other N4 common casualpolitewritten
自動詞・他動詞 — intransitive vs transitive verb pairs
自動詞・他動詞 ・ じどうしたどうし
Meaning
- intransitive vs transitive verbs — many Japanese verbs come in pairs: one where the thing changes by itself (intransitive, 自動詞) and one where someone does it to an object (transitive, 他動詞)
Key sentence
ドアが開く。ドアを開ける。
The door opens. / I open the door.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb pairs | 自動詞: 〜が + V (it happens) / 他動詞: 〜を + V (someone does it) | 開く・開ける / 閉まる・閉める / 始まる・始める |
Examples
電気が消えた。電気を消した。
The light went out. / I turned off the light.
お湯が沸く。お湯を沸かす。
The water boils. / I boil the water.
授業が始まる。授業を始める。
Class begins. / I begin class.
When you can't use it
- The intransitive takes が (the subject undergoes the change); the transitive takes を (the object is acted on). Marking an intransitive object with を is a classic error: ×ドアを開く — say ドアが開く or ドアを開ける.
Easily confused with
Notes
- There's no single rule for which ending is which, but common patterns recur: 〜まる／〜める, 〜く／〜ける, 〜る／〜す. The pairs are best learned together.
See 自動詞・他動詞 in real sentences
Jengo shows 自動詞・他動詞 the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.