JLPT N5 grammar

〜があるmeaning and usage

Meaning

States that something exists or is present; with a possessor as the topic, it can also say that someone or something has a thing or quality.

How to form it

  • nounにnounがある
  • nounはnounがある

How it is used

「ある」 is for things, plants and events; people and animals take 「いる」. It also means “have” (「時間がある」) or that an event takes place (「テストがある」). The negative is 「ない」.

Examples

  1. テーブルにりんごがある。

    There is an apple on the table.

  2. 駅の近くに大きい図書館があります。

    There's a big library near the station.

  3. あしたは英語のテストがあります。

    There's an English test tomorrow.

About the example In りんごがある, が marks the apple as what exists, while ある states its presence at the location marked by テーブルに.