Hello, I hope you are well! Today, I am going to write about transitive and intransitive verbs which often seem pretty confusing to people who are studying grammar. I hope this helps!
Tips
１：The plain form verbs that have the “-aru” ending (e.g. 止まる) are intransitive, and changing this “-aru” part into “-eru” (e.g. 止める) makes it transitive.
２：The plain form verbs that have the “-reru” ending (e.g. 壊れる) are intransitive.
３：The plain form verbs that have the “-su” ending (e.g. 壊す) are all transitive.
４：The intransitive verbs include the verbs that indicate a state that occurs naturally e.g. 咲く (To bloom)、降る To rain, snow, etc.)、光る (To shine), etc.
５：The intransitive verbs also refer to an action that does not have any impelling effect on other people or things e.g. 座る (To sit down)、立つ (To stand up)、飛ぶ (To fly) etc.
６：The transitive verbs always go together with the を particle (e.g. ドアを閉める、ピザを食べる、日本語を勉強する). The intransitive verbs follow other particles such as が、に、へ (e.g. ドアが閉まる、ソファに座る、ヨーロッパへ行く).
*Please note there are some exceptions. For example, 入れる has the -reru ending but it’s transitive that accompanies the particle に (〜に入れる).
他動詞：㊀変化を起こす動作に注目する ㊁人や物への働きかけがある動作を表す
Transitive verb: 1. Focus is on an action causing a change 2. Refers to an action that has some impelling effect on other people
例文 – Example sentences –
１
運転手はタクシーを止めました。
/untenshu wa takushii o tomemashita/
The driver stopped the taxi.
２
部屋の窓を閉めました。
/heya no mado o shimemashita/
I closed the window of my room.
３
オフィスの電気を消しました。
/ofisu no denki o keshimashita/
I turned off the lights in the office.
４
ヤンさんに中国語の通訳を頼みました。
/yan-san ni chuugokugo no tsuuyaku o tanomimashita/
I asked Mr. Yang to do the interpretation of Chinese for me.
５
先生が生徒を叱りました。
/sensee ga seeto o shikarimashita/
A teacher scolded a student.
自動詞：㊀変化を起こす動作の結果に注目する ㊁自然に起こることを表す ㊂人や物への働きかけがない動作を表す
Intransitive verb: 1. Focus is on the result of an action causing a change 2. Indicates a state that occurs natually 3. Refers to an action that does not have any impelling effect on other people or things
例文 – Example sentences –
１
バス停にバスが止まりました。
/basutee ni basu ga tomarimashita/
The bus stopped at the bus stop.
２
風が強くてドアが勝手に閉まりました。
/kaze ga tsuyokute doa ga katte ni shimarimashita/
It was windy and the door closed automatically.
３
人感センサーの電気が消えました。
/jinkan sensaa no denki ga kiemashita/
The motion-sensor light turned off.
４
昨夜、大雨が降りました。
/sakuya ooame ga furimashita/
It rained a lot last night.
５
去年ショートヘアにしましたが、髪がもう肩まで伸びました。
/kyonen shootohea ni shimashita ga kami ga moo kata made nobimashita/
I got my hair cut short last year, but my hair grew until the shoulders already.
６
雲が空に浮かんでいます。
/kumo ga sora ni ukande imasu/
The clouds are floating in the sky.
７
上司が急に立ち上がりました。
/jooshi ga kyuu ni tachiagarimashita/
My boss suddenly stood up.
８
飛行機が東京上空を飛んでいます。
/hikooki ga tookyoo jookuu o tonde imasu/
An aeroplane is flying over Tokyo.
参考 (Reference): 新完全マスター 文法 日本語能力試験 N3
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