てある | Intentional Resulting State

What is てある?

てある describes a state that exists because someone intentionally did something. The action is done, and the result is still there. "The window has been opened" (by someone, on purpose). "Dinner has been prepared." "The reservation has been made."

The key word here is intentional. This is what separates てある from ている. Both can describe current states, but てある always implies a person deliberately brought about that state. If you understand transitive and intransitive verbs, this will click fast: てある only works with transitive verbs.

Formation

Take the て-form of a transitive verb and add ある:

Polite: 開(あ)けてあります. Negative: 開(あ)けてない.

Transitive Verbs Only

This is the rule that trips people up. てある attaches exclusively to transitive verbs, verbs that take an object with を.

You say 窓(まど)を**開(あ)ける** (open the window), so you can say 窓(まど)が**開(あ)けてある**. But you can't use 開(あ)く (the intransitive version) with てある. That's what ている is for.

Particles: が vs を

When てある describes a visible state, the object typically takes が:

• 窓(まど)が開(あ)けてある
  The window has been opened (I can see it's open)

When the emphasis is on preparation, something done ahead of time for a purpose, を sometimes stays:

• ホテルを予約(よやく)してある
  The hotel has been reserved (I took care of it)

Both patterns are natural. The が version focuses on the resulting state you observe; the を version focuses on the action someone completed.

てある vs ている: What's the Difference?

This is the big question, and the answer comes down to intention.

Notice the verb changes too: 開(あ)いている uses the intransitive 開(あ)く, while 開(あ)けてある uses the transitive 開(あ)ける.

てある for Preparation (てある vs ておく)

てある often describes things done in advance. In fact, it's closely related to ておく (to do something in preparation). The difference: ておく focuses on the act of preparing, while てある focuses on the result of that preparation.

• 切符(きっぷ)を買(か)っておく
  I'll buy the tickets (in advance, for later)
• 切符(きっぷ)が買(か)ってある
  The tickets have been bought (they're ready)

Think of ておく as the action and てある as the aftermath.

Example Sentences

• テーブルの上(うえ)に手紙(てがみ)が置(お)いてある。 (teeburu no ue ni tegami ga oite aru.)
  There's a letter placed on the table (someone put it there).

• エアコンがつけてある。 (eakon ga tsukete aru.)
  The air conditioner has been turned on (someone turned it on).

• 壁(かべ)に地図(ちず)が貼(は)ってあります。 (kabe ni chizu ga hatte arimasu.)
  A map has been posted on the wall.

• もう予約(よやく)をしてあるから心配(しんぱい)しないで。 (mou yoyaku wo shite aru kara shinpai shinaide.)
  The reservation has already been made, so don't worry.

• 冷蔵庫(れいぞうこ)にビールが冷(ひ)やしてある。 (reizouko ni biiru ga hiyashite aru.)
  There's beer chilling in the fridge (someone put it there to cool).

• 黒板(こくばん)に答(こた)えが書(か)いてある。 (kokuban ni kotae ga kaite aru.)
  The answer is written on the blackboard.

• 明日(あした)の準備(じゅんび)はもうしてあります。 (ashita no junbi wa mou shite arimasu.)
  Preparations for tomorrow have already been made.

• ドアに「立入禁止(たちいりきんし)」と書(か)いてある。 (doa ni "tachiiri kinshi" to kaite aru.)
  "No Entry" is written on the door.