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How to Say ‘To exist; to have (inanimate)’ in Japanese

ある

aru

[ah-roo]

💬 Usage Tip: [ある] means “there is/exists” for things/events (not people/animals). Polite form is [あります].

🇯🇵 In Japan: You’ll often “have” experiences in Japanese by saying they “exist”: [経験があります] (I have experience).

Phrase Breakdown

ある

aru

[ah-roo]

to exist; to have (inanimate/abstract)

Verb meaning something exists/there is, or you have something (experience, time, examples). Common in interview talk: 経験がある.

Example

改善した経験があるので説明できます。

I have experience improving it, so I can explain it.

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