Japanese Lesson 15: Intransitive Verbs vs Transitive Verbs ( Jidoushi vs Tadoushi )

Hi, ojachan is here. 😄 Today’s lesson is: Japanese Lesson 15: Intransitive Verbs vs Transitive Verbs ( Jidoushi vs Tasoushi )!

Don’t you want to know how to learn Japanese like Japanese kids? This lesson is meant for students that are beginners at Japanese. 

Memorizing verbs by classifying and understanding the difference between an intransitive verb and a transitive verb are very important.

Usually, though Japanese learners learn this grammar in lesson 29 of Minna no Nihongo, I think it’s good for beginner’s level of Japanese learner to learn them now.

The reason why is because  it’s essential knowledge to know the usage particle “を wo” and particle “が ga”. Besides you can understand easier and use correct Japanese earlier. There are some type of words in English like “to rise or to raise” and “to lay or to lie”.

 So let’s get started!

Intransitive Verbs and Transitive Verbs

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Intransitive verbs can follow “が ga” or “は wa”, and transitive verbs follow “を wo” or “に ni”. An intransitive verb, which is called “自動詞 jidoushi”, can show an action or an effect by the subject. “自動 jidou” means “automation”.
For example, “行く iku to go”, “走る hashiru to run” and “勉強する benkyousuru to study” etc are intransitive verbs.
And we use for the things occurred spontaneously, “流れる nagareru to flow”, “消える kieru to go off” and “燃える moeru to burn” are also intransitive verbs.

While, a transitive verb, which is called “他動詞 tadoushi”, works for others.
For example, “閉める shimeru to close something”, “消す kesu to turn off something” and “壊す kowasu to break something” etc are transitive verbs.

In other words, they can’t move if the things are affected by others.

“To open” as an intransitive verb is the door opens automatically.

“To open” as a transitive verb is the door is opened by Shibachan.

Additionally, “開く hiraku to open” can use for both of them.

We use 開く for the transformation from the closed state to the open state.

自動詞 jidoushi intransitive verbs	他動詞 tadoushi transitive verbs
花が　開く。 hana ga hiraku The flowers open.	本を　開く。 hon wo hiraku I open the book.
花が　閉じる。 hana ga tojiru The flowers close.	本を　閉じる。 hon wo tojiru I close the book.
会社に　急ぐ。 kaisha ni isogu I hurry to my office.	仕事を　急ぐ。 shigeto wo isogu I hurry a job.

In this way, there are some verbs which can be both intransitive verbs and transitive verbs.

You can recognize them by paying attention for intransitive verbs can follow the particle “が ga” and “は wa” or transitive verbs can follow the particle “を wo” and “に ni”.

自動詞 Intransitive verbs

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1. Be careful for particles

However, you should be careful the idea of the meaning; the verb following “が”,  so it’s an intransitive verb, and the verb following “を” , so it’a transitive verb.

“降りる to get off” is an intransitive verb.

降りる oriru to get off
e.g. 自転車を　降ります。
jitensha wo orimasu
I get off from the bicycle.

乗る noru to get on
e.g. 車に　乗ります。
kuruma ni norimasu
I get on the car.

These words are intransitive verbs though, they don’t following “が”.

Intransitive verbs are just an action or an effect by the subject, and transitive verbs just works for others or are affected by others.

I’m going to write about “the difference between を and が” next time!

2. Verbs Being Only Intransitive Verbs

There are a lot of verbs to be only intransitive verbs like this. And this type of verbs are called “無対自動詞 mutsui-jidoushi”.

■ Motion Verbs

Plus, “行く iku to go”, “帰る kaeru to go back” and “来る kuru to come” etc, called “移動動詞 idou-doushi motion verbs”, are intransitive verbs.

行く iku to go
e.g. 学校に　行きます。
gakkou ni ikimasu
I go to school.

来る kuru to come
e.g. 友達は　家に　来ます。
tomodachi wa koko ni kimasu
My friend will come to my house.

走る hashiru to run
e.g. 家の近くを　走ります。
ie no chikaku wo hashirimasu
I run near my house.

歩く aruku to walk
e.g. 公園で　歩きます。
kouen de arukimasu
I walk at the park.

■ Being Only Intransitive Verbs

Here is the verbs which can be only intransitive verbs!

いる iru to exist (creature)
e.g. 猫が　います。neko ga imaru
There is a cat.

ある aru to exist (object)
e.g. 本が　あります。
hon ga arimasu
There is a book.

なる naru to become
e.g. 先生に　なる。
sensei ni narimasu
I become a teacher.

動く ugoku to move
e.g. ロボットが　動きます。
robotto ga ugokimasu
The robot moves.

泳ぐ oyogu to swim
e.g. プールで　泳ぎます。
puuru de oyogimasu
I swim in the pool.

座る suwaru to sit
e.g. ソファに　座ります。
sofa ni suwarimasu
I sit on the sofa.

住む sumu to live
e.g. 日本に　住みます。
nihon ni sumimasu
I live in Japan.

泣く naku to cry
e.g. わたしは　泣きました。
watashi wa nakimashita
I cried.

笑う warau to laugh
e.g. わたしは　笑いました。
watashi wa waraimashita 
I laughed.

成長する seichousuru to grow up
e.g. 子供が　成長します。
kodomo ga seichou shimasu
My kids grow up.

会う au to meet / to see
e.g. 家族に　会います。
kazoku ni aimasu
I’m going to see my family.

別れる wakareru to part / to break up
e.g. 彼女と　別れました。
kanojo to wakaremashita
I broke up with my girlfriend.

気づくkizuku to notice
e.g. 間違いに　気づきました。
machigai ni kizukimashita
I noticed my mistake.

勝つ katsu to win
e.g. 試合に　勝ちました。
shiai ni kachimashita
I won the game.

負ける makeru to loose
e.g. 勝負に　負けました。
shoubu ni makemashita
I lost the fight.

他動詞 Transitive Verbs

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“読む yomu to read “ , “書く kaku to write” and “話す hanasu to speak” are transitive verbs.

But there are also some verbs which can only be transitive verbs. They are called “無対他動詞 mutsui-tadoushi”.

When Japanese people learn transitive verbs of English, we learn with を like “～を読む” or “～を書く” because transitive verbs are always following particle を.

読む yomu to read
e.g. わたしは　新聞を　読みます。
watashi wa shinbun wo yomimasu
I read the newspaper.

書く kaku to write
e.g. わたしは　日記を　書きます。
watashi wa nikki wo kakimasu
I write my diary.

感じる kanjiru to feel
e.g. わたしは　痛みを　感じます。
watashi wa itami wo kanjimasu
I feel pain.

疑う utagau to dubt
e.g. わたしは　あなたを　疑っています。
watashi wa anata wo utagatte imasu
I am doubting you.

休む yasumu to take a rest [break] / take a day off
e.g. わたしは　会社を　休みました。
watashi wa kaisha wo yasumimashita
I took my day off.

知る shiru to know
e.g. わたしは　この意味を　知りました。
watashi wa imi wo sirimasita
I know this meaning.

嫌う kirau to dislike
e.g. 私の父は　動物を　嫌います。
watashi no chichi wa doubutsu wo kiraimasu.
My father dislikes animal.

願う negau to wish
e.g. 幸福を　願います。
koufuku wo negaimasu
I wish you happiness.

望む / 希望する nozomu /kibousuru to hope
e.g. 空港で　荷物の　受け取りを　希望します。
kuukou de nimotsu no uketori wo kiboushimasu 
I hope I can get the luggage at the airport.

教える oshieru  to teach
e.g. わたしは　英語を　教えます。
watashi wa eigo wo oshiemasu
I teach English.

考える / 思う kangaeru / omou to think
e.g. わたしは　今夜の　夕食を　考えます。
watashi wa yuushoku wo kangaemasu
I think my dinner tonight.

忘れる wasureru to forget
e.g. 教科書を　忘れました。
kyoukasho wo wasuremashita
I forgot my textbook.

You see, transitive verbs are always following particle を.

How to Conjugate from Jidoushi to Tadoushi

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Let’s learn how to make from intransitive verbs to transitive verbs.

The stems are same, but the suffixes are different.

Unfortunately, you need to memorize the verbs even though the verbs have several patterns. It’s similar to irregular verbs of English like “know-knew-known”.

Simply, almost all of verbs can conjugate Group1 verbs to group 2 verbs, especially shimo-ichidan-katsuyou.

Read this if you don’t know how to classifying verbs.

Japanese Lesson 14: Verbs (with fully clear illustrations)

I’m going to introduce you how to conjugate a word from jidoushi to tadoushi.

*The names of pattern are not official, they are my original by the way.

1. 5-5 form

・-u 五段活用 → -asu 五段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -u 五段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -asu 五段活用	English
減る heru	to decrease	減らす herasu	to reduce sth
沸く waku	to boil	沸かす wakasu	to boil sth
乾く kawaku	to dry	乾かす kawakasu	to dry sth
喜ぶ yorokobu	to be glad	喜ばす yorokobasu	to please sb

・-ru 五段活用 → -su 五段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -ru 五段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -su 五段活用	English
帰る kaeru	to go back	帰す kaesu	to let sb go back
返る kaeru	to give back	返す kaesu	to return sth
通る tooru	to go through	通す toosu	to pass sth / pl
回る mawaru	to rotate	回す mawasu	to rotate sth
直る naoru	to be fixed	直す naosu	to fix sth
渡る wataru	to cross	渡す watasu	to pass sth

2. 5-eru form

・-aru 五段活用→ -eru 下一段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -aru 五段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -eru 下一段活用	English
上がる agaru	to rise	上げる ageru	to raise sth
決まる kimaru	to be decided	決める kimeru	to decide sth
閉まる shimaru	to be closed	閉める shimeru	to close sth
集まる atsumaru	to gather	集める atsumeru	to collect sth
始まる hajimaru	to start	始める hajimeru	to start sth
見つかる mitsukaru	to be found	見つける mitsukeru	to find sth
掛かる kakaru	to hang	掛ける kakeru	to hang sth
助かる tasukaru	to be saved	助ける tasukeru	to help sb
止まる tomaru	to stop	止める tomeru	to stop sth
曲がる magaru	to bend	曲げる mageru	to bend sth
混ざる mazaru	to mix	混ぜる mazeru	to mix sth
固まる katamaru	to harden	固める katameru	to harden sth

・-u 五段活用 → -eru 下一段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -u 五段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -eru  下一段活用	English
開く hiraku	to open	開ける akeru	to open sth
届く todoku	to arrive	届ける todokeru	to send sth
育つ sodatsu	to grow	育てる sodateru	to grow sth
立つ tatsu	to stand	立てる tateru	to stand sth
並ぶ narabu	to line up	並べる naraberu	to display
進む susumu	to proceed	進める susumeru	to move forward sth
付く tsuku	to stick	付ける tsukeru	to stick sth
続く tsuzuku	to continue	続けるtsuzukeru	to keep sth

・-ru 五段活用 → -seru 下一段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -ru 五段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -seru  下一段活用	English
乗る noru	to ride	乗せる noseru	to put sth on pl.
寄る yoru	to approach	寄せる yoseru	to approach sth / pl

・-waru 五段活用 → -eru 下一段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -waru 五段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -eru  下一段活用	English
変わるkawaru	to change	変えるkaeru	to change sth
加わるkuwawaru	to join	加えるkuwaeru	to add sth
伝わるtsutawaru	to spread	伝えるtsutaeru	to tell sth

3. eru-5 form

・-eru 下一段活用 → -asu 五段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -eru  下一段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -asu 五段活用	English
出る deru	to go out	出す dasu	to hold sth out
逃げる nigeru	to escape	逃がす nogasu	to release sth
溶ける tokeru	to melt	溶かす tokasu	to melt sth
枯れる kareru	to wither	枯らす karasu	to wither sth

・-eru 下一段活用 → -u 五段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -eru  下一段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -u 五段活用	English
取れる toreru	to be obtained	取る toru	to obtrain sth
切れる kireru	to be cut	切る kiru	to cut sth
破れる yabureru	to be broken	破る yaburu	to tear sth
折れる oreru	to be broken	折る oru	to fold sth
割れる wareru	to be cracked	割る waru	to divide sth
ほどける hodokeru	to undone	ほどく hodoku	to undo sth
脱げる nugeru	to come off	脱ぐ nugu	to take sth off
焼ける yakeru	to be burned	焼く yaku	to bake sth
売れる ureru	to be sold	売る uru	to sell sth
抜ける nukeru	to come out	抜く nuku	to pull sth out
解ける tokeru	to be solved	解く toku	to solve sth
流れる nagareru	to flow	流す nagasu	to drain sth

・-reru 下一段活用 → -su 五段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -reru  下一段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -su 五段活用	English
潰れる tsubureru	to be crushed	潰す tsubusu	to crush sth
離れる hanareru	to separate	離す hanasu	to separate sth
外れる hazureru	to come off	外す hazusu	to take sth
倒れる taoreru	to fall down	倒す taosu	to throw sth down
汚れる yogoreru	to get dirty	汚す yogosu	to make sth dirty
現れる arawareru	to show up	現す arawasu	to show sth
壊れる kowareru	to be broken	壊す kowasu	to break sth

・-eru 下一段活用 → -yasu 五段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -eru  下一段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -yasu 五段活用	English
増える fueru	to increase	増やす fuyasu	to increase sth
冷える hieru	to get cold	冷やす hiyasu	to cool sth
生える haeru	to grow	生やす hayasu	to grow sth
燃える moeru	to burn	燃やす oyasu	to burn sth

4. iru-5 form

・-iru 上一段活用 → -osu 五段活用

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs -iru  上一段活用	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs -osu 五段活用	English
起きる okiru	to wake up	起こす okosu	to wake sb up
降りる oriru	to get off	降ろす orosu	to take sth down
落ちる ochiru	to fall	落とす otosu	to fall sth
過ぎる sugiru	to pass	過ごす sugosu	to spend sth

5. Others

Jidoushi Intransitive Verbs	English	Tadoushi Transitive Verbs	English
見える mieru 下一段活用	to see	見る miru 上一段活用	to look at sth
入る hairu	to come in	入れる ireru	to put sth
聞こえる kikoeru	to hear	聞く kiku	to listen to sth
消える kieru	to disappear	消す kesu	to turn off sth
分かれる wakareru	to divide	分ける wakeru	to divide sth
終わる owaru	to end	終える oeru 終わる owaru	to finish sth

Intransitive vs Transitive QUIZ

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Choose the best Japanese Answers and check the box below!

1.The class starts from today. 授業が　今日から　始まる。 授業が　今日から　始める。 授業を　今日から　始める。

2. I dry my laundry. 洗濯物が　乾く。 洗濯物が　乾かす。 洗濯物を　乾かす。

3. I go back to my home. 家に　帰る。 家に　帰す。 家を　帰す。

4.I close the window. 窓が　閉まる。 窓を　閉まる。 窓を　閉める。

5.The package arrived. 荷物が　届く。 荷物を　届ける。 荷物に　届ける。

6. I have the dog ride in my car. 犬が　車に　乗る。 犬が　車に　乗せる。 犬を　車に　乗せる。

7. My mood is changing. 気分が　変わる。 気分を　変わる。 気分を　変える。

8. I put out the cat. 猫が　外に　出る。 猫は　外に　出る。 猫を　外に　出す。

9.My button has come off. ボタンが　取れる。 ボタンを　取る。 ボタンに　取る。

10. The tea cup has been broken. ティーカップが　壊れる。 ティーカップを　壊れる。 ティーカップを　壊す。

11. I cool milk. 牛乳が　冷える。 牛乳を　冷やす。 牛乳に　冷やす。

12. The deadline has passed. 締め切りが　過ぎる。 締め切りを　過ごす。 締め切りに　過ごす。

13. I have finished my homework. 宿題は　終わる。 宿題に　終わる。 宿題を　終える。

Okay, that’s all for today!

Good luck with your Japanese study 😉

P.S. My English skill is not enough yet. Please correct me with DM from CONTACT if my English is wrong. Thank you for your cooperation!

Next Lesson is;

Japanese Lesson 16:Verb Conjugations Group 3

Previous Lesson is; CLICK HERE!

Japanese Lesson 14: Verbs (with fully clear illustrations)