Transitive & Intransitive Verbs (他動詞・自動詞)
Learning Objectives
- Understand the difference between Transitive (action) and Intransitive (state) verbs.
- Recognize common verb pairs and their particle usage (を vs. が).
- Use Transitive verbs with 〜てある to describe a state left by human intention.
- Use Intransitive verbs with 〜ている to describe a natural or resultant ongoing state.
In English, we often use the same word for different situations: “I open the door” (Action) and “The door opens” (State). Japanese, however, usually employs two separate but related verbs for these concepts: a Transitive verb (他動詞 - Tadoushi) involving a direct action by an agent, and an Intransitive verb (自動詞 - Jidoushi) focusing on the change of state of the subject itself.
1. The Transitive vs. Intransitive Divide
The most important distinction is the focus of the sentence and the particle used.
- Transitive (他動詞): Focuses on an agent performing an action on an object. It uses the direct object particle
を. - Intransitive (自動詞): Focuses on the subject undergoing a change or being in a state. It uses the subject particle
が.
Common Verb Pairs
| English | Transitive (Subject を Verb) | Intransitive (Subject が Verb) |
|---|---|---|
| Open | 開ける (akeru - I open it) | 開く (aku - It opens) |
| Close | 閉める (shimeru - I close it) | 閉まる (shimaru - It closes) |
| Turn on | つける (tsukeru - I turn it on) | つく (tsuku - It turns on) |
| Turn off | 消す (kesu - I turn it off) | 消える (kieru - It turns off/goes out) |
| Break | 壊す (kowasu - I break it) | 壊れる (kowareru - It breaks) |
| Drop/Fall | 落とす (otosu - I drop it) | 落ちる (ochiru - It falls) |
| Put in/Enter | 入れる (ireru - I put it in) | 入る (hairu - It enters) |
私は窓を開けました。
watashi wa mado o akemashita.
I opened the window. (Action on an object).
風で窓が開きました。
kaze de mado ga akimashita.
The window opened because of the wind. (The window itself changed state).
弟がコップを壊しました。
otouto ga koppu o kowashimashita.
My little brother broke the glass. (Intentional or accidental action by an agent).
2. Intransitive Verb + 〜ている (Ongoing State)
While 〜ている with action verbs means “currently doing,” when attached to an Intransitive verb of change, it describes a resultant state—the action happened, and the result is still visible.
電気がついています。
denki ga tsuite imasu.
The lights are (currently) on.
このパソコンは壊れています。
kono pasokon wa kowarete imasu.
This computer is broken.
窓が閉まっています。
mado ga shimatte imasu.
The window is closed.
[!TIP] Use this when you are simply observing the world as it is, without worrying about who made it that way.
3. Transitive Verb + 〜てある (Intentional Preparation)
If you want to say “The window is open,” but you want to emphasize that someone opened it for a specific reason and left it that way, use the Transitive verb with 〜てある.
When using 〜てある, the focus moves to the object, so を typically changes to が.
机の上に花が飾ってあります。
tsukue no ue ni hana ga kazatte arimasu.
Flowers are displayed on the desk (someone decorated them there).
名前が書いてあります。
namae ga kaite arimasu.
A name is written (someone wrote it for identification).
カレンダーが壁に掛けてあります。
karendaa ga kabe ni kakete arimasu.
A calendar is hung on the wall (someone put it there to be used).
Summary Comparison:
- 窓を閉めています (Transitive + iru): “I am (actively) closing the window.”
- 窓が閉まっています (Intransitive + iru): “The window is (simply) closed.”
- 窓が閉めてあります (Transitive + aru): “The window is (purposely) closed (to keep the heat in).”
Cultural Insight: The “Invisible Hand” and Animism
The heavy use of intransitive verbs in Japanese reflects a cultural tendency to view events as happening “of their own accord” rather than always being driven by a human agent. This is linked to Animism (Shinto beliefs), where objects and natural forces are seen as having their own ‘spirit’ or agency.
In English, we might say “I broke the glass” (taking blame). In Japanese, saying コップが壊れました (The glass broke) is a common way to report an accident. It focuses on the event rather than the person who caused it, which can sound more polite and less confrontational in a social context.
Contextual Dialogues
Dialogue 1: At the Office
鈴木さん、会議室の準備はできましたか。
Suzuki-san, kaigishitsu no junbi wa dekimashita ka.
Suzuki-san, is the meeting room ready?
はい。テーブルの上に資料が置いてあります。
Hai. Teeburu no ue ni shiryou ga oite arimasu.
Yes. The documents have been placed on the table.
エアコンがついていますから、涼しいですね。
Eakon ga tsuite imasu kara, suzushii desu ne.
The air conditioner is on, so it's cool, isn't it?
実は、みんなのために、つけておいてあるんです。
Jitsu wa, minna no tame ni, tsukete oite aru n desu.
Actually, I purposefully left it on for everyone.
Dialogue 2: An Unfortunate Accident
お母さん、花瓶が壊れちゃった！
Okaa-san, kabin ga kowarechatta!
Mom, the vase broke!
あなたが壊したの？
Anata ga kowashita no?
Did you break it?
ううん、棚から落ちたんだ……。
Uun, tana kara ochita n da...
No, it just fell from the shelf...
そう。大丈夫よ。ゴミ箱に破片が入れいてあるから、触らないでね。
Sou. Daijoubu yo. Gomibako ni hahen ga irete aru kara, sawaranaide ne.
I see. It's okay, because the shards are already put in the trash.
Chapter Summary
- 1Transitive verbs (他動詞) require an agent and an object (marked with を).
- 2Intransitive verbs (自動詞) focus on the subject's change of state (marked with が).
- 3Intransitive + 〜ている describes a visible resultant state ('The door is open').
- 4Transitive + 〜てある describes a purposeful resultant state ('The door has been left open').
- 5Japanese culture often prefers intransitive verbs to avoid direct confrontation or blame.
Knowledge Check
Quiz
Which of the following is an Intransitive verb?