てある (tearu)

Meaning & usage

てある describes a thing left in a state after someone has acted on it on purpose, like a meal prepared in advance or a name written on a form. It follows the te-form of a transitive verb, as in 置いてある or 書いてあります, with the polite form using あります. It focuses on the visible result, not on who did the action, and it is different from ておく, which focuses on doing something in preparation.

Example sentences 4

1. 食事しょくじはオーブンのなかにおいてあります。

   I have left you your dinner in the oven.

2. 車は用意してあります。

   The car is ready.

3. 私の名前と住所はこれに書いてあります。

   My name and address are on it.

4. この手紙には外国切手がはってある。

   This letter bears a foreign stamp.