Chapter 10: Existence and Location
Learn how to express existence and describe locations of people, animals, and objects
In this chapter, you will learn how to use the verbs います and あります to describe the existence and location of animate and inanimate objects. You
Key topics:
- ・Expressing existence (います、あります)
- ・Describing locations of people and objects
- ・Using location words (上、下、前、後ろ、中、外)
- ・Talking about positions and relationships
- ・Describing buildings and places
- ・Using counters for shelves and positions
Vocabulary
1
います
imasu
-
exist, be (referring to animate things)
Example
庭に猫がいます.
Niwa ni neko ga imasu.
There is a cat in the garden.
2
あります
arimasu
-
exist, be
Example
机の上に本があります.
Tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasu.
There is a book on the desk.
3
いろいろ [な]
iroiro [na]
-
various
Example
いろいろな本があります.
Iroiro na hon ga arimasu.
There are various books.
4
おとこのひと
otoko no hito
男の人
man
Example
あのおとこのひとは先生です.
Ano otoko no hito wa sensei desu.
That man is a teacher.
5
おんなのひと
onna no hito
女の人
woman
Example
おんなのひとが二人います.
Onna no hito ga futari imasu.
There are two women.
6
おとこのこ
otoko no ko
男の子
boy
Example
公園でおとこのこが遊んでいます.
Kōen de otoko no ko ga asonde imasu.
A boy is playing in the park.
7
おんなのこ
onna no ko
女の子
girl
Example
そのおんなのこは私の妹です.
Sono onna no ko wa watashi no imōto desu.
That girl is my younger sister.
8
いぬ
inu
犬
dog
Example
いぬをかっています.
Inu o katteimasu.
I have a dog.
9
ねこ
neko
猫
cat
Example
ねこはベッドの上にいます.
Neko wa beddo no ue ni imasu.
The cat is on the bed.
10
き
ki
木
tree, wood
Example
庭に大きいきがあります.
Niwa ni ōkii ki ga arimasu.
There is a big tree in the garden.
11
もの
mono
物
thing
Example
これは大切なものです.
Kore wa taisetsu na mono desu.
This is an important thing.
12
フィルム
firumu
-
film
Example
カメラにフィルムがありません.
Kamera ni firumu ga arimasen.
There is no film in the camera.
13
でんち
denchi
電池
battery
Example
でんちが ほしいんですが
Denchi ga hoshiin desu ga.
I want batteries.
14
はこ
hako
箱
box
Example
はこのなかにしょるいがあります.
Hako no naka ni shorui ga arimasu.
There are documents in the box.
15
スイッチ
suitchi
-
switch
Example
電気のスイッチを入れてください.
Denki no suitchi o irete kudasai.
Please turn on the light switch.
16
れいぞうこ
reizōko
冷蔵庫
refrigerator
Example
れいぞうこにやさいがあります.
Reizouko ni yasai ga arimasu.
There are vegetables in the refrigerator.
17
テーブル
tēburu
-
table
Example
テーブルでしょくじをします.
Teeburu de shokuji o shimasu.
I eat meals at the table.
18
ベッド
beddo
-
bed
Example
ベッドでねます.
Beddo de nemasu.
I sleep in bed.
19
たな
tana
棚
shelf
Example
本たなに辞書があります.
Hon tana ni jisho ga arimasu.
There is a dictionary on the bookshelf.
20
ドア
doa
-
door
Example
ドアの後ろにかばんがあります.
Doa no ushiro ni kaban ga arimasu.
There is a bag behind the door.
21
まど
mado
窓
window
Example
まどを あけてください.
Mado o akete kudasai.
Please open the window.
22
ポスト
posuto
-
mailbox, postbox
Example
あそこにポストがあります.
Asoko ni posuto ga arimasu.
There is a mailbox over there.
23
ビル
biru
-
building
Example
あの ビルは たかいです.
Ano biru wa takai desu.
That building is tall.
24
こうえん
kōen
公園
park
Example
こうえんがあります.
Kouen ga arimasu.
There is a park.
25
きっさてん
kissaten
喫茶店
coffee shop
Example
駅の前にきっさてんがあります.
Eki no mae ni kissaten ga arimasu.
There is a coffee shop in front of the station.
26
ほんや
honya
本屋
bookstore
Example
このほんやに日本語の本があります.
Kono honya ni nihongo no hon ga arimasu.
This bookstore has Japanese books.
27
〜や
ya
〜屋
store
Example
このみせで かいます.
Kono mise de kaimasu.
I
28
のりば
noriba
乗り場
a fixed place to catch taxis, trains
Example
タクシーのりばはどこですか.
Takushī noriba wa doko desu ka?
Where is the taxi stand?
29
けん
ken
県
division, state or province
Example
東京けんに住んでいます.
Tōkyō-ken ni sunde imasu.
I live in Tokyo prefecture.
30
うえ
ue
上
on, above, over
Example
机のうえに本があります.
Tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasu.
There is a book on the desk.
31
した
shita
下
under, below, beneath
Example
いすのしたに猫がいます.
Isu no shita ni neko ga imasu.
There is a cat under the chair.
32
まえ
mae
前
in front
Example
えきの まえです.
Eki no mae desu.
It
33
うしろ
ushiro
後ろ
back, behind
Example
家のうしろに庭があります.
Ie no ushiro ni niwa ga arimasu.
There is a garden behind the house.
34
みぎ
migi
右
right [side]
Example
銀行は郵便局のみぎです.
Ginkō wa yūbinkyoku no migi desu.
The bank is to the right of the post office.
35
ひだり
hidari
左
left [side]
Example
私のひだりに山田さんがいます.
Watashi no hidari ni Yamada-san ga imasu.
Yamada-san is on my left.
36
なか
naka
中
in, inside
Example
部屋のなかに誰かいますか.
Heya no naka ni dareka imasu ka?
Is there anyone inside the room?
37
そと
soto
外
outside
Example
そとで あそびます.
Soto de asobimasu.
I play outside.
38
となり
tonari
隣
next, next door
Example
私のとなりに座ってください.
Watashi no tonari ni suwatte kudasai.
Please sit next to me.
39
ちかく
chikaku
近く
near, vicinity
Example
駅のちかくに住んでいます.
Eki no chikaku ni sunde imasu.
I live near the station.
40
あいだ
aida
間
between, among
Example
二人のあいだに犬がいます.
Futari no aida ni inu ga imasu.
There is a dog between the two people.
41
〜や[など]
ya [nado]
-
, and so on
Example
りんごやバナナなどがあります.
Ringo ya banana nado ga arimasu.
There are apples, bananas, and so on.
42
いちばん __
ichiban __
-
the most __
Example
これがいちばん好きです.
Kore ga ichiban suki desu.
I like this the most.
43
いちばんうえ
ichiban ue
-
the top
Example
いちばんうえのたなに本があります.
Ichiban ue no tana ni hon ga arimasu.
There is a book on the top shelf.
44
ーだんめ
-danme
一段目(ーだんめ)
the -th shelf
Example
三だんめに辞書があります.
San-danme ni jisho ga arimasu.
There is a dictionary on the third shelf.
Grammar Rules
Rule 1: Existence of animate things - います
Structure: [Place] に [Animate Subject] が います
Use います to express the existence or presence of living, moving things—people, animals, insects, etc. The location is marked by the particle に (meaning
How to use: Start with the location (place), add the particle に, then state the animate thing followed by が, and finally います. Example: こうえん に こども が います (There is a child in the park). To ask
💡 Pro Tip: Do not use あります for people or animals—that sounds like they are objects (and can be very rude). For fish, birds, and pets, always use います. For plants and trees, use あります (they are treated as inanimate). When asking
Examples
公園に子供がいます.
Kōen ni kodomo ga imasu.
→ There is a child in the park.
部屋に猫が二匹います.
Heya ni neko ga nihiki imasu.
→ There are two cats in the room.
Rule 2: Existence of inanimate things - あります
Structure: [Place] に [Inanimate Subject] が あります
Use あります to express the existence or presence of non-living things—objects, plants, buildings, events, etc. The location is marked by に, and the existing thing is marked by が. This is also used for scheduled events (e.g., パーティーがあります = There is a party).
How to use: Start with the location (place or position), add に, then state the inanimate thing followed by が, and finally あります. Example: つくえ の うえ に ほん が あります (There is a book on the desk). For past existence, use ありました. For negative, use ありません. To ask about existence, use ありますか.
💡 Pro Tip: For existence at a specific time (events), use に with time words: 日曜日にパーティーがあります (There is a party on Sunday). Never use います for objects. Remember: あります also means
Examples
机の上に本があります.
Tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasu.
→ There is a book on the desk.
駅の前にコンビニがあります.
Eki no mae ni konbini ga arimasu.
→ There is a convenience store in front of the station.
Rule 3: Location words with の
Structure: [Noun] の [Location Word]
Use the possessive particle の to connect a noun to a location word, showing where that noun is relative to something else. Location words are nouns like うえ (above/on top), した (under/below), なか (inside), そと (outside), まえ (in front), うしろ (behind), となり (next to), and あいだ (between).
How to use: Simply place the reference noun first, then の, then the location word. This forms a noun phrase meaning
💡 Pro Tip: Location words are nouns, so they can take particles like に (location), へ (direction), or で (action location). Don
Examples
冷蔵庫の中にケーキがあります.
Reizōko no naka ni kēki ga arimasu.
→ There is cake inside the refrigerator.
私の後ろに田中さんがいます.
Watashi no ushiro ni Tanaka-san ga imasu.
→ Tanaka is behind me.
Rule 4: Describing positions
Structure: [Thing] は [Place] に います / あります
When you want to specify where a particular thing is located, make that thing the topic using は, and state the location using に + います/あります. This pattern answers
How to use: Start with the thing you are talking about, add は, then state the location (place or position word + に), and finally います (for animate) or あります (for inanimate). Example: ねこ は ベッド の した に います (The cat is under the bed). To ask a question: X は どこに います/ありますか？ (Where is X?).
💡 Pro Tip: The contrast between が (neutral existence) and は (topic position) is important. Use が when introducing something for the first time (『むかしむかし、おじいさんがいました』- Once upon a time, there was an old man). Use は when referring to something already known (『そのおじいさんは山に住んでいました』- That old man lived in the mountains). For location, you can omit に after どこ in casual speech: ねこはどこ？
Examples
猫はベッドの下にいます.
Neko wa beddo no shita ni imasu.
→ The cat is under the bed.
私のスマホはテーブルの上にあります.
Watashi no sumaho wa tēburu no ue ni arimasu.
→ My smartphone is on the table.
Exercises
Question 1
Choose the correct verb particle:
こうえん に こども が ______.
Question 2
つくえ の うえ に ほん が ______.
Question 3
Which particle marks the location of existence?
Question 4
れいぞうこ ______ なか ______ ケーキ が あります.
Question 5
What does
Question 6
へや に いぬ が ______.
Question 7
How do you say
Question 8
わたし ______ となり ______ たなかさん が います.
Question 9
How do you ask
Question 10
むかし、ここ に ねこ が ______.
Question 11
What does
Question 12
えき ______ まえ ______ コンビニ が あります.
Question 13
Which is correct for
Question 14
わたしの スマホ ______ テーブル ______ うえ ______ あります.
Question 15
How do you ask
Question 16
ペン と ノート ______ あいだ ______ ほん が あります.
Question 17
What does
Question 18
わたし ______ うしろ ______ あに が います.
Question 19
Which sentence introduces
Question 20
せんせい ______ がくせい ______ まえ ______ います.