Now we will lean the verb “arimasu” あります which is the verb “to be” for inanimate objects. This is a very important verb that you will use in almost every Japanese conversation in some way or another. In this lesson we will learn just the very basic use for this verb. DO NOT use this verb with people or animals there is a different word for that which will learn in a future lesson.

First here are some distance words: “koko“ここ- here, “soko” そこ- There,  “asoko“あそこ- Over there and “doko” どこ- where.

Here is an example sentence using arimasu
There is an apple.
ringo ga arimasu.
りんごがあります。

Here we learn a new particle “ga” が. This particle “ga” が goes right after the noun used with the verb arimasu あります.

Here is a sentence using distance words and numbers.
There are 3 sheets of paper here.
koko ni kami ga san mai arimasu.
ここにかみがさんまいあります。
kami かみ is paper.

Notice after the word here “Koko” ここ the particle “ni” に is placed to show a feeling like the word “at”.

Now here is a sentence as a question using “ka” か the question particle at the end.
where is the telephone?
denwa wa doko ni arimasu ka.
でんわはどこにありますか。
“denwa” でんわ is telephone.

So now you just need to practice these simple forms with other objects.

Negative of Arimasu.
The Negative of arimasu あります is arimasen ありません.
So you can say:
There are no apples.
Ringo wa arimasen.
りんごはありません。

Note that in negative form “ga”  changes to “wa”.
Aslo ringo りんご can be an apple or apples.

New Counter

Once again practice your hiragana by converting the romaji to hiragana for these counters!
This is for counting things like TV, or radios. it uses suffix “dai“.
For example:
“There is one TV.”
“terebi ga ichi dai arimasu”
テレビがいちだいあります。

1- ichidai
2- nidai
3-sandai
4-yondai
5- godai
6-rokudai
7-shichidai
8-hachidai
9- kyudai
10- judai
How many-nandai

Good luck with this lesson!