Quick reference

いる / ある: the existence matrix.

Japanese uses different “there is / have” verbs for living things and non-living things. Learn this one compact pattern and you can describe what is here, what is missing, and what used to be there.

the one rule

Alive or not alive?

That is the decision. Use いる for people and animals. Use ある for objects, places, events, and ideas.

Living things

いる

People, animals, bugs, pets—things that are alive.

Objects & non-living things

ある

Things, buildings, plans, time, events, and abstract stuff.

Quick memory hook: pet? person? animal? → いる. Everything else → ある.

say the full matrix

Four forms. Two verbs. Eight useful sentences.

You do not need to consciously memorize a giant rule. Practice these four time / polarity slots until the pattern comes out automatically.

Now present Not now negative Before past Not before past negative

Living things

いる

Now

犬いぬがいる。

There is a dog.
Not now

犬いぬがいない。

There is no dog.
Before

犬いぬがいた。

There was a dog.
Not before

犬いぬがいなかった。

There was no dog.

Objects & non-living things

ある

Now

ペンがある。

There is a pen.
Not now

ペンがない。

There is no pen.
Before

ペンがあった。

There was a pen.
Not before

ペンがなかった。

There was no pen.
Say it as a rhythm: いる・いない・いた・いなかった / ある・ない・あった・なかった

plain-verb pattern

する: the generic casual “do.”

する is the most useful first action verb because it means “do.” Once these four forms feel automatic, you can use the same time-and-negation map with other verbs.

Casual form

する

Now

する。

I do.
Before

した。

I did.
Not now

しない。

I do not do.
Not before

しなかった。

I did not do.

Put a noun before it

Make real sentences.

VerbPresentPastNegativePast negative
いるいるいたいないいなかった
あるあるあったないなかった
するするしたしないしなかった

The point: first master these four slots for one verb. Then carry that pattern to verbs such as 食たべる, 行いく, and 見みる. Japanese conjugation becomes much more systematic once you stop treating every form as a separate word.

where it is

Use に for the location of existence.

With いる and ある, the place uses に. The thing that exists normally uses が.

placeにthingがいる / ある

Why not で? で marks where an action happens. に marks where something exists. A cat is not “doing” existence—it is simply there.

what this really means

“There is” and “I have” are the same basic pattern.

Japanese often does not need a separate verb for possession. Context handles it.

the boss fight core

The patterns that keep showing up.

These are the high-payoff patterns from your boss fights and journaling. Each one is a recognition tool: see the shape, then read what it is doing in the sentence.

～てから

Do A, then B.

～たら

When / once A happens…

～た後あとで / その後あと

After… / after that.

～ている / ～てる

Ongoing action or current state. ～てる is the casual contraction.

～てくる

Go / come do something and return; often “I’ll be right back.”

～たい

Want to do.

～か分わからない / ～か知しってる

Embedded questions: a whole question becomes the thing you know or do not know.

から / で

から gives a reason. で can mark a cause or circumstance.

は vs が

は sets a topic or contrast. が introduces or identifies the thing.

Verb + noun

Plain verb forms can sit directly before a noun and describe it.

～の方ほうが

“A is more … than B” / preference comparison.

Verb stem + 方かた

How to do something.

Useful casual chunks

High-frequency phrases worth recognizing as whole units.

Keep the priority straight: ～てから, ～たら, その後, reason markers, いる / ある, ～ている, ～てくる, ～たい, embedded questions, は / が, modifiers, 方, and plain conjugations. These are the shapes that make your journaling and boss fights readable.

fast self-check

Before you speak, ask one tiny question.

  1. Is the thing alive? Yes → いる. No → ある.
  2. When? Now: いる / ある. Before: いた / あった.
  3. Does it exist? Yes: normal form. No: いない / ない.
That’s it. If you can produce these eight forms without stopping to think, you have one of Japanese’s most common verb patterns locked in.