Japanese Language Made Simpler - Lesson 14

In the last lesson, we have learnt that "あります" can be used to express existence of a non-living object or a plant, so how about subjects, like animals and people? Today, we will touch on "います" and how it is being used.

[place] に [noun] がいます。
= [place] ni [noun] ga imasu.
= There is/ are [noun] at [place]
*[noun] must be a living thing.

• There are many fishes in the sea. = umi ni takusan sakana ga imasu. = 海にたくさん魚がいます。(umi= sea; takusan= many; sakana= fish)

• I will not be at home tomorrow. = ashita wa uchi ni imasen. = 明日はうちにいません。(uchi = home, imasen = negative form of imasu, not in existence)