{"id":1325,"date":"2026-01-07T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/?p=1325"},"modified":"2025-12-19T01:04:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T01:04:46","slug":"difference-between-%e3%81%82%e3%82%8a%e3%81%be%e3%81%99-and-%e3%81%84%e3%81%be%e3%81%99-for-existence-in-japanese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/japanese\/difference-between-%e3%81%82%e3%82%8a%e3%81%be%e3%81%99-and-%e3%81%84%e3%81%be%e3%81%99-for-existence-in-japanese\/","title":{"rendered":"Difference Between \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059 and \u3044\u307e\u3059 for Existence in Japanese"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\n If you\u2019re studying Japanese, you\u2019ll soon encounter two verbs that both translate as \u201cto exist\u201d:\n \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong> and \u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong>.\n <\/p>\n

\n They often appear side by side in textbooks and both get translated as \u201cthere is \/ there are,\u201d\n but they are not interchangeable. Once you learn the pattern, your Japanese will instantly\n sound more natural.\n <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s break it down clearly.<\/p>\n\n

\n

The Core Rule<\/h2>\n

Japanese uses two different existence verbs depending on whether something is living or not:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong> \u2192 for non-living things<\/li>\n
  • \u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong> \u2192 for living things (things that can move on their own)<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n

    That\u2019s the main rule. Everything else follows from it.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n

    \n

    When to Use \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059 (Non-Living Things)<\/h2>\n

    \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong> is used for things that are not alive.<\/p>\n

    This includes:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Objects (books, phones, keys)<\/li>\n
    • Places \/ locations (parks, stations, stores)<\/li>\n
    • Buildings (schools, hospitals)<\/li>\n
    • Ideas \/ abstract things (plans, problems, chances)<\/li>\n
    • Events (meetings, festivals)<\/li>\n
    • Plants (more on this below)<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n\n

      Examples (\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059)<\/h3>\n

      \u672c\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
      There is a book.<\/p>\n

      \u30b3\u30f3\u30d3\u30cb\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
      There is a convenience store.<\/p>\n

      \u6642\u9593\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u304b\u3002<\/strong>
      Do you have time? (literally: \u201cIs there time?\u201d)<\/p>\n

      \u554f\u984c\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
      There is a problem.<\/p>\n\n

      \n Even abstract concepts like problems, plans, and opportunities commonly use\n \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong>.\n <\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n

      \n

      When to Use \u3044\u307e\u3059 (Living Things)<\/h2>\n

      \n \u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong> is used for living creatures\u2014especially things that move on their own.\n <\/p>\n

      This includes:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • People<\/li>\n
      • Animals<\/li>\n
      • Birds \/ fish<\/li>\n
      • Insects<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n\n

        Examples (\u3044\u307e\u3059)<\/h3>\n

        \u4eba\u304c\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
        There is a person.<\/p>\n

        \u732b\u304c\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
        There is a cat.<\/p>\n

        \u5148\u751f\u306f\u6559\u5ba4\u306b\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
        The teacher is in the classroom.<\/p>\n\n

        \n If it\u2019s living and can move by itself, \u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong> is the natural choice.\n <\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n

        \n

        The Tricky Part: Plants<\/h2>\n

        Many learners wonder:<\/p>\n

        \n

        \u201cPlants are living\u2026 so why do they use \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/blockquote>\n

        \n In Japanese, plants are grammatically grouped with things that do not move around on their own\n (they don\u2019t walk or travel), so they typically use \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong>, not\n \u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong>.\n <\/p>\n\n

        Examples (Plants + \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059)<\/h3>\n

        \u6728\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
        There is a tree.<\/p>\n

        \u82b1\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
        There are flowers.<\/p>\n\n

        \n Even though plants are alive, they are usually treated like \u201cnon-moving things\u201d in grammar,\n so \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong> is standard.\n <\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n

        \n

        Location vs. Existence<\/h2>\n

        \n Both \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong> and \u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong> can describe not only existence\n (\u201cthere is\u2026\u201d) but also where something is.\n <\/p>\n

        \n The structure is very similar\u2014the verb depends only on whether the thing is living.\n <\/p>\n\n

        Examples (Location)<\/h3>\n

        \u99c5\u306f\u3053\u3053\u306b\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
        The station is here.<\/p>\n

        \u53cb\u3060\u3061\u306f\u5bb6\u306b\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
        My friend is at home.<\/p>\n\n

        \n Same grammar pattern. Different verb.\n Living thing \u2192 \u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong>.\n Non-living thing \u2192 \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong>.\n <\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n

        \n

        Negative Forms (\u3042\u308a\u307e\u305b\u3093 vs \u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093)<\/h2>\n

        The negative form follows the same rule:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • \u3042\u308a\u307e\u305b\u3093<\/strong> \u2192 not there \/ does not exist (non-living)<\/li>\n
        • \u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093<\/strong> \u2192 not there (living)<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n\n

          Examples (Negative)<\/h3>\n

          \u304a\u91d1\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002<\/strong>
          I don\u2019t have money. \/ There is no money.<\/p>\n

          \u3053\u3053\u306b\u4eba\u304c\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002<\/strong>
          There isn\u2019t anyone here.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n

          \n

          Quick Comparison<\/h2>\n \n \n \n \n
          Situation<\/th>\n Correct Verb<\/th>\n <\/tr>\n <\/thead>\n
          A book<\/td>\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/td><\/tr>\n
          A dog<\/td>\u3044\u307e\u3059<\/td><\/tr>\n
          A school<\/td>\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/td><\/tr>\n
          A child<\/td>\u3044\u307e\u3059<\/td><\/tr>\n
          A tree<\/td>\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/td><\/tr>\n
          A teacher<\/td>\u3044\u307e\u3059<\/td><\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table>\n <\/section>\n\n
          \n

          Common Beginner Mistake<\/h2>\n

          \n A very common mistake is using \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong> for people or animals.\n <\/p>\n

          \u274c \u4eba\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n

          \u2714 \u4eba\u304c\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n

          \n It should never be \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong> if the thing is a human or an animal.\n <\/p>\n\n

          \n Likewise, if it\u2019s an object or place, don\u2019t use \u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong>.\n <\/p>\n

          \u274c \u30b3\u30f3\u30d3\u30cb\u304c\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n

          \u2714 \u30b3\u30f3\u30d3\u30cb\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n

          \n People will still understand you, but it will sound clearly unnatural.\n <\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n

          \n

          Final Tip<\/h2>\n

          \n When choosing between \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong> and \u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong>, don\u2019t think in\n English. Ask one simple question:\n <\/p>\n

          Is it living and able to move on its own?<\/em><\/p>\n

          Yes \u2192 \u3044\u307e\u3059<\/strong><\/p>\n

          No \u2192 \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n Once you get used to that, picking the correct verb becomes automatic.\n <\/p>\n <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          If you\u2019re studying Japanese, you\u2019ll soon encounter two verbs that both translate as \u201cto exist\u201d: \u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059 and \u3044\u307e\u3059. They often appear side by side in textbooks and both get translated as \u201cthere is \/ there are,\u201d but they are not interchangeable. Once you learn the pattern, your Japanese will instantly sound more natural. Let\u2019s break […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1326,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1325"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1327,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1325\/revisions\/1327"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}