〜ています vs 〜てある

Overview

Both 〜ています and 〜てある express states or results of actions, but they have important differences in meaning, usage, and the types of verbs they work with.

ています: State or ongoing action
窓が開いている
"The window is open"

てある: Prepared state (someone did it intentionally)
窓が開けてある
"The window has been opened (by someone)"

Key Differences

Basic Contrast

ています:
- Used with intransitive verbs
- Natural state or result
- No emphasis on who did it
- Neutral observation

てある:
- Used with transitive verbs
- Intentional preparation
- Emphasis on purpose
- Someone did it deliberately

Verb Type Distinction

ています + Intransitive Verbs

Intransitive verbs (自動詞) - no direct object.

開く (あく) → 開いている
"is open"

閉まる → 閉まっている
"is closed"

壊れる → 壊れている
"is broken"

消える → 消えている
"is off/disappeared"

てある + Transitive Verbs

Transitive verbs (他動詞) - take a direct object.

開ける → 開けてある
"has been opened"

閉める → 閉めてある
"has been closed"

壊す → 壊してある
"has been broken"

消す → 消してある
"has been turned off"

Common Verb Pairs

Intransitive (ています) vs Transitive (てある)

開く/開ける (open)
窓が開いている - "window is open" (state)
窓が開けてある - "window has been opened" (someone opened it)

閉まる/閉める (close)
ドアが閉まっている - "door is closed" (state)
ドアが閉めてある - "door has been closed" (someone closed it)

つく/つける (turn on)
電気がついている - "light is on" (state)
電気がつけてある - "light has been turned on" (someone turned it on)

消える/消す (turn off)
電気が消えている - "light is off" (state)
電気が消してある - "light has been turned off" (someone turned it off)

Particle Usage

が with Both

Both patterns use が (not を) to mark the subject.

ています:
窓が開いている
"The window is open"

てある:
窓が開けてある
"The window has been opened"

Meaning Differences

Neutral State (ています)

Simply describes current state, no emphasis on cause.

窓が開いている
"The window is open"
(neutral - could be wind, forgotten, etc.)

花が咲いている
"Flowers are blooming"
(natural state)

本が置いてある
"A book is placed"
(someone placed it)

Intentional Preparation (てある)

Emphasizes someone did it purposefully, often for preparation.

窓が開けてある
"The window has been opened"
(someone opened it intentionally)

予約してある
"A reservation has been made"
(someone made it for a purpose)

用意してある
"It has been prepared"
(prepared in advance)

When State Matters vs When Action Matters

Focus on Current State (ています)

ドアが閉まっている
"The door is closed"
→ Fact: door is in closed state

電気がついている
"The light is on"
→ Fact: light is in on state

Focus on Prepared Result (てある)

ドアが閉めてある
"The door has been closed"
→ Implication: someone closed it for a reason

電気がつけてある
"The light has been turned on"
→ Implication: someone left it on intentionally

Practical Examples

Example 1: Window

Situation: You notice window state

窓が開いている
"The window is open"
(neutral observation)

窓が開けてある
"The window has been opened"
(noticing someone opened it, maybe for ventilation)

Example 2: Door

Situation: Checking door

ドアが閉まっている
"The door is closed"
(just the state)

ドアが閉めてある
"The door has been closed"
(someone closed it, maybe for security)

Example 3: Light

Situation: Entering room

電気がついている
"The light is on"
(neutral fact)

電気がつけてある
"The light has been left on"
(someone turned it on and left it that way)

Written vs Posted Information

てある for Displayed Information

When something is written/posted intentionally:

名前が書いてある
"The name is written (there)"
(someone wrote it)

値段が書いてある
"The price is written"
(someone posted the price)

地図が貼ってある
"A map is posted"
(someone put it up)

ています for Existence

名前が書いている
"A name is written"
(state of being written - less common)

With Preparation Verbs

Only てある

Some verbs only use てある because they're inherently preparatory:

予約してある ✓
"A reservation has been made"

予約している ✓ (but different meaning)
"Someone is making a reservation" (ongoing)

用意してある ✓
"It has been prepared"

買ってある ✓
"It has been bought (in advance)"

Common Conversations

Example 1: Arriving Home

A: 窓が開いているね
   "The window is open"

B: うん、出かける前に開けてあったんだ
   "Yeah, I left it open before going out"

A: そうなんだ
   "I see"

Example 2: Checking Preparation

A: 予約してある？
   "Has a reservation been made?"

B: うん、もう予約してあるよ
   "Yeah, it's already been reserved"

A: よかった
   "Good"

Example 3: Noticing State

A: あれ、電気がついている
   "Huh, the light is on"

B: 朝つけてあったから
   "Because I left it on this morning"

A: そうか
   "I see"

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using wrong verb type

Wrong: 窓が開けている ❌
Right: 窓が開いている ✓
"The window is open"

Wrong: 窓が開いてある ❌
Right: 窓が開けてある ✓
"The window has been opened"

Mistake 2: Using を particle

Wrong: 窓を開けてある ❌
Right: 窓が開けてある ✓
"The window has been opened"

Mistake 3: Confusing natural vs intentional

Situation: Flower naturally blooming
Wrong: 花が咲いてある ❌
Right: 花が咲いている ✓
"Flowers are blooming"

Situation: Flowers arranged by someone
Right: 花が飾ってある ✓
"Flowers are displayed/arranged"

Quick Reference Chart

Intransitive + ています

開く → 開いている (is open)
閉まる → 閉まっている (is closed)
つく → ついている (is on)
消える → 消えている (is off)
壊れる → 壊れている (is broken)
落ちる → 落ちている (has fallen)

Transitive + てある

開ける → 開けてある (has been opened)
閉める → 閉めてある (has been closed)
つける → つけてある (has been turned on)
消す → 消してある (has been turned off)
壊す → 壊してある (has been broken)
落とす → 落としてある (has been dropped)

Choosing the Right Pattern

Ask Yourself:

1. Is the verb transitive or intransitive?

   • Intransitive → ています
   • Transitive → てある

2. Do you want to emphasize someone did it?

   • No emphasis → ています
   • Emphasize purpose → てある

3. Is it natural or prepared?

   • Natural state → ています
   • Prepared state → てある

Practice Pairs

Open/Close

窓が開いている
"The window is open"

窓が開けてある
"The window has been opened (by someone)"

ドアが閉まっている
"The door is closed"

ドアが閉めてある
"The door has been closed (by someone)"

On/Off

電気がついている
"The light is on"

電気がつけてある
"The light has been turned on (by someone)"

エアコンが消えている
"The AC is off"

エアコンが消してある
"The AC has been turned off (by someone)"

Break

コップが壊れている
"The cup is broken"

コップが壊してある
"The cup has been broken (by someone - rare usage)"

Write/Display

名前が書いてある
"The name is written (there)"

値段が表示してある
"The price is displayed"

ポスターが貼ってある
"A poster is posted"

Summary Table

Aspect	ています	てある
Verb type	Intransitive	Transitive
Meaning	Current state	Prepared result
Emphasis	State itself	Purpose/preparation
Agent	Not emphasized	Implied (someone did it)
Particle	が	が
Usage	Neutral observation	Intentional action

Related Grammar Points

• 〜ている (te-iru) - Progressive/State
• 〜てある (te-aru) - Resultant state
• Transitive & Intransitive - Verb pairs
• 〜ておく (te-oku) - Do in advance
• Passive Voice - Related to てある
• Particles Overview - Understanding が/を