So I know that commonly people say 「ゲームをする」or 「NOUNで遊ぶ」 yet on the Japanese playstation website, I see 「ゲームを遊ぶ」written, even though the verb is intransitive. Are they both correct or is it sorta like an Incorrect usage but commonly understood, like some english phrases?
1
-
1Related: How do you express that you are playing a game? – naruto Aug 15 at 4:55
-
How would an intransitive verb take an object, though? Is it just an exception? – GlimGlamGloom Aug 15 at 4:57
-
1Yes, that's the point of your question, and the link does not answer that part. For now, I would say 遊ぶ also has a transitive usage. – naruto Aug 15 at 4:59
6
I think ゲームを遊ぶ and ゲームで遊ぶ are both perfectly correct. Although some dictionaries say 遊ぶ is only intransitive, you can find some transitive usages of 遊ぶ on BCCWJ, including:
- ゲームを遊ぶ
- マリオを遊ぶ
- 月を愛で歌を詠み、御座の間などでも花を遊ぶ
- 何を遊ぶかということではなくて、どのように遊ぶか
- 渋谷の夜を遊ぶ
- ホノルルを遊ぶ (although this を may be taken as a location marker)
The difference is usually subtle and unimportant, but ゲームを遊ぶ sounds like ゲーム is the main purpose, whereas ゲームで遊ぶ sounds like ゲーム is just a method to have fun. The following article intentionally distinguishes ゲームを遊ぶ and ゲームで遊ぶ:
