are used in the same sorts of contexts. The difference is really just grammatical.
だ[da] and its polite equivalent です[desu] are used to form state-of-being sentences (e.g. “X is a Y”), where the is the phrase directly before it. So in these sentences, the location modifies the noun.
On the other hand, ある[aru] and いる[iru] are proper verbs, like “exist.” In these sentences the location modifies this verb, the location where the “existing” happened.
So we can think of the pair of sentences we saw above like this:
- With ある [aru]:
The key exists on the table.
- With だ [da]:
The key = on the table.
Here are a few more examples of location sentences that use だ[da] or です[desu] vs. ある[aru] or いる[iru]. Notice that there is not really any difference in meaning between the two!
ある[aru] or いる[iru] | だ[da] or です[desu] |
|---|---|
スーパーは駅の前にあります。 Sūpā wa eki no mae ni arimasu. The supermarket is in front of the station. | スーパーは駅の前です。 Sūpā wa eki no mae desu. The supermarket is in front of the station. |
田中さんは３階にいます。 Tanaka-san wa san-gai ni imasu. Mr. Tanaka is on the 3rd floor. | 田中さんは３階です。 Tanaka-san wa san-gai desu. 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[aru] and いる[iru] as the main verb in a sentence, but these can also be used alongside another verb, as (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[-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。
Mada jūichigatsu da kedo, kodomo no tame no kurisumasu purezento wa mō katte aru.
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[-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。
Ongaku o kiite iru.
(I) am listening to music.
今、服を着ている。
Ima, fuku o kite iru.
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[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
Sushi o tabeta koto ga aru
I have eaten sushi.
There are also other constructions that will use ある[aru] and いる[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[iru] and ある[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[aru] is used with an inanimate noun that does not move itself
いる[iru] is used with an animate noun, or something that moves itself
Both verbs have three main uses:
Existence: “there is”
Location + には[ni wa]
Noun + が[ga]
ある[aru] / いる[iru]
Possession: “have” or “own”
Possessor + には[ni wa]
Noun + が[ga]
ある[aru] / いる[iru]
Location: “is at/on/in”
Noun + は[wa]
Location + に[ni]
ある[aru] / いる[iru]
いる[iru] and ある[aru] are also often used as auxiliary verbs.
Ready to practice what you’ve learned? Check out our いる[iru] and ある[aru] exercises to test your skills! Happy learning!
