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Study in the app →Japanese · JLPT Band 1 (N5) · Chapter 9
おとうとが います I have a younger brother
Existence and having with imasu/arimasu: living things take imasu (Otōto ga imasu — I have a younger brother; Neko ga imasu), things take arimasu (Hon ga arimasu). What exists is marked with ga. Ask about people with dare (who). Culture: uchi and soto. Kana: read full sentences smoothly, pulling all the family words together.
Dialogue
おとうとが います — I Have a Younger Brother
- Yuki マイクさんは おとうとが いますか。 Mike, do you have a younger brother?
- Mike はい、おとうとが あります。 Yes, I have a younger brother. (mistake: arimasu for a person)
- Yuki ひとは「います」ですよ。「おとうとが います」。 For people it's "imasu". "Otōto ga imasu".
- Mike あ、おとうとが います。ねこも います! Ah, I have a younger brother. I have a cat too!
Dialogue
あの ひとは だれですか — Who Is That Person?
- Ken マイクさん、あの ひとは だれですか。 Mike, who is that person?
- Mike あれは あにです。あにも います。 That's my older brother. I have an older brother too.
- Ken みんな いっしょですね。 Everyone's together, isn't it.
- Mike はい、かぞくは とても いいです。 Yes, my family is really nice.
Vocabulary
| 汉字 | Pinyin | POS | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| いる | iru | v. | to be / exist (animate) |
| ある | aru | v. | to be / exist (inanimate) |
| います | imasu | v. | (there) is (animate, polite) |
| あります | arimasu | v. | (there) is (inanimate, polite) |
| だれ | dare | pron. | who |
| どなた | donata | pron. | who (polite) |
| みんな | minna | n. | everyone |
| いっしょ | issho | n. | together |
| とても | totemo | adv. | very |
| ね | ne | part. | (particle: …right?) |
Grammar
います / あります imasu / arimasu (existence & having)
にほんごでは、そんざい する ものが いきものか どうかで どうしが かわります。ひと・どうぶつ など いきものは「います」、ほん・とけい など いきていない ものは「あります」。そんざい する ものは「が」で しめします: 「おとうとが います」「ほんが あります」。えいごは どちらも "have / there is" ですが、にほんごは わけるので、ちゅうい。（ばしょを いう「〜に〜が あります」は ブック2。）
In Japanese the verb changes depending on whether the thing that exists is alive. People and animals take imasu; non-living things like books and clocks take arimasu. What exists is marked with ga: Otōto ga imasu (I have a younger brother), Hon ga arimasu (There is a book). English uses "have / there is" for both, but Japanese splits them — so take care. (The locational "X ni Y ga arimasu" is Book 2.)
- おとうとが います。 Otōto ga imasu. I have a younger brother.
- ねこが います。 Neko ga imasu. There is a cat. / I have a cat.
- ほんが あります。 Hon ga arimasu. There is a book. / I have a book.
Culture
うちと そと Uchi & soto — inside vs outside
Japanese constantly tracks whether someone is uchi (inside your group) or soto (outside it) — and it changes the very words you use. Family words are the clearest first example.
Two words for each relative
Talking about your own family to others, you use humble terms: chichi (my father), haha (my mother). Talking about someone else's family, you use respectful terms: otōsan, okāsan. Same person, different word, depending on whose group they are in.
Why it matters
Calling your own father otōsan to an outsider sounds like you are elevating your own group — slightly off. The humble chichi signals modesty about your uchi.
It extends beyond family
Your company, school, and team are all uchi too; you speak modestly about them to outsiders and politely about their group. This is the seed of Japanese politeness logic. Inside the family, though, kids do call their parents otōsan/okāsan — the humble chichi/haha are only for referring to them with outsiders.
When unsure: about your own family to others → chichi/haha; about anyone else's → otōsan/okāsan.
kana
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