てある
🃏 Flashcard
てある
te aru
Tap to reveal usage
is/has been done (resulting state)
N5
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N5
Beginner · Basic sentence structures
Reading
te aru
Post ID
50666
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
is/has been done (resulting state)
📖 How to use it
Describes a resulting state of an action that someone has done, with emphasis on the state itself rather than who did it.
Attaches to
Attach to the て-form of a verb. The verb must be transitive. The object of the action is marked with が (or sometimes は).
てある expresses that something has been done and remains in that state. It focuses on the result, not the doer. For example, if you say 窓が開けてある, it means the window is open because someone opened it. The doer is not mentioned, but it is implied that a person did it intentionally.
テーブルの上に料理が置いてある。
Tēburu no ue ni ryōri ga oite aru.
The food is placed on the table.
ドアが鍵をかけてあるから、大丈夫だ。
Doa ga kagi o kakete aru kara, daijōbu da.
The door is locked, so it's fine.
この本は全部読んであって、もう知っている。
Kono hon wa zenbu yonde atte, mō shitte iru.
This book has been read completely, so I already know it.
Not ている
ている can describe an ongoing action or a state that results from an action, especially with intransitive verbs (e.g., 窓が開いている means the window is open, but it may have opened by itself). てある always implies someone did it intentionally and focuses on the resulting state, using a transitive verb.
Register
Neutral, used in both speaking and writing, though more common in descriptive contexts.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
てある
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat てある three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using てある. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N5 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern てある mean?
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Is/has been done (resulting state)
What JLPT level is てある?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N5 — Beginner · Basic sentence structures. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use てある in a sentence?
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Attach てある (te aru) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is てある formal or casual Japanese?
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てある is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember てある long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.