が居る
To be, There is, To remain (in a state)
Structure
Explanation
The grammar pattern がいる is formed by combining the subject marker particle が with the verb いる. It is used to express the existence of people, animals, and other animate beings, translating to 'there is' or 'to exist'.
- 医者がいる。There is a doctor.
- 犬がいる。There is a dog.
- バスがいる。There is a bus. (Operated by a driver)
Since the subjects in the sentences above are all considered animate (or controlled by an animate being), the verb いる must be used. For inanimate objects, the verb ある is used instead.
The polite equivalent of いる is います. The way it conjugates, by simply dropping its final る, confirms that いる is a Group 2 verb, also known as a る-Verb (Ichidan verb).
It is very common to see いる written with its kanji, 居る, so it is a good idea to learn it early on. Whether written in kanji or hiragana, the meaning does not change; the choice is simply a matter of the writer's preference.
- 私は、弟が居る。I have a younger brother.
Caution
In informal conversation and writing (like in manga or text messages), the particle が is frequently dropped from がいる.
- あそこに誰か居るよ。There's someone over there.
Examples
彼がいる。
He is (here). (exists)
山田さんがいます。
Ms. Yamada is (here). (exists)
彼女とお母さんがいます。
She and her mother are (there). (exist)
お客さんがいます。
There is a customer. (exists)
僕と兄がいます。
My brother and I are (here). (exist)
子供がいるでしょう。
There is a child (over there), right? (exists)
キムさんがいるでしょう？。
Kim is (here), isn't he? (exist)
一人がいます。
There is one person. (exists)
変な人がいます。
There is a strange person. (exists)
猫がいます。
There is a cat. (exists)
赤ちゃんがいる。
There is a baby. (exists)
誰かがいます。
Someone is (here). (exists)