Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'There is' for one thing and 'There are' for two or more to say something exists.
- Use 'There is' (or 'There's') for singular nouns: 'There is a cat.'
- Use 'There are' for plural nouns: 'There are two cats.'
- Swap the order for questions: 'Is there a cat?' or 'Are there cats?'
Overview
there is と there are を使います。日本語では「〜がある／いる」だけで済みますが、英語はもう少し具体的であることを好みます。私たちは、1つのことについて話しているのか、それともたくさんのことについて話しているのかを気にします。これらのフレーズを英語の「指差し」だと考えてください。その物が何をしているかを言っているのではなく、ただそれが存在することを世界に知らせているのです。ビデオゲームのバグを報告するときも、友達にSteamで大規模なセールが「there's（ある）」と伝えるときも、このルールを使っています。How This Grammar Works
I や you、あるいはピザの配達員のような人です。でも、ただ何かが存在すると言いたいだけならどうすればいいでしょうか？ Is a cat on the table で文を始めることはできません。それではバッテリーが切れそうなロボットのように聞こえます。そこで there の出番です。この文脈では、there は「あそこに」（場所）という意味ではありません。代わりに、それは「形式主語」です。文の残りの部分が入ってこれるようにドアを開けておくためのプレースホルダーにすぎません。文の本当の焦点は動詞の*後*に来ます。 There is a coffee on my desk と言う場合、coffee という単語が本当の主役です。動詞の is または are は、その主役に合わせる必要があります。
Formation Pattern
there という単語（プレースホルダー）。
to be 動詞（is または are）。
Conjugation Table
| Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Singular | There is a cat. |
猫が一匹います。 |
| Positive Plural | There are two cats. |
猫が二匹います。 |
| Negative Singular | There is not (isn't) a cat. |
猫はいません。 |
| Negative Plural | There are not (aren't) any cats. |
猫は一匹もいません。 |
| Question Singular | Is there a cat? |
猫はいますか？ |
| Question Plural | Are there any cats? |
猫はいますか？ |
When To Use It
- 写真の説明： 「この写真には美しい夕日が
there is（あります）。」 - 空きの確認： 「今、Uberは利用可能
Is there（ですか）？」 - 問題の報告： 「最新のアップデートにバグが
there's（あります）。」 - 予定を立てる： 「今夜は映画館で3本の映画が
there are（上映されています）。」
Common Mistakes
There is を使うべきところで It is を使ってしまうことです。これは多くの言語で両方に同じ単語を使うために起こります。もし It is a fly in my soup と言うと、ハエがスープ*そのもの*であると言っていることになります。それは気持ち悪いし、間違いです。ハエがその場所に存在することを言うには There is を使ってください。Contrast With Similar Patterns
There is と It is の使い分けはどうすればいいでしょうか？- 何かを初めて紹介するときは
There isを使います。「メインストリートに新しいカフェがthere is（あります）。」 - その物についてさらに詳しく説明するときは
It isを使います。「それ（It is）はとても高いですが、コーヒーは素晴らしいです。」
Quick FAQ
There's と言ってもいいですか？There are を使いましょう。Present Simple Existence
| Type | Singular / Uncountable | Plural |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
There is (There's)
|
There are
|
|
Negative
|
There is not (There isn't)
|
There are not (There aren't)
|
|
Question
|
Is there...?
|
Are there...?
|
|
Short Answer (+)
|
Yes, there is.
|
Yes, there are.
|
|
Short Answer (-)
|
No, there isn't.
|
No, there aren't.
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
|
There is
|
There's
|
Very common in speech and informal writing.
|
|
There is not
|
There isn't / There's not
|
Both are common; 'isn't' is more standard.
|
|
There are not
|
There aren't
|
Common in speech.
|
|
There are
|
None
|
Native speakers rarely contract 'There are' in writing.
|
Meanings
A grammatical structure used to introduce new information or state that something exists in a particular place.
Singular Existence
Stating that one person, thing, or place exists.
“There is a new student in our class.”
“There's a fly in my soup!”
Plural Existence
Stating that multiple people, things, or places exist.
“There are many books on the shelf.”
“There are three cars in the garage.”
Uncountable Existence
Stating the existence of things we cannot count (liquids, concepts, etc.).
“There is some water on the floor.”
“There is a lot of traffic today.”
Reference Table
| 種類 | 単数 (1) | 複数 (2+) |
|---|---|---|
|
肯定
|
There is a...
|
There are some...
|
|
否定
|
There isn't a...
|
There aren't any...
|
|
疑問
|
Is there a...?
|
Are there any...?
|
|
短縮形
|
There's
|
There are (There're はまれ)
|
|
短い返事 (+)
|
Yes, there is.
|
Yes, there are.
|
|
短い返事 (-)
|
No, there isn't.
|
No, there aren't.
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
Might I inquire if there is a restroom available? (Travel/Public spaces)
Is there a bathroom here? (Travel/Public spaces)
Is there a toilet? (Travel/Public spaces)
Any loos around? (Travel/Public spaces)
存在を示す方法
単数 (1)
- There is a book
- There's a cat
複数 (2+)
- There are two pens
- There aren't any dogs
There Is と It Is の比較
Is と Are、どっち？
名詞は単数 (1) ですか？
名詞は複数 (2+) ですか？
どこで使う？
テクノロジー/アプリ
- • There's an update
- • There's no signal
- • Are there new messages?
社会生活
- • Is there a table?
- • There are many people
- • There's a party
レベル別の例文
There is a cat on the sofa.
There is a cat on the sofa.
There are four chairs in the kitchen.
There are four chairs in the kitchen.
Is there a bank near here?
Is there a bank near here?
There are no apples in the bag.
There are no apples in the bag.
There isn't any milk in the fridge.
There isn't any milk in the fridge.
Are there any messages for me?
Are there any messages for me?
There is a lot of noise outside.
There is a lot of noise outside.
There are some people waiting for you.
There are some people waiting for you.
There was a big storm last night.
There was a big storm last night.
There will be a meeting at 10 AM.
There will be a meeting at 10 AM.
There have been many changes recently.
There have been many changes recently.
Is there going to be a party?
Is there going to be a party?
There seems to be a misunderstanding.
There seems to be a misunderstanding.
There is likely to be some opposition to the new law.
There is likely to be some opposition to the new law.
There happened to be a doctor on the plane.
There happened to be a doctor on the plane.
There is no point in arguing about it.
There is no point in arguing about it.
There remains much to be done before we can launch.
There remains much to be done before we can launch.
There exists a fine line between genius and madness.
There exists a fine line between genius and madness.
There followed a period of great economic growth.
There followed a period of great economic growth.
There arose a sudden shout from the crowd.
There arose a sudden shout from the crowd.
Should there be any further delays, please notify us immediately.
Should there be any further delays, please notify us immediately.
There is said to be a hidden treasure in these mountains.
There is said to be a hidden treasure in these mountains.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Were there to be a crisis, we would be well-prepared.
Were there to be a crisis, we would be well-prepared.
間違えやすい
Learners use 'It is' to introduce things because their native language uses one word for both.
Learners use 'have' to say something exists in a place.
The words sound similar, leading to spelling and usage errors.
よくある間違い
It is a book on the table.
There is a book on the table.
There is two dogs.
There are two dogs.
There is a park near here?
Is there a park near here?
There are some milks.
There is some milk.
There aren't some chairs.
There aren't any chairs.
There is many people.
There are many people.
Is there any apples?
Are there any apples?
There have many problems.
There are many problems.
There was many people at the party.
There were many people at the party.
There remains many questions.
There remain many questions.
文型パターン
There is a ___ in the ___.
There are some ___ on the ___.
Is there a ___ near here?
There isn't any ___ left.
Real World Usage
Is there a safe in the room?
Are there any nuts in this salad?
There are several skills I can bring to this role.
There's a cool party tonight, you coming?
There is a leak in the bathroom ceiling.
There are so many beautiful places in this city! 😍
「It is」の落とし穴
リストの秘密
There is a book and five pens.
話し言葉のコツ
Smart Tips
Use 'There is' for the furniture and 'It is' for the color.
Always look at the very first word after 'There'. If it's singular, use 'is'.
Start with 'Is there...?' to be more polite.
Always use 'are'. 'People' is the most common plural noun that doesn't end in 's'.
発音
The 'There's' Contraction
In the contraction 'There's', the 's' sounds like a /z/ sound.
Linking 'There are'
When saying 'There are', the 'r' in 'there' links to the 'a' in 'are'.
Rising Intonation for Questions
Is there a ↗️ bank?
Indicates a yes/no question.
暗記しよう
記憶術
IS is for ONE (I is like the number 1). ARE is for MANY.
視覚的連想
Imagine pointing your finger at one object and saying 'There is...'. Then imagine opening both arms wide to point at many objects and saying 'There are...'.
Rhyme
One thing here? There is a cat. Two things there? There are two hats.
Story
You walk into a dark room. You turn on the light. First, you see one thing: 'There is a box.' Then you look inside: 'There are five gold coins!' You are rich!
Word Web
チャレンジ
Look around your room right now. Say 3 sentences using 'There is' and 3 sentences using 'There are' out loud.
文化メモ
Native speakers often use 'There's' even for plural nouns in very casual speech (e.g., 'There's two cars'). However, this is considered grammatically incorrect in exams and formal writing.
In the UK, it is very common to use 'There is' with collective nouns like 'team' or 'staff', but sometimes they use 'There are' if they think of the members as individuals.
In some dialects, you might hear 'There's' used for almost everything, or even 'It's' used in place of 'There's'.
The use of 'there' as a dummy subject dates back to Old English, where 'þær' was used to introduce sentences.
会話のきっかけ
Is there a good restaurant in your neighborhood?
Are there any famous landmarks in your city?
Is there anything interesting in your bag right now?
If you could change your city, what is one thing there should be more of?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
There ___ a huge balcony with a city view!
There ___ only two vegetarian options on the menu.
You call a hotel and ask:
Find and fix the mistake:
Hi, there is some problems with the heating in my apartment.
There ___ a great coffee shop right around the corner.
Talking about your hometown:
Score: /6
練習問題
8 exercisesThere ___ a big window in the office.
There ___ many people at the bus stop.
Is there ___ any milk in the fridge?
Find and fix the mistake:
There are a cat on the roof.
any / there / Are / eggs / ?
Match the start to the end.
Hay tres manzanas.
There ___ any cars in the park.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
8 exercises____ there any sugar in this tea?
no / there / milk / is / left
Hay muchos coches en la calle.
Match correctly:
Choose the negative sentence:
There are a bug in the app.
____ there any questions?
Choose the most common spoken form:
Score: /8
よくある質問 (8)
In very casual speech, native speakers often do this (e.g., 'There's two dogs'). However, in exams and formal writing, you must use 'There are'.
Use `There is` to introduce something for the first time. Use `It is` to describe that thing later. Example: 'There is a bird. It is blue.'
Usually, we look at the first item. If the first item is singular, we use `There is`. Example: 'There is a bed and two chairs.'
Just swap the words: `Is there...?` or `Are there...?` and add a question mark at the end.
Uncountable nouns always use the singular form: `There is some water.`
Yes! Both are correct. `There are no apples` is slightly more emphatic than `There aren't any apples`.
It is a contraction of 'There are', but it is very rare in writing because it is hard to say. It's better to write 'There are'.
Because it doesn't have a real meaning in the sentence; it just fills the subject position so the real subject can come after the verb.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Hay
English changes the verb for plural (is vs are), Spanish does not.
Il y a
French is a fixed phrase; English must agree with the noun's number.
Es gibt
German uses the verb 'give' and the accusative case; English uses 'be' and the nominative.
Arimasu / Imasu
Japanese focuses on whether the subject is alive; English focuses on whether it is singular or plural.
Hunaka (هناك)
English requires the verb 'is' or 'are', while Arabic often omits it in the present.
Yǒu (有)
English strictly separates possession (have) from existence (there is).
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
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