Is it correct to say 私は二人のお兄さんがいる?


>   1. 私は[二人]{ふたり}のおにいさんがいる。
>   2. 私は二人のおにいさんがいます。
>

I am trying to say "I have two elder brothers."

Someone told me that I should say "私には二人兄がいます/いる。"

I have some doubts:  
1. Why is it 私に but not 私は?  
2. Can't I say "二人のおにいさん"?  
3. Actually I do not quite understand why います and いる are both acceptable. Any difference in meaning between them?

I am a beginner of Japanese....




First of all, we don’t use honorific suffix “さん” when we refer to any member
of our family in the talk with others. We don’t say
私のお父さん（お母さん、お爺さん、お婆さん、叔父さん、叔母さん、お兄さん、お姉さん）. We say 私の父（母、祖父、祖母、兄、姉、叔父、叔母）,
though I witness some youngsters violating this rule, and calling their mother
by ‘お母さん’ in their conversation with their friend(s) in the train and coffee
shops from time to time. Maybe it’s passable in informal conversation among
young people today.

With the expression – “私は二人のおにいさんがいる,” your friend is right. “私は兄がいる” sounds
somewhat awkward, and “私には兄がいる” sounds perfect.

I’m unable to give you a clear reason why. But possible reason would be when
you say “私は…いる（ある）,” it presupposes “You are something,” not “You have
something.” Whereas when you say “私には…いる（ある）,” of which literal translation is
“To (for) me, there is XX,” it’s closer to saying “You have something.”

Though I’m not sure whether you can buy this rational or not, “私は二人のおにいさんがいる”
is not recommendable whether it’s delivered during an informal or formal
conversation. .




First of all, we don’t use honorific suffix “さん” when we refer to any member
of our family in the talk with others. We don’t say
私のお父さん（お母さん、お爺さん、お婆さん、叔父さん、叔母さん、お兄さん、お姉さん）. We say 私の父（母、祖父、祖母、兄、姉、叔父、叔母）,
though I witness some youngsters violating this rule, and calling their mother
by ‘お母さん’ in their conversation with their friend(s) in the train and coffee
shops from time to time. Maybe it’s passable in informal conversation among
young people today.

With the expression – “私は二人のおにいさんがいる,” your friend is right. “私は兄がいる” sounds
somewhat awkward, and “私には兄がいる” sounds perfect.

I’m unable to give you a clear reason why. But possible reason would be when
you say “私は…いる（ある）,” it presupposes “You are something,” not “You have
something.” Whereas when you say “私には…いる（ある）,” of which literal translation is
“To (for) me, there is XX,” it’s closer to saying “You have something.”

Though I’m not sure whether you can buy this rational or not, “私は二人のおにいさんがいる”
is not recommendable whether it’s delivered during an informal or formal
conversation. .

