～てある – Describing Prepared or Resulting States in Japanese [JLPT N5]

Quick Summary

• Meaning: ～てある (~te aru) describes a result: “has been done” and the state from that action is still there now.
• How to Use: Take a transitive verb in V-て form + ある.

Example:

• パンがテーブルの上に置いてある。
• Pan ga teeburu no ue ni oite aru.
• Bread has been placed on the table. (And it’s still there.)

Overview

The grammar point ～てある (~te aru) is used to talk about a resulting state from a completed action. In English, we often translate it as “has been done” or “is (already) done.”

Imagine you come home and see something that someone did before, and now you only see the result:

• The door is already open.
• The cake is already cut.
• The chairs are already lined up.

In these situations, you are not focusing on who did it or when exactly they did it. You are focusing on the current state, which is the result of that action. That is what ～てある does.

Important points about nuance:

• Result is still there now: The action was done, and its effect continues in the present moment.
• Often “on purpose”: It often feels like someone prepared or arranged something for a reason. For example, 椅子が並べてある (isu ga narabete aru) suggests “the chairs have been lined up (for a purpose, like a meeting).”
• Focus on the thing, not the doer: The thing affected by the action is usually marked with が or は and becomes the “star” of the sentence.

Here are some slightly unusual but simple examples to get the feeling:

Example:

• ロボットのベッドがきれいに作ってある。
• Robotto no beddo ga kirei ni tsukutte aru.
• The robot’s bed has been neatly made. (Someone made it, and it’s still neat now.)

Example:

• テーブルに宇宙人のためのカレーが用意してある。
• Teeburu ni uchuujin no tame no karee ga youi shite aru.
• Curry for the alien has been prepared on the table. (And it’s still there, ready.)

Structure / Formation

The basic pattern of ～てある is very simple, but it has some important rules.

Basic Pattern

The core formula is:

• Place / Noun + が / は + V-て + ある

In shorthand form:

• N / Place + が / は + V-て + ある

V-て is the V-て form of a transitive verb (a verb that takes an object and usually uses を, like 食べます (tabemasu, to eat), 開けます (akemasu, to open something), 並べます (narabemasu, to line something up)).

Some common transitive verbs that work well with ～てある:

• 置きます (okimasu, to place/put)
• 書きます (kakimasu, to write/draw)
• 貼ります (harimasu, to stick/paste)
• 並べます (narabemasu, to line up)
• 準備します (junbi shimasu, to prepare)

Example:

• ホワイトボードに先生の変な絵が書いてある。
• Howaitoboodo ni sensei no hen na e ga kaite aru.
• A strange drawing by the teacher has been drawn on the whiteboard. (And it’s still there.)

How to Make the V-て Form

You need the V-て form to use ～てある. Here is a quick mini-table for some common patterns:

Dictionary Form (V-る)	Polite Form (V-ます)	V-て Form (V-て)	With ～てある
置く (oku, to put)	置きます (okimasu)	置いて (oite)	置いてある (oite aru)
書く (kaku, to write)	書きます (kakimasu)	書いて (kaite)	書いてある (kaite aru)
貼る (haru, to stick)	貼ります (harimasu)	貼って (hatte)	貼ってある (hatte aru)
並べる (naraberu, to line up)	並べます (narabemasu)	並べて (narabete)	並べてある (narabete aru)
準備する (junbi suru, to prepare)	準備します (junbi shimasu)	準備して (junbi shite)	準備してある (junbi shite aru)

Once you have the V-て form, just add ある.

Example:

• 部屋に忍者の衣装が準備してある。
• Heya ni ninja no ishou ga junbi shite aru.
• A ninja costume has been prepared in the room. (It’s there, ready to use.)

Typical Sentence Patterns

At N5 level, focus on these very common patterns:

• N / Place + に + N + が + V-て + ある
  Example: 冷蔵庫にケーキが入れてある。 (Reizouko ni keeki ga irete aru., A cake has been put in the fridge.)
• N + が + V-て + ある
  Example: ポスターが貼ってある。 (Posutaa ga hatte aru., A poster has been put up.)
• Time + までに + N + が + V-て + ある
  Example: 七時までにテストが机に置いてある。 (Shichi-ji made ni tesuto ga tsukue ni oite aru., By seven o’clock, the tests have been placed on the desks.)

In these patterns:

• Place is usually marked by に or sometimes で.
• The thing that shows the result (a cake, poster, test, etc.) is N and is marked by が or sometimes は.
• The verb is V-て + ある, showing that the result of an action is there now.

Key Usage Tips for Beginners

1. Use only with transitive verbs

～てある is used with verbs that usually take an object (transitive verbs). Do not use it with intransitive verbs like 開く (aku, something opens by itself).

• ドアが開けてある。
  Doa ga akete aru.
  The door has been opened. (Someone opened it, and it is open now.)

2. Focus on arrangements and preparations

～てある is especially natural when something was prepared in advance:

• ゲームのためにお菓子が山ほど用意してある。
  Geemu no tame ni okashi ga yamahodo youi shite aru.
  A mountain of snacks has been prepared for the game.

Think “someone already did this, so now it’s ready / in that state.” If you keep that image in mind, ～てある will make much more sense as you see it in real Japanese.

Example Sentences

• 冷蔵庫にドラゴンの形のケーキが入れてある。
• Reizouko ni doragon no katachi no keeki ga irete aru.
• A dragon-shaped cake has been put in the fridge. (And it’s still there.)

• 教室のドアの前に先生の写真が大きく貼ってある。
• Kyoushitsu no doa no mae ni sensei no shashin ga ookiku hatte aru.
• A big photo of the teacher has been pasted in front of the classroom door. (And it’s still there.)

• パーティーのために天井に星のシールがたくさん貼ってある。
• Paatii no tame ni tenjou ni hoshi no shiiru ga takusan hatte aru.
• For the party, many star stickers have been put on the ceiling. (And they’re still there.)

• 机の上に「宇宙へようこそ」と書いたメモが置いてある。
• Tsukue no ue ni “Uchuu e youkoso” to kaita memo ga oite aru.
• On the desk, a note saying “Welcome to space” has been placed. (And it’s still there.)

• 試験の前の日までにロボットのための椅子が教室に並べてある。
• Shiken no mae no hi made ni robotto no tame no isu ga kyoushitsu ni narabete aru.
• By the day before the exam, chairs for the robots have been lined up in the classroom. (And they’re still there.)

Quick Practice

(Answers and explanations are right under this section.)

Multiple-Choice

1. Choose the best sentence using ～てある: “On the table, a map for the zombie game has been placed.”

• A. テーブルにゾンビゲームの地図があります。(Teeburu ni zonbi geemu no chizu ga arimasu.)
• B. テーブルにゾンビゲームの地図が置いてある。(Teeburu ni zonbi geemu no chizu ga oite aru.)
• C. テーブルにゾンビゲームの地図と置きます。(Teeburu ni zonbi geemu no chizu to okimasu.)
• D. テーブルにゾンビゲームの地図を置きます。(Teeburu ni zonbi geemu no chizu o okimasu.)

2. Choose the correct sentence that focuses on the prepared state with ～てある.

• A. 冷蔵庫にジュースが入れてある。(Reizouko ni juusu ga irete aru.)
• B. 冷蔵庫にジュースと入れてある。(Reizouko ni juusu to irete aru.)
• C. 冷蔵庫にジュースが入れます。(Reizouko ni juusu ga iremasu.)
• D. 冷蔵庫にジュースや入れてある。(Reizouko ni juusu ya irete aru.)

3. Choose the sentence that correctly shows a result on purpose with ～てある.

• A. 公園にロボットのベンチが作ってある。(Kouen ni robotto no benchi ga tsukutte aru.)
• B. 公園にロボットのベンチが作ります。(Kouen ni robotto no benchi ga tsukurimasu.)
• C. 公園にロボットのベンチが作っている。(Kouen ni robotto no benchi ga tsukutte iru.)
• D. 公園にロボットのベンチでも作ってある。(Kouen ni robotto no benchi demo tsukutte aru.)

4. Choose the best sentence: “By six o’clock, the alien’s homework has been put on the teacher’s desk.”

• A. 六時までに先生の机に宇宙人の宿題が置いてある。(Roku-ji made ni sensei no tsukue ni uchuujin no shukudai ga oite aru.)
• B. 六時までに先生の机に宇宙人の宿題を置きます。(Roku-ji made ni sensei no tsukue ni uchuujin no shukudai o okimasu.)
• C. 六時までに先生の机と宇宙人の宿題が置いてある。(Roku-ji made ni sensei no tsukue to uchuujin no shukudai ga oite aru.)
• D. 六時までに先生の机に宇宙人の宿題が置きました。(Roku-ji made ni sensei no tsukue ni uchuujin no shukudai ga okimashita.)

5. Choose the most natural use of ～てある to describe a sign that is already on the door.

• A. ドアの上に「入らないで」が書いた。(Doa no ue ni “Hairanaide” ga kaita.)
• B. ドアの上に「入らないで」と書いてある。(Doa no ue ni “Hairanaide” to kaite aru.)
• C. ドアの上に「入らないで」と書きます。(Doa no ue ni “Hairanaide” to kakimasu.)
• D. ドアの上に「入らないで」や書いてある。(Doa no ue ni “Hairanaide” ya kaite aru.)

Spot-the-Error

6. One sentence has an incorrect use of ～てある. Which one is wrong?

• A. パーティーの部屋に風船がたくさん飾ってある。(Paatii no heya ni fuusen ga takusan kazatte aru.)
• B. キッチンのテーブルにピザが置いてある。(Kicchin no teeburu ni piza ga oite aru.)
• C. ドアが開いてある。(Doa ga aite aru.)

7. One sentence has an incorrect use of ～てある. Which one is wrong?

• A. 壁に兄の変なポスターが貼ってある。(Kabe ni ani no hen na posutaa ga hatte aru.)
• B. ノートにテストの答えがもう書いてある。(Nooto ni tesuto no kotae ga mou kaite aru.)
• C. 私は朝ごはんをもう食べてある。(Watashi wa asagohan o mou tabete aru.)

Translation

8. Translate into Japanese using ～てある: “On the bed, my cat’s crown has been put.”

9. Translate into Japanese using ～てある: “On the wall, a big calendar for the robot contest has been put up.”

10. Translate into Japanese using ～てある: “For the picnic, many sandwiches have been prepared on the table.”

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Answers and Explanations

1. テーブルにゾンビゲームの地図が置いてある。(Teeburu ni zonbi geemu no chizu ga oite aru.) — Uses V-てある to show the map has been placed and is there now.
2. 冷蔵庫にジュースが入れてある。(Reizouko ni juusu ga irete aru.) — Uses the transitive verb 入れる in V-てある to show the juice has been put in and is ready.
3. 公園にロボットのベンチが作ってある。(Kouen ni robotto no benchi ga tsukutte aru.) — V-てある shows the benches have been made and are there on purpose.
4. 六時までに先生の机に宇宙人の宿題が置いてある。(Roku-ji made ni sensei no tsukue ni uchuujin no shukudai ga oite aru.) — V-てある plus までに shows the homework has been placed by a certain time and is there.
5. ドアの上に「入らないで」と書いてある。(Doa no ue ni “Hairanaide” to kaite aru.) — V-てある with と shows that the words are already written on the door.
6. ドアが開いてある。(Doa ga aite aru.) — This is wrong because 開く is intransitive; ～てある needs a transitive verb like 開ける.
7. 私は朝ごはんをもう食べてある。(Watashi wa asagohan o mou tabete aru.) — This is wrong because ～てある is not used for your own finished eating; use ～ておいた or ～ている instead.
8. ベッドの上に私の猫の王冠が置いてある。(Beddo no ue ni watashi no neko no oukan ga oite aru.) — Uses V-てある to show the crown has been placed on the bed and is there now.
9. 壁にロボットコンテストの大きいカレンダーが貼ってある。(Kabe ni robotto kontesuto no ookii karendaa ga hatte aru.) — V-てある with 貼る shows the calendar has been put up and remains on the wall.
10. ピクニックのためにテーブルにサンドイッチがたくさん準備してある。(Pikunikku no tame ni teeburu ni sandoicchi ga takusan junbi shite aru.) — V-てある with 準備する shows the sandwiches have been prepared and are ready on the table.