あります and います are both used in a sentence meaning, “there is/are ….” They are verbs to describe “existence.” Often the difference is taught as:
- あります is for an object.
- います is for an animal.
So, one of my students once wrote: れいぞうこに さかなが います and I was shocked.
I knew what she meant but the picture I got in my head reading the sentence was a fish bowl placed in a fridge with a fish swimming in it!
So the correct differentiation should be:
- あります is for non-living, non-moving objects and
- います is for “living” and “moving” things.
If a fish is alive, use います, but if the fish is no longer alive, あります should be used.
れいぞうこに さかなが あります。is the correct sentence she should have written.
If you are talking about a tree in the backyard, even though it may be alive, it doesn’t move, so you should say： にわに きが あります。
For how to describe precise locations, watch the following video.
Somebody asked me which to use for gods, zombies and ghosts. For all of
those, います. <br />
ゆうれいはいると思います。(I think ghosts exist.)<br />
ゆうれいはいないと思います。(I think ghosts do not exist.)<br />
If you are talking about "spirit", then it depends what kind
of shape you are assuming. if you assume it has a body, then います but if
you think it does not have a body (or even shape), probably あります.