How to Say ‘Is there?’ in Japanese
はありますか
wa ari masu ka
[wah ah-ree mahs kah]
💬 Usage Tip: [は] marks the topic, and [ありますか] politely asks if something exists. Together it often means 'Are there any...?'
🇯🇵 In Japan: This structure is very common in polite questions, especially in offices, stores, clinics, and formal interactions.
Phrase Breakdown
は
wa
[wah]
topic marker
Marks the topic of the sentence.
更新はありますか。
Are there any updates?
あり
ari
[ah-ree]
exist; there is
From ある, used for things that exist or are present.
時間がありました。
There was time.
ます
masu
[mahs]
polite non-past ending
Part of the polite verb form ます.
資料があります。
There are materials.
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
Makes the sentence a question.
大丈夫ですか。
Is it okay?
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