Japanese learning (A2 S30): A Verb in Te-form with One of Helping Verbs “-arimasu”(2); [Subject] wa [Noun] ni [Vt-te] ari masu.

Did you read the ending of yesterday’s post? For those who think the sentence 9 is okay, today’s title should use “[Topic] wa [Noun] ni [Vt-te] ari masu.”. But let me just use the construction that I put in the title;

[Subject] wa [Noun] ni [Vt-te] ari masu.

because I think this interpretation is easier to understand. And one of yesterday’s sentences was;

4. Kaban ni Denshi-Jisho ga Irete ari masu. (In the bag, an electric dictionary has been put.)

Converting 4 to today’s sentence construction, we will get;

1. Denshi-Jisho wa Kaban ni Irete ari masu. (An electric dictionary has been put in a bag.)

One of major differences between 4 and 1 is the subject markers. 4 uses “ga” and 1 uses “wa” for the subject marker. When it comes to select of “wa” or “ga”, the explanation always would be lengthy. Short explanation for 4 and 1 would be;

At the time of the speaker’s utterance,

[4 uses “ga”] The listener is unaware of an electric dictionary.

[1 uses “wa”] The speaker and the listener are commonly conscious about an electric dictionary.

Other examples of today’s sentence construction are as follows;

2. Tegami wa Tsukue no Hikidashi ni Shimatte arimasu. (The letter was put into the desk drawer and remains there.)

You can see “Shimatte” in the sentence, which is Te-form of “Shimau/Shimaimasu”. We have recently learned a helping verb “-shimau”. But here, “Shimau” is used as the original verb that means putting something in order into somewhere.

3. Shoukaki wa Iriguchi no Chikaku ni Oite arimasu. (The fire distinguisher was put near the entrance, and remains there.)

“Shoukaki(消火器)” is a fire distinguisher. Although we are learning a construction “[Noun] ni [Vt-te] ari masu.”, “Chikaku ni” comes from I-adjective “Chikai (near, close to)”. This “Chikai” is a little different from ordinary I-adjectives. Please check it out by your dictionary.

Considering the difference of yesterday’s and today’s constructions, practice and remember the following conversations.

A1: Reizouko no Naka ni Nani ga Hiyashite arimasuka?

(What is being kept cold in the refrigerator?)

B1: Bi’iru ga Hiyashite arimasu.

(It is beer that is kept cold.)

A2: Ja, Koppu wa Doko ni arimasuka?

(Well, then, where are the cups?)

B2: Koppu wa Te’eburu no Ue ni Narabete arimasu.

(The cups have been lined up on the table.)

At the time of speaking A1 and B2, A is unaware of Beer. Therefore “ga” is used as “Nani ga” and “Bi’iru ga”. I don’t know how you feel, but I like to drink beer from a glass cup rather than directly from the can. When A and B are talking about beer, they also think of cups, probably. At the time of speaking, both persons A and B are commonly conscious about “Koppu”, therefore “wa” is used as “Koppu wa ”.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A2 on Section30 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”