有る meaning

Japanese Language Grammar
1

Wankani teaches the main meaning of 有る is to have, while it does show a alt meaning is to exist, this till confused me.

Most the other resources Ive read such as genki and some verb websites state ある is to exist (not living) and haven’t seen “to have” stated outside of wanikani. Normally only see ある without kanji.
Maybe someone can explain this little more to me on the usage.

Would you use this verb to say you have something in your hand or to ask if someone has something they own or?

Thank you

2

For example, if you want to say that you have a TV, you don’t say テレビを持っている (I have a TV), instead you say テレビがある (there is a TV). So you can see how it can mean “to have”.

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3

Ah so while 持つ also means “to have” its more something that is with you currently or?

4

While ある can also be used for things you, and others, have with you, 持つ「もつ」is used mainly for things you have on your person.

旅券「りょけん」がありますか？ → do you have [a/your] passport?
旅券を持っていますか？ → Do you have [your] passport?

edit: you might as well have a look at this

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5

I don’t think 持っている necessarily suggests the you have it with you currently. It can be used more generally to indicate (or question) whether you possess something, even something you wouldn’t normally carry with you like a television. There’s a lot of overlap, but I think ある is somewhere between “there is” and “he has”, while 持つ is somewhere between “he has” and “he owns” (with the side meaning of “he holds” or “he carries”)

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6

Good point. That’s why I said mainly

7

There are some overlap (edit: as Sezme said), I believe both 自信がある and 自信を持つ are correct.

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Im guessing the particle can be important here.Even though ive read though some resources が still confuses me.
So 時計が持つ would be incorrect but 時計がある would be right. hmmm

9

This is a matter of transitive and intransitive verbs. ある is intransitive and as such takes が, while もつ is transitive and takes を.

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10

Also 時計を持つ feels like you are carrying a watch in your hands, while 時計がある feels more like you have it at your wrist.

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11

aru (in the “to have” sense) is actually a verb that takes both subject and object with ga, although subject can also be marked by ni.

Also note that while “iru” is used for “to exist” of living things, “aru” is used as “have” regardless of whether the thing that is being owned is animate or not.

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Yeah, that doesn’t make it transitive though

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That depends on your definition of transitive :slight_smile:
If you define it is as “takes a direct object with o” then you’re right.

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