imasu vs arimasu

So I am doing LingoDeer exercises and I don't understand the difference.

部屋　に　猫　が　います　 　"heya ni neko ga imasu"    "there is a cat in the room"

部屋　に　机　が　あります　 "heya ni tsukue ga arimasu" "there is a table in the room"

I don't need extensive explation. Just a tip to know when to use one or the other in an intuitive way

(By the way Flint　if you read this , what a coincidence! Just today the lesson was about these and the ga particle)

Nevermind I found the answer. I don't get the last part about possession but it's fine for now

IMASU vs. ARIMASU

Japanese has two verbs for saying "exist(s)"

When speaking of PEOPLE or ANIMATE THINGS - いる／います (iru/imasu) is used.
When speaking of INANIMATE THINGS and PLANTS - ある／あります (aru/arimasu) is used.

Moreover, these words are used not only to speak of whether someone or something exists, but also to speak of whether something or someone exists in a particular place - "is present/is here/ is there" - or, even to say "I have" or "he/she has" (talking about possession).

Hey onestep, nice explanation for います and あります！

And yeah, it was good timing with learning が.  It's great when you go to class and you already know a bit of what is happening!

nice

About possession:

車　が　あります　か　”kuruma ga arimasu ka” "do you have a car (or cars)?"

車　が　あります　　　”kuruma ga arimasu”      "I have a car (or cars)"

different meanings:

そこに 木　が　あります  か　 "soko ni ki ga arimasu ka"     "is there a tree( or trees) in that place?"

そこに 木　が　あります　       ”soko ni ki ga arimasu”    "there is a tree(or trees) in that place"

そに ha 木 です  か                    "sore wa ki desu ka"      "is that a tree (or trees)?"

それ は 木 です　　　　　        "sore wa ki desu"             "that is a tree (or trees)"

I am not sure if these are right

ここ　は　どこ　です　か                 "koko wa doko desu ka"         "what place is this place?"

ここ　に　何　が　あります　か     "koko ni nani ga arimasu ka"  "what is there in this place?"

ここ　に　だれ　が　います　か      "koko ni dare ga imasu ka"     "who (animal or person) is there in this place?"