LingakuLesson 39 of 126
The lesson
3.13 Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Overview
Many Japanese verbs come in pairs — one transitive (acting on an object) and one intransitive (describing a state or spontaneous change). Understanding these pairs removes a major source of confusion for learners.
What is the difference?
Transitive verbs (他動詞, たどうし) take a direct object — someone is doing something to something. They use the particle を.
Intransitive verbs (自動詞, じどうし) describe a state change that happens on its own. They typically use the particle が or no particle.
Common pairs
| Meaning | Transitive (を) | Intransitive (が) |
|---|---|---|
| open | あける (open s.t.) | あく (open) |
| close | しめる (close s.t.) | しまる (close) |
| start | はじめる (start s.t.) | はじまる (start) |
| finish | おえる (finish s.t.) | おわる (finish) |
| enter/put in | いれる (put in) | はいる (enter) |
| exit/take out | だす (take out) | でる (come out) |
| turn on | つける (turn on) | つく (turn on) |
| turn off | けす (turn off) | きえる (go out) |
| raise/grow | あげる (raise s.t.) | あがる (rise) |
| lower | さげる (lower s.t.) | さがる (go down) |
| break | こわす (break s.t.) | こわれる (break) |
| lose | なくす (lose s.t.) | なくなる (be lost) |
A practical tip
Many intransitive verbs end in ～る where the transitive ends in ～す, ～ける, or ～める. This is not a universal rule but a useful pattern to notice.
Dialogue
あAきごう：まどをあけましょうか。 bBきごう：はい、おねがいします。
あAきごう：えあこんエアコンをつけましたか。 bBきごう：いいえ、もうつきました。
A: Shall I open the window? B: Yes, please.
A: Did you turn on the air conditioning? B: No, it came on already.
The train doors are closing. Please be careful.
A: I lost my key. B: That's terrible.
New words
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