JLPT N5 Grammar: います (imasu) — “There Is / I Have” (Living Beings)

JLPT N5 Grammar: います (imasu)

Q: How do I say 'I have' with います?

Use は for the possessor and が for the living being: 私は犬がいます = I have a dog (literally: as for me, there is a dog).

Existence & possession — “there is” / “I have” (living beings)

JLPTジェイエルピーティー N5エヌゴ文法ぶんぽういます解説かいせつ (存在そんざい・所有しょゆう)

⏱️ Study time: 5–7 minutes

います (imasu) is the polite verb used for the existence of living beings — people, animals, and insects. It also expresses possession of pets and family members. Its counterpart for inanimate objects is あります (arimasu).

🚀 JLPT N5 Warm-up Quiz

Q: How do you say “There is a cat over there” politely?

Answer: A (猫がいます). います is for living beings (cats). B uses あります which is for inanimate objects. C is ungrammatical (noun + です cannot mark location with に).

Quick Summary

Grammar Point
います

Meaning
There is (living being) / I have (pets, family)

Pattern
Location + に + Living Noun + が + います

Example
あそこに犬いぬがいます。あそこにいぬがいます。Asoko ni inu ga imasu.
There is a dog over there.

📝 Core Patterns

Existence: Place + に + Living Noun + が + います

Possession: Person + は + Living Noun + が + います

Negative: Living Noun + が + いません

⚠️ います is only for living beings (people, animals, insects). For inanimate objects, use あります.

🧠 Need the inanimate version? See あります (arimasu) →

💡 Toggle furigana, hiragana, or romaji for easier reading.

What is います?

います is the polite verb of existence for living beings. Use it to say that a person, animal, or insect exists somewhere (“there is a ~”), or that you have a pet or family member (“I have a ~”). The casual/dictionary form is いる.

Exists: 猫ねこがいます = there is a cat.
Possession: 私わたしは弟おとうとがいます = I have a younger brother.
Location: 田中たなかさんは教室きょうしつにいます = Mr. Tanaka is in the classroom.

公園こうえんに子供こどもがいます。こうえんにこどもがいます。Kōen ni kodomo ga imasu.
There are children in the park.

⚡ Two Main Uses of います

Use	Pattern	Example
Existence	Place + に + Living Noun + が + います	庭にわに鳥とりがいます。 There is a bird in the garden.
Possession	Person + は + Living Noun + が + います	私わたしは猫ねこがいます。 I have a cat.

⚡ Conjugation Forms

Form	Polite	Casual
Affirmative	います	いる
Negative	いません	いない
Past	いました	いた
Past negative	いませんでした	いなかった

Examples & Mini Dialogue

部屋へやに誰だれがいますか。へやにだれがいますか。Heya ni dare ga imasu ka.
Who is in the room?

✅ 誰 (who) asks about a person, so います is required.

私わたしは姉あねがいます。わたしはあねがいます。Watashi wa ane ga imasu.
I have an older sister.

🗣️ Mini Dialogue
A: ペットがいますか。ぺっとがいますか。Petto ga imasu ka.
B: はい、犬いぬがいます。はい、いぬがいます。Hai, inu ga imasu.

⚡ います vs あります

Verb	Used for	Example
います	Living beings (people, animals, insects)	猫ねこがいます。 There is a cat.
あります	Inanimate objects, plants, events, ideas	本ほんがあります。 There is a book.

⚠️ JLPT Trap: Fish in a tank use います (they are alive). Dead fish (food) use あります. The distinction is whether the being is alive in context. Ghosts and supernatural beings typically use います.

Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

✕ 本ほんがいます。

✓ 本ほんがあります (books are inanimate, use あります).

✕ 公園こうえんは猫ねこがいます。

✓ 公園こうえんに猫ねこがいます (use に for location, not は).

✕ 私わたしが犬いぬがいます。

✓ 私わたしは犬いぬがいます (use は for the possessor, not が).

JLPT N5 Practice Questions

Score: 0 / 3

1. “There is a dog in the garden.” Choose the correct verb.

2. “I have a younger sister.” How do you say this?

3. Living beings like cats and dogs use: ________.

🎯 JLPT N5 tip: います vs あります is one of the first and most tested distinctions at N5. If the subject is a living creature, use います. For everything else — objects, plants, buildings, events — use あります.

Test yourself with a free mock exam →

About the Instructor

Taught by Anup Sensei at Gogaku Language & Training Center in Pokhara. With real Japan experience and a focus on exam essentials, he helps students pass the JLPT with confidence.

⚡ Vocabulary Used in This Lesson

Japanese	Reading	Type	English Meaning
猫ねこ	ねこ	Noun	cat
犬いぬ	いぬ	Noun	dog
子供こども	こども	Noun	child
鳥とり	とり	Noun	bird
庭にわ	にわ	Noun	garden
姉あね	あね	Noun	older sister
妹いもうと	いもうと	Noun	younger sister
ペット	ぺっと	Noun	pet

Related Grammar

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use います for plants?

No. Plants are living in biology but grammatically they use あります in Japanese. 桜さくらがあります = there is a cherry tree.

Do ghosts use います?

Yes. Ghosts, spirits, and supernatural beings are treated as animate and use います. 幽霊ゆうれいがいます = there is a ghost.

How do I say "I have" with います?

Use は for the possessor and が for the living being: 私わたしは犬いぬがいます = I have a dog (literally: as for me, there is a dog).

Continue Learning

Next: に (ni) — the location particle.

Learn に →

→ Explore the JLPT N5 Grammar Hub

Ready to Pass JLPT N5 with Confidence?

Join Anup Sensei's intensive course at Gogaku Language & Training Center, Pokhara. Small batches, real conversation, mock tests, and full grammar mastery.

Join Now – www.gogakueducation.com

🎌 Free JLPT Mock Test