How to Say ‘There is; I have’ in Japanese
があります
ga ari masu
[gah ah-ree mahss]
💬 Usage Tip: [があります] is a polite way to say “there is/are” or “I have” for things, situations, or abstract matters.
🇯🇵 In Japan: This pattern is very common in offices: instead of saying something too directly, people often say [〜があります] in a calm, neutral way.
Phrase Breakdown
が
ga
[gah]
subject marker
Marks the subject of a sentence, often for existence or identification.
問題があります。
There is a problem.
あり
ari
[ah-ree]
to exist; to have (polite stem)
The polite stem of あります, used for things that exist or situations someone has.
質問がありましたら聞いてください。
If you have questions, please ask.
ます
masu
[mahss]
polite verb ending
A polite ending used in standard formal Japanese.
今日は会社に行きます。
I am going to the office today.
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