Intransitive Verbs vs Transitive Verbs in Japanese: Which one to use?
Have you ever been confused by intransitive (自動詞) and transitive verbs (他動詞) while learning Japanese? It’s often tricky to understand the differences and use them correctly, isn’t it? In this blog, we’ll take a careful look into these two types of verbs to make the concepts clearer and easier to understand.
What are intransitive and transitive verbs?
To understand Japanese intransitive and transitive verbs, it’s helpful to start by reviewing the concepts of English intransitive and transitive verbs. Let’s clarify these two terms first.
Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs describe actions that are completed by the subject itself (the doer of the action) without directly affecting an object.
- Example: “The door opens.”
Here, “the door” performs the action by itself, and there is no direct object.
Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs describe actions that are performed by the subject and directly affect an object.
Example: “The deer opens the door.”
Here, “the deer” performs the action, and the action affects “the door” (the object).
Now, let’s translate the above examples into Japanese:
Intransitive Verbs:
「開く」- to open
- Example: ドアが開く。 (The door opens.)
「ドア (the door)」 is the subject performing the action (opening) without a direct object.
Transitive Verbs:
「開ける」 – to open
- Example: その鹿がドアを開ける 。(The deer opens the door.)
「その鹿 (the deer)」 is the subject performing the action, and the action affects「ドア (the door)」, the direct object.
In order to have a better understanding of these verbs, let’s take a look at another example.
Intransitive Verbs:
「落ちる」- to fall
- Example: りんごが落ちる。 (The apple falls.)
「りんご (the apple)」 is the subject performing the action (falling) without a direct object.
Transitive Verbs:
「落とす」 – to drop
- Example: その鹿がりんごを落とす。(The deer drops the apple. )
「その鹿 (the deer)」 is the subject performing the action, and the action affects「りんご (the apple)」, the direct object.
Did you notice? Intransitive verbs are typically marked by「が」or「は」and act as the subject, whereas transitive verbs have an object marked by「を」. Transitive verbs can also have a subject marked by「は」or「が」, but this can sometimes be omitted.
Based on the above rules, we are going to provide two tips to help with your future learning!
Tip 1: Remember the following sentence structures
- (Subject) が (Intransitive verbs)。
- (Subject) が/は (Object) を/が (Transitive verbs)。
| Verb type | English | Verb | Sentence Example |
| Intransitive verb | to finish | 終わる | 宿題が終わる。 (The homework is done.) |
| Transitive verb | 終える | （私が）宿題を終える。 (I finish the homework.) | |
| Intransitive verb | to melt | 溶ける | アイスクリームが溶ける。 (The ice cream melts.) |
| Transitive verb | 溶かす | （子供が）アイスクリームを溶かす。 (The children melt the ice cream.) | |
| Intransitive verb | to start | 始まる | 授業が始まる。 (The class starts.) |
| Transitive verb | 始める | （先生が）先生が授業を始める。 (The teacher starts the class.) |
Tip 2: Remember Intransitive and Transitive Verbs in PAIRS
One effective way to learn intransitive and transitive verbs is to learn them in pairs. This helps you more easily recall the correct verb form in different contexts.
| 自動詞 (Intransitive Verbs) | 他動詞 (Transitive Verbs) |
| -eru → -asu | |
| 出る | 出す |
| 溶ける | 溶かす |
| 逃げる | 逃す |
| -eru → -yasu | |
| 増える | 増やす |
| 冷える | 冷やす |
| 生える | 生やす |
| -iru → -osu | |
| 起きる | 起こす |
| 降りる | 降ろす |
| 落ちる | 落とす |
| -u → -asu | |
| 減る | 減らす |
| 沸く | 沸かす |
| 喜ぶ | 喜ばす |
| -u → -eru | |
| 開く | 開ける |
| 届く | 届ける |
| 育つ | 育てる |
| -ru → -seru | |
| 寄る | 寄せる |
| 乗る | 乗せる |
| 載る | 載せる |
| -ru → -su | |
| 回る | 回す |
| 治る | 治す |
| 通る | 通す |
| -reru → -su | |
| 離れる | 離す |
| 汚れる | 汚す |
| 壊れる | 壊す |
| -aru → -eru | |
| 決まる | 決める |
| 閉まる | 閉める |
| 始まる | 始める |
| -waru → -eru | |
| 変わる | 変える |
| 加わる | 加える |
| 終わる | 終える |
| -eru → -u | |
| 焼ける | 焼く |
| 抜ける | 抜く |
| 売れる | 売る |
| Others | |
| 消える | 消す |
| 入る | 入れる |
Intransitive and transitive verbs are fundamental components of mastering the Japanese language. While they may be confusing at first, with a growing vocabulary, you will become more accustomed to their usage and incorporate them naturally into daily life. Practice and exposure to various contexts are essential in solidifying understanding and fluency with these verbs. As you continue your Japanese language learning, remember to review and apply these concepts regularly to further strengthen your skills.
