The expression がある means `there is` or `there are` and is used for **inanimate objects** (as opposed to いる which is used for living beings).

**がある** is the combination of:

- [Particle](/post/complete-introduction-to-particles-in-japanese) が (subject)
- Verb ある (`to exist`)

**がある is a very common expression** in the Japanese language, so it is important to be able to recognize and understand it in various contexts.

In this post we learn more about the meaning of がある, how it is formed, and when がある is used through real example sentences.

---

## How がある is formed

As we saw in the introduction, がある is the combination of the particle が and the verb ある. がある **follows nouns** to indicate `there is`, `there are`, or `exists`:

{% grammar %}
{% point source="Noun,0/が,1/ある,1" /%}
{% /grammar %}

{% quote %}The が in がある is often **omitted** in colloquial speech{% /quote %}

You can also find the _Kanji form_ of ある: (有|あ)る.

{% kanjidraw kanji="有" path="kanji/aru-exist" /%}

---

## How and when to use がある

がある is used in any situation where we want to indicate that **an inanimate object exists or "there is"**.

{% audio
   source="https://hihvoarjzbopvdhqutnj.supabase.in/storage/v1/object/public/audio/jikann-ga-nai-example-1.mp3" /%}

{% sentence
   japanese="もういい(時|じ)(間|かん)がないやれ！"
   translation="That's enough, there's no time, do it!" /%}

In this example, the negative form がない is used to indicate that `there is no time` ((時|じ)(間|かん) `time`).

### Polite form of ある

The polite form of ある is **あります**.

{% build source="ある あ_る; あ/り; あり/ます;" /%}

{% quote %}Note how the hiragana \~る of ある is changed to \~り in the polite form. We can therefore deduce that ある is a Godan verb (verb in う){% /quote %}

{% sentence
   japanese="(部屋|へや)にテレビがあります。"
   translation="There is a television in the room." /%}

## Difference between がある and はある

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   #9e268733-7c71-4708-9eb4-1cd433091459 /%}

---

## Examples of がある

{% sentence
   japanese="それも(個|こ)(体|たい)(差|さ)があるだろうけど"
   translation="There are also individual differences though" /%}

{% sentence
   japanese="(確|かく)(信|しん)していることがあるんだ。"
   translation="There are convictions." /%}


Learn Japanese Grammar: がある (gaaru). がある means "there is", "there are", "to exist". It is a JLPT N5 Japanese Grammar point.

Difference between がある and はある

がある (gaaru) Meaning Japanese Grammar - There Is

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がある (gaaru) Meaning Japanese Grammar - There Is

How がある is formed

How and when to use がある

Polite form of ある

Difference between がある and はある

Examples of がある

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