ある is one of the most frequently used verbs in Japanese, but many learners only remember one meaning: "to exist/have." In reality, ある has at least three distinct uses, and the key to telling them apart is the particle that precedes it.
Face 1: Existence (に + ある)
The most basic use — something exists at a location:
ここに本がある。 → There's a book here.
Structure: location + に + thing + が + ある
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 机の上に本がある。 | There's a book on the desk. |
| 冷蔵庫にビールがある。 | There's beer in the fridge. |
| 日本に本社がある。 | The headquarters is in Japan. |
Here に marks the "location of existence" — the thing is just sitting there.
ある is for inanimate objects. For living things, use いる: ここに猫がいる。(There's a cat here.)
Face 2: Events (で + ある)
When ある means "to be held / take place," the particle changes to で:
ここで試合がある。 → There's a match (being held) here.
Structure: location + で + event + が + ある
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 東京でオリンピックがある。 | The Olympics are (held) in Tokyo. |
| 学校で会議がある。 | There's a meeting at school. |
| 来月、大阪で展覧会がある。 | There's an exhibition in Osaka next month. |
Here で marks the "venue of an event" — it's not a thing sitting there, it's an activity taking place.
に vs で: How to Decide?
The core distinction boils down to one thing:
| に + ある | で + ある | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Existence | Event/happening |
| Noun before が | Physical object | Event/activity |
| State | Static (sitting there) | Dynamic (taking place) |
Quick test:
- 本がある → book is an object → に
- 試合がある → match is an event → で
- 会議がある → meeting is an activity → で
- お金がある → money is an object → に (or no location at all)
If you're unsure, think in English: "There's a book at this spot" (static existence → に) vs. "There's a game at this venue" (dynamic event → で).
Face 3: Occurrence (で + ある → 起きる)
ある can also mean "to happen/occur," in which case it can usually be replaced by 起きる:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 昨日、事故があった。 | There was an accident yesterday. |
| 東京で地震があった。 | There was an earthquake in Tokyo. |
| 何かあったの？ | Did something happen? |
The "occurrence" use takes で for locations, just like the "event" use:
この交差点で事故があった。 → There was an accident at this intersection.
Bonus: ある's Formal Form = である
As a side note, the formal written form of です (is/am/are) is である — yes, literally で + ある. This isn't a coincidence:
- で = by means of / in the manner of
- ある = to exist
学生である = to exist in the manner of a student = to be a student. This is the etymology of です.
Summary
- に + ある: Existence (static — something is there)
- で + ある: Events/occurrence (dynamic — something is happening there)
- Key test: Is the noun before が an object or an event?
- ある can mean "to happen" (≈ 起きる) — location uses で
- である = formal written form of です, from で (manner) + ある (exist)
Practice Questions
Q1. Fill in the particle: 「教室＿パソコンがある。」(There's a computer in the classroom.)
Show answer
教室にパソコンがある。
A computer is a physical object (static existence), so use に.
Q2. Fill in: 「来週、学校＿文化祭がある。」(There's a culture festival at school next week.)
Show answer
来週、学校で文化祭がある。
A culture festival is an event (dynamic activity), so use で.
Q3. What does 「東京で大きな地震があった」 mean? Why で instead of に?
Show answer
It means "There was a big earthquake in Tokyo." で is used because an earthquake is an event/occurrence (dynamic), not a static object. The "occurrence" use of ある takes で for locations, just like the "event" use.