てある
Resultative State
The 〜てある pattern describes a current state resulting from a past intentional action. It implies that someone did something on purpose, often for preparation or to leave things in a specific way.
How It Works
The てある pattern is a key structure for describing environments that have been prepared or arranged.
1. Formation and Transitivity:
This pattern attaches ONLY to the て-form of transitive verbs (verbs that take a direct object). You cannot use it with intransitive verbs.
2. Particle Shift and Focus:
When using てある, the object of the original action usually becomes the subject of the state. Therefore, the particle を often changes to が to focus on the current state of the object.
Example: 窓（まど）を 開（あ）ける (Open the window) → 窓（まど）が 開（あ）けてある (The window is [has been] opened).
However, を is still grammatically correct and is used when the speaker wants to focus more on the act of preparation itself rather than the resulting state.
3. Nuance of Intent:
This pattern strongly implies that the action was done by someone for a specific reason. For example, if you say 'The window is open' using 〜ている, you are just stating a fact. If you use てある, you are implying someone opened it for a purpose, such as ventilation or letting in fresh air.
4. Preparation and the Agent:
It is frequently used to show that preparations are complete (e.g., 'The tickets have been bought'). A key pedagogical point is that the agent (the person who performed the action) is almost never mentioned in these sentences. The focus remains entirely on the object or the state of readiness.
Examples (4)
- 壁に地図が貼ってあります。
A map has been posted on the wall.
Word by Word: Wall on map (subject) pasted exists.
This implies someone intentionally put the map there for people to see, and it remains there now.
- 晩ご飯はもう作ってあります。
Dinner has already been made.
Word by Word: Dinner (topic) already made exists.
This uses the transitive verb 作る（つくる） to show that dinner is ready as a result of someone's preparation.
- 名前に丸がつけてある。
A circle has been drawn around the name.
Word by Word: Name at circle (subject) attached exists.
The circle didn't appear by itself; someone marked it for a specific reason.
- ホテルの予約はしてありますか。
Has the hotel reservation been made?
Word by Word: Hotel's reservation (topic) done exists?
In this case, the speaker is asking if the necessary preparation (the reservation) is complete.
Common Mistakes
Using an intransitive verb with 〜てある.
窓が閉まってある。窓が閉めてある。閉まる（しまる） is intransitive. To show intentional state, you must use the transitive version 閉める（しめる）.
Confusing 〜てある with the progressive 'is doing'.
今、本を読んであります。今、本を読んでいます。〜てある describes a state, not an ongoing action. To say you are currently reading, use 〜ている.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'てある', you must first know how to conjugate verbs into the 'て' form. You also need to understand the basic meaning of 'ある' (existence) and how the particle 'が' is used to mark the subject of a state.
Related Patterns
- ているProgressive/resultative
〜ている describes a natural state or ongoing action, whereas 〜てある describes a state resulting from intentional human action.
Level 2 - ておくDo in Advance
〜ておく focuses on the action of preparing for the future, while 〜てある focuses on the state that exists after that preparation is done.
Level 2 - Transitive-Intransitive Pairs
Understanding verb pairs is crucial because 〜てある only works with transitive verbs.
Level 2 - Passive form
While both can be translated as 'has been done,' the passive focuses on the object being affected, while 〜てある focuses on the resulting state and the intent behind it.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice てある in Bubblegum
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