Existence & listing patterns MCQs Quiz | Class 9
This multiple-choice quiz for Class IX students of Japanese (Code 094) covers the topic Existence & listing patterns MCQs Quiz | Class 9 from Unit Section C: Grammar (20). It focuses on the correct usage of existence verbs あります (arimasu) and います (imasu), and the listing pattern NやNや～など (N ya N ya ~ nado), worth 5 marks in the syllabus. Attempt all questions and click ‘Submit Quiz’ to see your score. You can then download a PDF of your answers.
Understanding Existence and Listing in Japanese
In Japanese, expressing existence (“there is” / “there are”) and listing items are fundamental grammar points. This section will clarify the usage of あります (arimasu) and います (imasu) for existence, and the particle pattern ～や～など (～ya～nado) for listing examples.
1. Expressing Existence: あります (arimasu) vs. います (imasu)
Japanese uses two different verbs to say “there is” or “to exist,” depending on whether the subject is animate (living) or inanimate (non-living).
Key Points:
- あります (arimasu): Used for inanimate objects. This includes things like books, desks, cars, food, and even plants.
- います (imasu): Used for animate beings. This includes people, animals, insects, and fish.
The basic sentence structure is:
[Place] に (ni) [Thing / Person] が (ga) あります / います。
Examples:
- Inanimate: つくえの うえに ほんが あります。(Tsukue no ue ni hon ga arimasu.) – There is a book on the desk.
- Inanimate: こうえんに きが たくさん あります。(Kouen ni ki ga takusan arimasu.) – There are many trees in the park.
- Animate: へやに ねこが います。(Heya ni neko ga imasu.) – There is a cat in the room.
- Animate: がっこうに せんせいが います。(Gakkou ni sensei ga imasu.) – There is a teacher at the school.
2. Listing Items: ～や～など (～ya～nado)
When you want to list a few examples from a larger group without listing everything, you use the particle や (ya). This is different from the particle と (to), which implies a complete and exhaustive list.
Key Points:
- ～や～ (～ya～): Used to connect nouns in a non-exhaustive list. It translates to “and,” with the implication of “and other things.”
- ～など (～nado): Often used at the end of a list with や (ya) to reinforce that the list is incomplete. It means “and so on,” “etc.,” or “things like.”
The common structure is:
[Noun 1] や [Noun 2] など
Comparison Table: や (ya) vs. と (to)
| Particle | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| や (ya) | Incomplete list (implies there are other items) | れいぞうこに りんごや オレンジなどが あります。(Reizouko ni ringo ya orenji nado ga arimasu.) – There are apples, oranges, etc., in the fridge. |
| と (to) | Complete, exhaustive list (only these items) | かばんの なかに ほんと ペンが あります。(Kaban no naka ni hon to pen ga arimasu.) – There are a book and a pen in the bag (and nothing else is relevant). |
Quick Revision
- For non-living things (desk, book, car), use あります (arimasu).
- For living things (people, animals), use います (imasu).
- To list some examples from a larger group, use Noun や Noun など.
- The particle indicating the location of existence is に (ni).
- The particle marking the subject that exists is が (ga).
Extra Practice Questions
Fill in the blanks with the correct word (あります, います, や, など).
- わたしの まちに びょういん __ ぎんこう __ が あります。(Watashi no machi ni byouin __ ginkou __ ga arimasu.)
- あそこに いぬが __。(Asoko ni inu ga __.)
- つくえの したに なにが __ か。(Tsukue no shita ni nani ga __ ka.)
- はこの なかに ふるい しゃしんや てがみ __ が はいっていました。(Hako no naka ni furui shashin ya tegami __ ga haitteimashita.)
- うけつけに ひとが ふたり __。(Uketsuke ni hito ga futari __.)
Answers: 1. や, など (ya, nado), 2. います (imasu), 3. あります (arimasu), 4. など (nado), 5. います (imasu)
