Need help with some things

[PieterSan]

Ohayo mina-san,

I've just started listening to japanesepod101 and I'm trying to get the hang of Japanese, mainly as a hobby. I've decided I need some practice into using the language so (among other things) I started writing down a few things (writing little notes/messages). So far it's going ok, but I ran into a problem (well, two problems, actually). I want to say : "tomorrow, I have the day off".

First problem: the verb, I've been trying to find out how to say "to have", with no results so far, should I use "iru" or is there another verb to say "to have"?

Second problem: So, in this sentence there's "tomorrow" (あした) which I can mark with "wa" as a particle, but then there's also "I" (私) and "day off" (休日). What is the correct/best option? Drop the "I" and mark "day off" with "o"?

[padrik]

明日私は休日があります。
ashita watashi ha kyuujitsu ga arimasu.

ashita doesn't require a particle "は" and the thing you have is "a day off" so arimasu is used, imasu is for a person.

hope this helps,
カール

[Bueller_007]

明日は休みです。
Ashita wa yasumi desu.

[Javizy]

I don't believe there is a verb for "to have" in Japanese. There are two verbs meaning "to exist" for animate and inanimate objects respectively, and these can be interpreted as "to have" and "there is/are" depending on context.

ある - inanimate objects
いる - animate objects

These two verbs are a crucial part of the language, so you should check out some of the beginner lessons that cover this topic, since it's really something you'll need a solid understanding of to continue.

木がある - there is a tree　
人がいる - there is a person
私は本がある - I have a book
彼は犬がいる - he has a dog

[Bueller_007]

持つ, 所有する and ある would all be quite obvious words to choose for "have".

[Javizy]

Do any of those directly translate as "to have"? If so, I apologise for misleading Pieter.

[padrik]

持っている（motte iru)

[seanolan]

The problem is that there is no ONE verb for "have"...there are many, all of which can be easily translated as "to have".

持つ - to possess, to carry (車を持っていますか - do you have a car? lit: [Do you] possess (with you; in the immediate vicinity) a car?)
ある - to exist, to have (車がありますか - do you have a car? lit: [Does] a car exist [with respect to you]?)
所有する - to possess, to own (車を所有しますか - do you have a car? lit: Do [you] own a car (not necessarily in the vicinity, but somewhere)?)

Aru is very general; stating existance and its relationship to you. Almost anything can be stated as being "had" with aru. It takes "ga" usually as a particle, because the item had is the subject of the sentence, since it is literally stating the existance of the item, in relation to the topic or the possessor.

Motsu is much more specific; it implies in the immediate vicinity with immediate access. It also usually implies something that can be carried or transported; for example, you do not use it for a house or property. It also is not used, AFAIK, for intangibles; the item must be real and physical. It takes "wo" as a particle, since the subject is the owner and the item owned is the object.

Shoyuusuru is also specific; and it implies a large, valuable, and/or immobile object being owned. You would use this for a home, real estate, and other large valuable objects that you do not carry with you. It also can be used for intangibles such as stocks and company ownership. It also takes "wo" as a particle.

There's a couple others, but those are the big ones. Motsu and aru are the ones I hear most commonly.

Sean

[PieterSan]

ありがとう

Thanks everyone, it's all a lot clearer to me now. I looked it up in my handy dictionary after reading this and it had half a page dedicated to words that could mean "to have".
So, in this case 明日私は休日があります is ok, but to have can be translated into lot's of things, depending on the context.

[Bueller_007]

ありがとう

Thanks everyone, it's all a lot clearer to me now. I looked it up in my handy dictionary after reading this and it had half a page dedicated to words that could mean "to have".
So, in this case 明日私は休日があります is ok, but to have can be translated into lot's of things, depending on the context.

Nobody would ever say your sentence this way. 明日は休みです。

[dmr214]

Why don't you just say あした、やすみです。 ?

That means, tomorrow is a holiday or rest. I wouldn't necessarily think about translating directly from English into Japanese. "I have a holiday tomorrow" in English is fine, but I don't think it's normally said in Japanese. Ashita, Yasumi desu is perhaps the most common way to say. That's what they say in my office in Tokyo at least. 休日 is quite formal and uncommon as well. If you are speaking to your boss or your boss' boss you might want to use that word, but if you are talking with people on your level use Yasumi desu.

HTH
Dave