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Japanese Grammar Tutorials
いるand ある and expressions of being
The concept of there is/there are is expressed in Japanese with two verbs: iru / いるand aru / ある. Iru is used to indicate animate objects, while aru is used to indicate inanimate objects.
あそこに図書館があります。
Asoko ni toshokan ga arimasu.
There is a library over there.
あそこにこどもがいます。
Asoko ni kodomo ga imasu.
There is a child over there.
Both of these sentences contain the words asoko ni / あそこに. Asoko means “over there.” に indicates direction.