In this lesson we will lean the verb “imasu” います which is the verb to be for living things. DO NOT use this verb with non-living things. The verb learned in Lesson 3 “arimasu” あります is used for that.

Here is an example of using imasu .
There are people over there.
“Asoko ni hito ga imasu”.
あそこにひとがいます。
hito ひと is people or person.

Here are some examples using distance words and numbers.
There are 2 cats in the garden.
“niwa ni neko ga nihiki imasu”
にわにねこがにひきいます。
Niwa にわ is garden and neko ねこ is cat.
More about “nihiki” にひき in the this lesson’s section on counting.

Now here is one making a question using “ka” か at the end.
Where is John?
“Jyo-nsan wa doko ni imasu ka”
ジョーンさんはどこにいますか。

Negative of form.
Similar to the negative form of arimasu あります, the negative form of imasu います  is imasen　いません.
Example.
There are no people over there.
asoko ni hito wa imasen.
あそこにひとはいません。
Again note how ga が changes to wa は.

New Counter
Once again practice your hiragana by converting the romaji to hiragana for these counters.
This week counters for small animals using suffix “hiki” ひき.

1- ippiki
2- nihiki
3- sanbiki
4-yonhiki
5- gohiki
6- roppiki
7- nanahiki
8- happiki
9- kyuhiki
10- jippiki
How many- nanbiki

Ganbatte!