いる

い

る

いる · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	いる	いない
Polite	います	いません
Past polite	いました	いませんでした
Past	いた	いなかった
Te-form	いて	いないで
Desire	いたい	いたくない
Potential	いられるalso いれる	いられないalso いれない
Passive	いられる	いられない
Causative	いさせる	いさせない
Causative passive	いさせられる	いさせられない
Volitional	いよう
Polite volitional	いましょう
Imperative	いろ	いるな
Conditional	いれば	いなければ
Tara conditional	いたら	いなかったら

Meanings

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

be; exist

usually written using kana alone

Used for animate beings (people, animals). Contrasts with ある for inanimate objects. Also used for existence in a location.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に〈人ひと〉がいるthere is a person/animal at a place
公こう園えんに子こ供どもがいる。
There is a child in the park.
〈人ひと〉が〈場ば所しょ〉にいるa person/animal is at a place
彼かれは今いま、家いえにいる。
He is at home right now.
〈動どう詞し〉ているto be doing (ongoing action)
彼かれは今いま、勉べん強きょうしている。
He is studying right now.
〈動どう詞し〉ていたhad been in a resulting state (after an action)
窓まどが開あいていた。
The window had been left open.

Expressions· 16

いたたまれないunable to stay; feel like running away; too uncomfortable to remain
虫むしの居い所どころが悪わるいirritable; in a bad mood; cranky
一いちの鳥とり居いfirst torii gate of a shrine
居いづらいhard to stay; uncomfortable to be in a place
いられるcan be; can exist; can stay · cannot help but ...

Show 4 more

いなくなるdisappear; go away; leave; no longer exist
居いもしないinvisible; unseen; not there at all · vague; mysterious; elusive · imaginary; nonexistent
いたたまらないunable to stay; feel like running away; can't bear to be there
居心地いごこちがいいcomfortable to be in; cozy; snug

See all 16 in Explore →

Grammar

See all 6 grammar points ›

Kanji

居reside, to be, exist

Related words

存そん在ざいN3sense 1
存在する is a formal, abstract verb for 'to exist' used in writing or discussion, while いる is the everyday word for a person or animal being somewhere.
あるN5
ある is used for inanimate things, places, and abstract matters, while 居る is the parallel verb used for people and animals.
あり
いる is used for the existence of animate beings, while あり (like ある) is reserved for inanimate objects and abstract concepts.
とる
とる corresponds to standard ている, which is built from 居る (いる), the plain verb 'to be' used in everyday Japanese.

Politeness

いらっしゃるhonorific 尊敬語N5sense 1
居らっしゃる is the honorific form of いる used to respectfully describe someone else's presence.
おるhumble 謙譲語N4sense 1
おる is a humble or plain regional equivalent of いる, often used in formal speech like おります or in Kansai dialect.
おいでになるN4
いる is the plain verb for being present, while おいでになる is its honorific form used for a respected person.
おいでN1
お出で honorifically refers to someone's being present, while いる is the plain, neutral verb 'to be/exist'.

Don't confuse with· 5

あるN5sense 1
いる is used for animate beings like people and animals, while ある is used for inanimate objects and abstract things.
鋳いる
居る (to be/exist, for people or animals) shares the exact reading いる with 鋳る (to cast metal) but has a completely unrelated meaning.
要いるN5
居る (いる) is another homophone of 要る, meaning 'to be/exist' (for people or animals), not 'to be needed'.

Show 2 more

煎いるN2
居る (to be, to exist) shares the same いる sound as 煎る (to dry-roast) but has a totally different meaning, so context is essential.
射いる
射る (to shoot an arrow) and 居る (to be/exist, for people or animals) are unrelated words that share the identical reading いる.

Word family· 73

いらっしゃるN5
come; go; be (somewhere) · be (doing)
居い酒ざか屋やN3
izakaya; Japanese-style pub
芝しば居いN3
play; drama; theatrical performance
居い場ば所しょN2
whereabouts; location; place · place where one belongs; one's niche; place to be oneself
居心地いごこちN2
comfort of a place; how it feels to be somewhere

Show 25 more

仲なか居い
waitress (in a ryokan or traditional restaurant); hostess
敷しき居いN1
threshold; sill
居い眠ねむりN3
nodding off (while sitting); dozing
鳥とり居いN1
torii gate; Shinto shrine archway
居い間まN3
living room (Western style); sitting room
長なが居い
long visit; overstaying
円まど居い
sitting in a circle · pleasant gathering; cozy get-together
居い候そうろう
freeloader; sponger; unpaying lodger
居い座すわる
remain; stay on; refuse to leave
居い残のこり
working overtime; staying late at work · detention; being kept in (e.g. after school)
居い所どころ
whereabouts; address; location · temporary residence; place of temporary stay
鴨かも居い
lintel; upper door frame
居い合あい
iai; art of drawing and cutting in one motion
居い座すわり
remaining in place; staying on; overstaying
立たち居い
movements; sitting and standing
居い留る守す
pretending to be out; feigning absence
居い抜ぬき
turnkey business; fully equipped; as-is with fixtures
居い丈たけ高だか
high-handed; overbearing; domineering
居い残のこる
stay behind; remain; work overtime
並なみ居いる
sit in a row; be lined up; be present in a row
雲くも居い
sky; clouds · distant place; high place · imperial court
居い
being (somewhere); presence · sitting
出いで居い
sitting outdoors · reception and living room in Heian mansion · temporary outdoor seating for court ceremonies
宮みや居い
shrine · imperial palace · residing (of an emperor or god)
家いえ居い
staying at home; being at home

See all 73 in Explore →

Written forms

いるUsage99%
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
居いるUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should prefer the kana spelling.

Etymology

The historical derivation is uncertain; the word is a basic verb of existence for animate beings in Japanese.

Meanings

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

be; exist

usually written using kana alone

Used for animate beings (people, animals). Contrasts with ある for inanimate objects. Also used for existence in a location.