Japanese V-てある: Result of Preparation

Introduction

How can we say “Plans have been written down on the notebook.” or “A hotel has been booked.” in Japanese? The grammar is V-てある.

V-てある expresses that something “has been done” and the resulting state is visible now, usually because someone prepared it on purpose. It’s perfect for checklists, signs, and travel prep talk.

1. What V-てある means

The verb conjugation V-て + ある is used to indicate that an action has been completed in preparation for something or to express the current state resulting from a past action.

Meaning: “has been done (in preparation)” / “is in the state of having been done.”
Typical pattern: X が V-てあります.

Example ideas:

ドアが開あけてあります。= The door has been kept open.

ホテルが予約よやくしてあります。= A hotel has been booked.

2. How to form it

Use the て-form of a transitive verb + ある.

If you want to review te-form, read this article: How to Use te kudasai（〜てください） in Japanese | Polite Request Form Explained

3. When to use it (natural scenarios)

• A) Before guests arrive: コップが並ならべてあります。= The cups have been set out.
• B) Trip prep: 旅館りょかんが予約よやくしてあります。= The inn is booked.
• C) Rooms and devices: 電気でんきがつけてあります。= The light has been turned on (for a purpose).
• D) Events: パーティーの飲のみ物ものが買かってあります。= Drinks have been bought for the party.

4. V-ておく vs V-てある

V-てある has a lot to do with the grammar V-ておく, which also means “do… in preparation”.

The difference is that V-ておく expresses what someone does in preparation, while V-てある is the result of that preparation (“Something has been done”).

gokigen penguin

If you’d like to learn more about V-ておく, please read this article: Getting Ready in Japanese: Mastering V-ておく (te oku)

5. A common used expression with ～てあります

As a common used expression using てあります, we have ～と書かいてあります.

This expression is often used to explain what is written on a signboard or paper.

Example:

今日きょうの新聞しんぶんに、税金ぜいきんが上あがったと書かいてあります。
It says in today’s newspaper that taxes went up.

6. Example sentences

ノートに予定よていが書かいてあります。
The plan has been written in the notebook.

玄関げんかんの電気でんきがつけてあります。
The entrance light has been left on.

花はながテーブルに置おいてあります。
Flowers have been placed on the table.

スピーチの原稿げんこうが印刷いんさつしてあります。
The speech script has been printed.

家いえの鍵かぎがかけてあります。
The house has been locked.

ゴミが捨すててあります。
The trash has been taken out.

飛行機ひこうきのチケットが買かってあります。
The plane ticket has been bought.

パーティーの飲のみ物ものが買かってあります。
Drinks for the party have been bought.

7. Practice time

Practice A: Conjugate into V-てあります

Example: ホテル／予約よやくする → ホテルが予約してあります。

お菓子かし／包つつむ → __________________

魚さかな／焼やく → __________________

花はな／置おく → __________________

電気でんき／つける → __________________

おにぎり／買かう → __________________

Practice B: What’s been prepared? Answer with てあります.

• Q1 テーブルに何なにが置おいてありますか。→ ＿＿＿＿が置いてあります。
• Q2 夕食ゆうしょくに何なにが作つくってありますか。→ ＿＿＿＿が作ってあります。
• Q3 デザートに何なにが買かってありますか。→ ＿＿＿＿が買ってあります。
• Q4 コーヒーに何なにが入いれてありますか。→ ＿＿＿＿が入れてあります。

Practice C: Trip checklist with てあります.

あした日本にほんへ出発しゅっぱつします。準備じゅんびできていますか。/ You are leaving for Japan tomorrow. Are you ready?

スーツケース／買かう → __________________

ホテル／予約よやくする → __________________

お金かね／おろす → __________________

ゴミ／捨すてる → __________________

飛行機ひこうきのチケット／買かう → __________________

8. Usage notes & common mistakes

We cannot use V-て + ある with intransitive verbs. This is because V-て + ある expresses the result of someone’s intentional preparation. Intransitive verbs describe what something does, and do not involve a person’s intention.

Incorrect: お金かねが落おちてあります。 (≠ The money has been left dropped.)
Correct: お金が落ちています。 (= The money had been left dropped.)

In this example, the correct form is V-て + いる because 落おちる is an intransitive verb (= something drops).

gokigen penguin

If you want to review intransitive verbs, read this article: Transitive vs. Intransitive Verb Pairs in Japanese (有対動詞) + 〜ている

9. FAQ

Conclusion

The key idea behind V-te aru is that an action was intentionally performed for a specific purpose or in preparation for something, and the resulting state from that action is still present.

It’s not just “something is open” but “something has been opened for a reason.”

Example: ドアが開けてあります。 (The door has been opened [e.g., to let fresh air in, or for someone to enter].)