がある + Noun【がある + (Noun)】

The pattern がある + Noun uses a relative clause with がある to modify a noun, describing it as "a noun that has ~" or "a noun with ~." In Japanese, relative clauses come before the noun they modify, so the structure is Noun₁ がある Noun₂, meaning "Noun₂ that has Noun₁."

This is a natural extension of the basic sentence にわ庭がある ("there is a garden") used as a modifier for a noun. The clause before the noun works just like a mini-sentence describing that noun.

Negative form: がない + Noun

To express "a noun that does not have ~," replace ある with ない.

Past form: があった + Noun

To describe something that had something in the past, use あった.

Notes

• Remember that ある is used for inanimate objects, events, and abstract things. For living things (people, animals), use いる instead.
• The particle が (not は) is used inside the relative clause because the topic marker は generally cannot appear within a clause that modifies a noun.