What does it mean word for word?
The phrase breaks down into koko (here), ni (at/in), wa (topic marker) and imasen (is not/does not exist for living things).
Which one should you use?
While ここにはいません and its variations refer to people or animals, you should use ここにはありません if you are stating that an inanimate object is not here.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to express this depending on the setting. ここにはいません, ここにいません, ここにはおりません and こちらにはいません are all formal ways to say 'not here'. For casual situations with friends or family, use the informal ここにいない. The colloquial こっちにはいねー is also available for very casual speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle wa in this phrase adds an emphasis of contrast, implying 'not here (but perhaps elsewhere)'. Additionally, the verb imasen is used specifically for the absence of animate beings like people or animals, rather than inanimate objects.
How do you pronounce it?
koko ni wa imasen
Did you know?
- When answering the phone, a Japanese speaker will rarely say ここにいません and will instead use 不在です which literally means 'is in a state of absence'.
- When using the ultra-casual こっちにはいねー, you are employing a phonetic shift common in rougher, more masculine speech patterns. The 'ai' sound in いない shifts to a long 'ee' sound, which sounds much more blunt and informal.
- While ここ means 'here', the version こちら used in formal phrases literally means 'this direction' and is used to avoid pointing directly at a person or space.
Examples in context
- 彼はここにはいません。He is not here.This sentence is useful for showing how to state that a person is not present.Tatoeba #2204982 by Blanka_Meduzo, translation #1310692 by Eldad
- すみません、田中さんはここにはいません。Sumimasen, Tanaka-san wa koko ni wa imasen.Excuse me, Mr. Tanaka is not here.
- 残念ですが、部長は今ここにはいません。Zannen desu ga, buchō wa ima koko ni wa imasen.I am sorry, but the manager is not here right now.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki is looking for Hiroto at the office.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さんはいますか？Hiroto-san wa imasu ka?Is Hiroto here?
- 大翔 Hirotoすみません、彼はここにはいません。Sumimasen, kare wa koko ni wa imasen.I'm sorry, he is not here.
- 美咲 Misakiどこにいるかわかりますか？Doko ni iru ka wakarimasu ka?Do you know where he is?
- 大翔 Hiroto会議室にいると思います。Kaigishitsu ni iru to omoimasu.I think he is in the meeting room.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
