Transitive and Intransitive
A transitive verb is one that requires an agent to complete the verb while an intransitive verb is complete in itself and doesn't require a direct object. In Japanese, it is important to distinguish between these two types of verbs because intransitive verbs cannot take a direct object (the 「を」 particle). Below is a sample list of common transitive and intransitive verbs and examples of how the particles change depending on which type of verb is used.
| Transitive | Intransitive | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 始める 【は・じめる】(ru-verb) | to start | 始まる 【は・じまる】(u-verb) | to begin |
| 終える 【お・える】(ru-verb) | to put to an end | 終わる 【お・わる】(u-verb) | to come to an end |
| 落とす 【お・とす】(u-verb) | to drop | 落ちる 【お・ちる】(ru-verb) | to fall |
| 出す 【だ・す】(u-verb) | to take out | 出る 【で・る】(ru-verb) | to come out; to leave |
| 入れる 【い・れる】(ru-verb) | to insert | 入る 【はい・る】(u-verb) | to enter |
| 開ける 【あ・ける】(ru-verb) | to open | 開く 【あ・く】(u-verb) | to be opened |
| 閉める 【し・める】 | to close | 閉まる 【し・まる】(u-verb) | to be closed |
| つける (ru-verb) | to attach | つく (u-verb) | to be attached |
| 消す 【け・す】(u-verb) | to erase | 消える 【き・える】(ru-verb) | to disappear |
| 抜く 【ぬ・く】(u-verb) | to extract | 抜ける 【ぬ・ける】(ru-verb) | to be extracted |
Example
- 知らない人と会話を始める。
Start conversation with a person (you) don't know. - 映画がすぐ始まる。
Movie begins soon. - やっと宿題を終えた。
Finally finished homework. - やっと宿題が終わった。
Homework finally ended.
What happened?
田中： 何があったんですか？
Tanaka: What happened? (lit: What is it that existed?)
鈴木： このコップが落ちました。
Suzuki: This cup fell.
田中： 鈴木さんが落としたんじゃないですか？
Tanaka: It isn't that Suzuki-san (you) dropped it?
鈴木： いいえ、私は何もしませんでしたよ。
Suzuki: No, I didn't do anything, you know.
田中： じゃ、このコップは、自分で落ちたんですか？
Tanaka: Then, is it that this cup fell by itself?
鈴木： 私がここに来る前にもう落ちていましたから、分かりません。
Suzuki: It was already fallen before I came here so (I) don't know.
田中： いいえ、鈴木さんがそのコップを落としているのを見ましたよ。
Tanaka: No, (I) saw Suzuki-san (you) dropping that cup, you know.
a little mistake i think, 終える
a little mistake i think, 終える is not to "put to an end", instead i think you meant "to put and end to something" which is the same as to finish something
to put to an end is to use something for a motive or to achieve a goal. i see how this could really confuse some people
開くは本当におくですか？ ひらくは何ですか？ 措く？置く？
開くは本当におくですか？
ひらくは何ですか？
措く？置く？奥く？
余り変ですね。
大丈夫でしょうか？
テイキン様、頑張って下さい！
開く can be pronounced as
開く can be pronounced as either ひらく or あく. You've just confused あく with おく.
So is there a rule for the
So is there a rule for the conjugation of transitives and intransitives? Or is it just a case-by-case basis?
知らない人と会話を始める。 Start
知らない人と会話を始める。
Start conversion with a person (you) don't know.
Um I'm guessing that should be conversation instead of conversion? :)
Post new comment