The simplest way to ask or describe the location of something is to use the [A wa B da] structure. Here, A (the subject) stands for the thing, and B (the noun predicate) for the location.
A: ࡃࠬߪߤߎߢߔ߆ ޕ basutee wa doko desu ka
“Where is the bus stop?”
B: (ࡃࠬߪ)ߘߎߢߔޕ (basutee wa) asoko desu
“The bus stop is over there.”
However, this simple [A wa B da] structure is not always sufficient. For example, the following sentence may be read as “Osaka is classified as part of Western Japan” or “Osaka represents everything Western Japan is,” both of which differ from describing Osaka’s physical location.
ᄢ㒋ߪᣣᧄߢߔޕ oosaka wa nishi-nihon desu
(literally: “Osaka is Western Japan.”)
In order to clearly indicate that Osaka is located in Western Japan, use the verb of existence aru “exist.” The location phrase is followed by the particle ni, which marks the location of a stable entity (see Unit 5).
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ᄢ㒋ߪᣣᧄߦࠅ߹ߔᣣᧄߦࠅ߹ߔޕ oosaka wa nishi-nihon ni arimasu
“Osaka is in Western Japan.”
(literally: “Osaka exists in Western Japan.”)
Note that you cannot use the particle ni with the copula verb.
ᄢ㒋ߪᣣᧄߦߦߢߔޕ
oosaka wa nishi-nihon ni desu
(intended: “Osaka is in Western Japan.”)
The verb aru is only one of the two verbs of existence in Japanese. It is used to indicate the existence of inanimate or immobile objects (e.g., landmarks, plants, and trees, etc.). The other verb, iru, is used for animate objects (e.g., people and animals). Compare the following two examples:
ࡃࠬߪߘߎߦࠅ߹ߔࠅ߹ߔޕ [inanimate]
basutee wa asoko ni arimasu
“The bus stop is over there.”
ㆇォᚻߐࠎߪᄖߦ߹ߔ߹ߔޕ [animate]
untenshu-san wa soto ni imasu
“The driver is outside.”
Here, the polite form of the verb aru is used with an inanimate object,
“bus stop,” whereas the verb iru is used with an animate entity, “driver.”
These verbs of existence appear most naturally with the particles ga and ni. The subject is marked with the particle ga, and its location is marked with the particle ni (see Unit 5). This is schematically shown in the follow-ing table.
[Unmarked particles with verbs of existence]
Subject Location Verb “exist”
Inanimate . . . ߇
ga . . . ߦ
ni ࠅ߹ߔ
arimasu
Animate ߹ߔ
imasu
In Unit 4 we learned that, while word order is fairly flexible in Japanese, reordering of phrases causes a subtle change in meaning. That is, a phrase that appears later in a sentence tends to be interpreted as a focus of con-trast. This also applies to sentences containing a verb of existence. The following two word orders yield different focuses.
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Verbs of existence:
aru and iru
Focus!
(i) Subject Location Verb of Existence (ii) Location Subject Verb of Existence
Order (i) is used when the speaker is concerned about where something or someone is, whereas order (ii) is used when the speaker is concerned about what or who exists in a certain location.
For instance, if you believe that a certain thing or person is nearby and you want to find out its location, use order (i).
A: ࡃࠬߪߪߤߎߦࠅ߹ߔ߆ޕ
basu-tee wa doko ni arimasu ka
“Where is the bus stop?”
B: (ࡃࠬߪߪ)ߘߎߦࠅ߹ߔޕ
(basu-tee wa) asoko ni arimasu
“It’s over there.”
A: ㆇォᚻߐࠎߪߪߤߎߦ߹ߔ߆ޕ
untenshu-san wa doko ni imasu ka
“Where is the driver?”
B: (ㆇォᚻߐࠎߪߪ)ᄖߦ߹ߔޕ (untenshu-san wa) soto ni imasu
“He is outside.”
In this pattern, the thing or person is marked with wa and is introduced first. With the existence of something or someone already presupposed, its location is the primary focus.
On the other hand, if you are concerned with what or who is in a cer-tain location, use order (ii).
A: ߎߩㅢࠅߦ(ߪ)߇ࠅ߹ߔ߆ޕ kono toori ni (wa) nani ga arimasu ka
“What is on this street?”
B: (ߎߩㅢࠅߦߪ)࠺ࡄ࠻߿ᤋ↹㙚߇ࠅ߹ߔޕ (kono toori ni wa) depaato ya eegakan ga arimasu
“There is a department store, a movie theater, and so on.”
A: ߦ(ߪ)⺕߇߹ߒߚ߆ޕ kooen ni (wa) dare ga imashita ka
“Who was in the park?”
B: (ߦߪ)ሶߤ߽ߚߜ߇߹ߒߚޕ (kooen ni wa) kodomotachi ga imashita
“There were children.”
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In this case, you first mention the location and then ask or describe what/
who is there. The topic particle wa is optional in the questions. However, using it adds a sense of contrast (e.g., in THIS street, as opposed to others).
The two types of questions are summarized below.
[Questions concerning “where”]
Subject Location Verb “exist” Q Inanimate
. . . ߪ
wa ߤߎߦ
doko ni
ࠅ߹ߔarimasu ߆
Animate ߹ߔ ka
imasu
[Questions concerning “what/who”]
Location Subject Verb “exist” Q Inanimate
. . . ߦ(ߪ) ni (wa)
߇nani ga ࠅ߹ߔ
arimasu ߆
Animate ⺕߇ ka
dare ga ߹ߔ
imasu
Using order (ii), you can also pose a yes-no question to indirectly ask for the location.
A: ߎߩ߳ࠎߦࡃࠬ߇{ࠅ߹ߔ߆/ࠅ߹ߖࠎ}߆ޕ kono hen ni basutee ga {arimasu/arimasen} ka
“Is there a bus stop around here?”
B: ߪޔࠅ߹ߔࠃޕߘߎߦࠅ߹ߔޕ hai, arimasu yo. asoko ni arimasu
“Yes, there is. There is one over there.”
A: ߎߜࠄߦㆇォᚻߐࠎ߇{߹ߔ/߹ߖࠎ}߆ޕ kochira ni untenshu-san ga {imasu/imasen} ka
“Is there a driver here?”
B: ߃ޔ߹ߖࠎޕᄖߦ߹ߔޕ iie, imasen. soto ni imasu
“No, there isn’t, (but) there is one outside.”
Here, Speaker A is trying to find out if there is a bus stop or a driver nearby. The affirmative and negative endings -masu ka and -masen ka can be used interchangeably in this case.
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Events
Events
It should be noted that when the verb aru is used to indicate the existence of events, such as a party or meeting, the location is expressed with de, not ni (see also Unit 5).
ㅳᧃޔ㆐ߩኅߢ㆐ߩኅߢ⺀↢ᣣࡄ࠹ࠖ߇ࠅ߹ߒߚޕ
shuumatsu, tomodachi no uchi de tanjoobi paatii ga arimashita
“There was a birthday party at my friend’s house over the weekend.”
᧪ޔ੩ㇺߢ੩ㇺߢ࿖㓙ળ⼏߇ࠅ߹ߔޕ
raigetsu, kyooto de kokusai-kaigi ga arimasu
“There will be an international conference in Kyoto next month.”
Some other event nouns of this type are: ࠢࠬ kurasu “class,” ᬺ
jugyoo “lecture,” ࠦࡦࠨ࠻ konsaato “concert,” ࠗࡌࡦ࠻ ibento “event,”
ࡇࠢ࠾࠶ࠢ pikunikku “picnic,” ࡃࠬࠤ࠶࠻ߩ⹜ว basuketto no shiai
“basketball game,” 㕙ធ mensetsu “interview,” ࠹ࠬ࠻ tesuto “exam,” etc.