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Arimasu vs imasu (あります・います): things, people and animals

Use います for people and animals. Use あります for objects and plants when saying that they exist or are somewhere.

Choose by the thing you are describing

ねこがいます。 (Neko ga imasu.) — There is a cat
ほんがあります。 (Hon ga arimasu.) — There is a book
きがあります。 (Ki ga arimasu.) — There is a tree

“Living things use imasu” is an unreliable shortcut: a tree is alive, but takes あります. “Things that can move” also needs care: a parked car takes あります, and a sleeping cat still takes います.

Add the place with に

いえにねこがいます (Ie ni neko ga imasu) means “There is a cat at home.” The place comes with に, and the cat with が. You can also set an existing topic first: ねこはいえにいます (Neko wa ie ni imasu), “The cat is at home.” The topic changes the framing; the cat still takes います.

Make the sentence negative

The polite negatives are ありません and いません. ほんがありません means there is no book; ねこがいません means there is no cat. Do not swap in です just because English translates several Japanese constructions with “is.”