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United States flagJosie ジョセフィーナ
To です or not to です ? What is (really) the difference between です, ある and いる ? It seems the more I research about it online, the more confused I get. In my mind, the battle is more betweenです is ある. ある means is or exists for the location of inanimate objects いる is used for the location of animals and people But, then why is it: Kore wa hondesu. - これわ本です。and not Kore wa honaru. - これわ本ある。? Since I'm entry level, would it just be safe to use 'desu' for now? Thanks everybody, have a nice day!

Answers · 5

3
訂正<ていせい>correction これわ→これは 回答<かいとう>answer ある 1. location+に+subjectが+ある(verb, used to describe existence of an inanimate object) 机<つくえ>の上<うえ>に本が有<あ>る。There is a book on the desk. ※あるis written by hiragana or kanji. 2. subjectは/が+で(助動詞<じょどうし>auxiliary verb of assertion)+ある(補助動詞<ほじょどうし>verb which used like a auxiliary verb to describe a judgment) 机の上に有るのは本である/本だ(dearu→dea→da)/本です(polite form)。The thing/object which is on the desk is a book. ※あるis written by hiragana only. いる 1. location+に+subjectが+いる(verb, used to describe existence of an animate object) ベンチの上に猫<ねこ>が居<い>る。There is a cat on the bench. ※いるis written by hiragana or kanji. 2. subjectは/が+verb+て(particle to connect)+いる(補助動詞verb which used like a auxiliary verb to describe a continued state) ベンチの上で猫が寝<ね>ている。A cat is sleeping on the bench. ※いるis written by hiragana only.
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です - no translation. it indicates the courtesy / formal sentence. it placed after the nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc. but not after the verb. ある - verb "have". Btw, it indicates an informal appeal. formal あります. I have book - 私は本がある(watashi wa hon ga aru). This is book - これは本です(kore wa hon desu). P.S. sorry, my English is poor.
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as far as I know desu is used with a noun hon desu, it's a book aru is the same with a particle in between hon ga aru there is a book iru is used with animated thing neko/inu ga iru there is a cat/ dog

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