……
Breakdown of kyousitu ha ikkai ni arimasu.
はha
topic particle
にni
location particle
あるaru
to exist
教室kyousitu
classroom
一階ikkai
first floor
Questions & Answers about kyousitu ha ikkai ni arimasu.
What is the role of は in this sentence?
The particle は marks the topic of the sentence. Here, 教室は means “as for the classroom.” It tells the listener that you’re going to say something about the classroom’s location.
Why is に used before あります?
The particle に indicates the location where something exists. With あります (the verb for “exist” or “be located” for inanimate things), you always use に to show the place. So 一階にあります means “it exists on the first floor.”
Why is あります used instead of います?
Japanese distinguishes animate vs. inanimate existence. あります is used for inanimate objects or places (like a classroom), while います is for animate beings (people, animals). Since a classroom isn’t alive, you use あります.
Does word order matter? Could I say 一階に教室はあります?
Japanese word order is relatively flexible, but the typical pattern is [Topic] は [Location] に [Existence verb]. Saying 一階に教室はあります is grammatical but sounds less natural because you’re emphasizing “on the first floor” before introducing the topic “classroom.”
Why isn’t there a particle between 教室 and は?
You don’t need another particle. 教室は is the topic phrase: 教室 + topic particle は. No additional particle is used between the noun and は.
How do you read 一階 and what does it literally mean?
一階 is read いっかい (ikkai) and literally means “first floor.” 一 is “one” and 階 is “floor” (as in levels of a building).
Can I drop 教室は and just say 一階にあります?
Grammatically you can, but it might sound incomplete. Without stating what you’re talking about, the listener may ask “what is on the first floor?” Use 教室は to clarify you’re talking about the classroom.
What nuance does using あります versus ありますよ add?
Adding よ (as in ありますよ) makes the statement more emphatic or adds a friendly reminder tone, like “It’s on the first floor, you know.” Without よ, it’s a neutral statement.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do verb conjugations work in Japanese?”
Japanese verbs conjugate based on tense, politeness, and mood. For example, the polite present form adds ‑ます to the verb stem, while the past tense uses ‑ました. Unlike English, Japanese verbs don't change based on the subject — the same form works for "I", "you", and "they".
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning JapaneseMaster Japanese — from kyousitu ha ikkai ni arimasu to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions