Transitive & Intransitive Verbs

Vocabulary

開(あ)けるあ・けるru-verbto open (something) [transitive]

開(ひら)くあ・くu-verbto open (by itself) [intransitive]

落(お)とすお・とすu-verbto drop [transitive]

落(お)ちるお・ちるru-verbto fall [intransitive]

出(だ)すだ・すu-verbto take out [transitive]

出(で)るで・るru-verbto come out [intransitive]

入(い)れるい・れるru-verbto put in [transitive]

入(はい)るはい・るu-verbto enter [intransitive]

壊(こわ)すこわ・すu-verbto break (something) [transitive]

壊(こわ)れるこわ・れるru-verbto be broken [intransitive]

ドアdoor

In Japanese, verbs often come in pairs: one transitive and one intransitive.

Requires an active agent and a direct object (marked by を).

開(あ)ける

—to open something

落(お)とす

—to drop

ドアを開(あ)ける。I open the door.

本(ほん)を落(お)とした。I dropped the book.

水(みず)を出(だ)す。I turn on the water.

The action happens without a direct object. The subject (marked by が) undergoes the change.

開(ひら)く

—to open (by itself)

落(お)ちる

—to fall

ドアが開(ひら)く。The door opens.

本(ほん)が落(お)ちた。The book fell.

水(みず)が出(で)る。Water comes out.

Transitive	Meaning	Intransitive	Meaning
開(あ)ける	to open	開(ひら)く	to open (by itself)
落(お)とす	to drop	落(お)ちる	to fall
出(だ)す	to take out	出(で)る	to come out
入(い)れる	to put in	入(はい)る	to enter
壊(こわ)す	to break	壊(こわ)れる	to be broken
消(け)す	to turn off	消(き)える	to disappear