JapaneseJLPT
JLPT N5 grammar · Chapter 5

に (existence)

Marks where something exists

You’ll be able to mark the location where someone or something exists in a sentence.

Illustration of the scene described by There is a teacher in the classroom.
Read it first

教室きょうしつに先生せんせいがいます。

kyoushitsu ni sensei ga imasu.

What do you think this sentence means?

There is a teacher in the classroom.

Why it means that

Mark the place where something exists

With あります and います, use に after the place to show where the person, animal, or thing is located.

Example

机つくえの下したに猫ねこがいます。

tsukue no shita ni neko ga imasu.

There is a cat under the desk.

How it is built

Place + に + thing + が + exists

Put に after the location, then mark what exists with が.

Place+に+Noun+が+あります/います
Examples

部屋へやにテレビがあります。

heya ni terebi ga arimasu.

There is a TV in the room.

学校がっこうに先生せんせいがいます。

gakkou ni sensei ga imasu.

There is a teacher at the school.

かばんの中なかに財布さいふがあります。

kaban no naka ni saifu ga arimasu.

There is a wallet in the bag.

Compare

に vs で

Both attach to places. に says something simply is there; で says something is being done there. The verb decides which one you need.

  • に, exists there

    教室きょうしつに先生せんせいがいます。

    kyoushitsu ni sensei ga imasu.

    There is a teacher in the classroom.

    います describes existence, so the place takes に.

  • で, happens there

    教室きょうしつで勉強べんきょうします。

    kyoushitsu de benkyou shimasu.

    I study in the classroom.

    勉強します is an activity, so the place takes で.

Examples

冷蔵庫れいぞうこに牛乳ぎゅうにゅうがあります。

reizouko ni gyuunyuu ga arimasu.

There is milk in the refrigerator.

玄関げんかんに靴くつがあります。

genkan ni kutsu ga arimasu.

There are shoes in the entryway.

動物どうぶつ園えんにパンダがいます。

doubutsuen ni panda ga imasu.

There is a panda at the zoo.

13 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.