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掴{つか}む and 捕{つか}まえる both mean to catch and both are transitive verbs. Is there a difference in meaning or usage?
Note that there is an intransitive to be arrested: 捕{つか}まる - to be caught/arrested, which isn't grammatically passive, but has a passive meaning. I am not asking about this verb.
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I don't know if this makes sense, but 掴む is more focused on the "action" of grabbing something, while 捕まえる is more focused on the "result" (i.e. the fact that "you manage to get something to a state where it no longer moves freely".
Trying to illustrate, as fish are so slippery that they are hard to catch by bare hands, I guess you could say "あの魚を捕まえないな。だって、掴んでもつるつるですぐにげる。"
