to have (possession)

The same verbs arimasu and imasu also express possession: jikan ga arimasu means I have time, and imouto ga imasu means I have a younger sister. The possessed thing takes ga. Use imasu for people and animals, arimasu for everything else.

Examples

• 今日きょうは時間じかんがありません。

  Kyou wa jikan ga arimasen.

  I don't have time today.

• 私わたしは兄あにが二人ふたりいます。

  Watashi wa ani ga futari imasu.

  I have two older brothers.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 今日 today
• 時間 time
• ある to exist (inanimate); to have
• 私 I; me
• 兄 older brother (one's own)
• いる to exist (animate); to be

Related patterns · Existence and location

• 〜がいます / あります there is / there are (existence)
• 〜の上 / 下 / 中 / 前 / 後ろ / 隣に position words: on, under, inside, in front of, behind, next to