N4 · Using the te-form
てある: left that way on purpose
the te-form with ある
てある describes a state that somebody brought about deliberately, usually as a preparation.
The te-form of a transitive verb plus ある describes the state an action has left behind. The thing acted on becomes the subject and takes が: 窓が開けてあります, "the window has been opened (and is open)". Who did it is not said, and usually does not matter.
Compare 窓が開いています, with the intransitive verb 開く and ている: that only describes the window. てある adds that somebody opened it, usually for a reason — to air the room, because guests are coming. The verb pairs 開ける/開く, 閉める/閉まる and so on are what make this distinction possible.
Its everyday home is preparation and things put in place: 壁に地図が貼ってあります, 名前が書いてあります, ビールが冷やしてあります. Anything written on a sign, pinned to a wall or laid out on a table is described this way.
The mistake English speakers make is to use it with an intransitive verb: 開いてある does not exist, because nobody did the opening. When the speaker is talking about their own preparations, the object may keep を or become the topic with は: 切符はもう買ってあります, "I have already bought the tickets".
The form
stem (regular) stem (irregular) ending auxiliary verb
| open → has been opened | 開けてある |
| open → has been opened, polite | 開けてあります |
| write → is written | 書いてある |
| put → has been put | 置いてある |
| chill → has been chilled | 冷やしてある |
| book → has been booked | 予約してある |
| compare: is open | 開いている |
The rules one by one
Only transitive verbs take てある; the thing acted on is marked with が.
机の上に花が飾ってあります。Flowers have been arranged on the desk.
てある says somebody did it on purpose, without saying who.
黒板に今日の予定が書いてあります。Today's schedule has been written on the blackboard.
ている with the intransitive partner only describes the state.
ドアが閉まっています。The door is shut.
For your own preparations, the object can also take を or は.
切符はもう買ってあります。I have already bought the tickets.
A closer look
Four pictures of one window
窓を開けている: someone is opening the window right now. 窓が開いている: the window is open. 窓が開けてある: the window has been opened and left that way. 窓を開けておく: someone opens it now, so that it will be open later.
The verb (transitive or intransitive), the particle (を or が) and the helper (いる, ある, おく) together choose one of the four. English does the same work with the passive, with "have" and with "already", and rarely as precisely.
How to spot it
- てある
- てあります
- 〜が〜てある
- 書いてある
- 置いてある
Example sentences
冷蔵庫にビールが冷やしてあります。There's beer chilling in the fridge.
この紙に何が書いてありますか。What is written on this piece of paper?
玄関に傘が置いてあります。There's an umbrella left in the entrance.
会議室の窓が開けてあります。The meeting-room windows have been opened.
壁にカレンダーが掛けてあります。A calendar has been hung on the wall.
晩ご飯はもう作ってあるよ。Dinner's already made.
7 more example sentences
入口に「禁煙」と書いてあります。It says "No smoking" at the entrance.
部屋がきれいに片付けてありました。The room had been tidied up nicely.
資料はもうコピーしてあります。The handouts have already been copied.
テーブルにお皿が並べてあります。Plates have been set out on the table.
駅までの地図が貼ってあります。A map to the station has been put up.
電気がつけてあるから、誰かいるはずです。The light has been left on, so someone must be in.
お土産はもうかばんに入れてあります。The presents are already packed in the bag.
Worth knowing (1)
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What a sign says
English asks what a sign "says"; Japanese asks what is written on it, and the answer comes in てある: 何て書いてありますか. This is the most ordinary use of the form, and usually the one a learner meets first.
あの看板に何て書いてありますか。What does that sign say?
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
開く is intransitive: the window opens, and nobody does anything. てある needs a transitive verb, because it describes what somebody did. Either 開けてある — someone opened it — or 開いている — it is open.
てある: a transitive verb, が, and a state somebody left there on purpose.
Your turn
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