Having, understanding: が あります・が わかります
A は B が あります／わかります
N が あります (to have), N が わかります (to understand, to know). For family: N が います.
In short
“To have” is said “there is, for me”: わたしは じかんが ありません (I don't have time). For family or animals, います: いもうとが います. Likewise, わかる (to understand) takes が: 日本語が わかります.
- わたしは くるまが あります。watashi wa kuruma ga arimasuI have a car.
- いもうとが 二人 います。imōto ga futari imasuI have two little sisters.
- フランス語が わかりますか。furansu-go ga wakarimasu kaDo you understand French?
The basics
Some verbs describe a state rather than an action, and their complement takes が: あります (to have), わかります (to understand), できます (to be able to). わたしは 日本語が わかります: “as for me, Japanese is understandable”.
- わたしは 車が あります。watashi wa kuruma ga arimasuI have a car.
- 日本語が すこし わかります。nihongo ga sukoshi wakarimasuI understand a little Japanese.
Having: あります
あります is used to say you own something, or that you have time, an appointment, an exam. For family or an animal, you say います: きょうだいが います (I have brothers and sisters).
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| お金が あります | I have money |
| じかんが ありません | I don't have time |
| あした しけんが あります | I have an exam tomorrow |
| いもうとが います | I have a little sister |
Understanding: わかります
わかります is the verb for understanding and knowing: understanding a language, knowing an answer. The negative わかりません is the polite way to say “I don't know”.
- すみません、わかりません。sumimasen, wakarimasenSorry, I don't know.
Common mistakes
- Saying 日本語を わかります: わかります takes が.
- Saying いもうとが あります: for a person, it's います.
- Using しりません for “I don't know”: it's curter, わかりません is more polite.
5 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N5 point is on the Shinjuku Line (The city) of the Tokyo subway.