How can I say in Japanese that I have a car?
Possession in Japanese
When we want to say in Japanese that we have something,
XはYがあります。
X wa Y ga ari masu.
X possess Y.
In which,
X: subject
Y: objet (material)
is typically used.
Here, we need to emphasize that we can only mention the material and not the living beings when it comes to the use of あります.
So for example,
わたしは車があります。
watashi wa kuruma ga ari masu.
I have a car.
But, we don’t say
わたしは恋人があります。
watashi ha koibito ga ari masu.
because, 恋人:koibito (lover) is alive and not a material.
Adverb of quantity
If you want to add the information of quantity to your sentence, add
For example,
わたしはお金がたくさんあります。
watashi wa okane ga takusan ari masu.
I have a lot of money.
わたしはお金が少しあります。
watashi wa okane ga takusan ari masu.
I have some money.
わたしはお金が全然ありません。
watashi wa okane ga zenzen ari masu.
I don’t have money at all.
Attention, differently to the adverb of level (see also: XはYがわかります: to know X (X wa Y ga Verb)), when using the negative sentence with 少し (sukoshi: little bit), we have to say lie this with adding も(mo) of the complete negation.
わたしはお金が少しもありません。
watashi wa okane ga takusan ari masu.
I have no money.
See also: も : complete negation
あります with some basic abstract nouns
The learnt pattern with あります can also be used with abstract nouns.
And here is the list of some basic nouns.
- 約束: yakusoku: promise
- 用事: youji: something to do.
- 仕事: shigoto: work
- 病院: byouin: hospital (appointment)
E.g.
明日、約束があります。
ashita yakusoku ga ari masu.
I have a promise tomorrow.
昨日、用事がありました。
kinou youji ga ari mashita.
Yesterday, I had something to do.
日曜日、仕事がありませんでした。
nichiyoubi shigoto ga ari masendeshita.
I didn’t have work on Sunday.
来週、病院があります。
raisyuu byouin ga ari masu
I have a hospital appointment next week.
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