Questions tagged [transitivity]
他動性・自他対応. Whether or not verbs take a direct object as a complement. In Japanese, these objects are typically marked with the accusative case marker を.
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The verb [手伝]{てつだ}う, does it use the particle に?
For example, if I want to say "I helped my uncle yesterday", how would I say it?
昨日私のおじさんにてつだいました。
Or, I would just use the particle を.
昨日私のおじさんをてつだいました。
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公園で母に… vs 公園で母を…
Let me preface by saying that I am new to learning Japanese (about one month).
I came across this sentence and I’m confused about the particle に.
公園で母に会いました。
Why is に used here? If I use が or を, are ...
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2answers
67 views
Using 〜ています with intransitive and transitive verbs
I am currently learning that 〜ています can be used to express a state that resulted from a previous action, e.g.
でんきがついています。
All examples in my textbook (Minna No Nihongo - Lesson 29) use intransitive ...
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2answers
180 views
Does 泣いている describe a continuous action or a state after a change has taken place?
Intransitive verbs describe a change that people/things undergo from my understanding and do not take a direct object. I've also read that the te-form of intransitive verbs with いる describe a state ...
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1answer
115 views
Can the particle を work as から in certain situations?
I found the next sentence:
村を飛び出した
Because of 飛び出す being an intransitive verb, then that を is not working as a direct object marker, right? Then can を work as a "substitute" for から in this ...
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1answer
258 views
Where does the -a stem come from with auxiliary-constructed transitive/intransitive verb pairs if the base verb is a 二段活用 (or カ行変格活用)?
It seems to be generally understood that transitive/intransitive verb pairs, when they are not a 四段活用 and a 二段活用 that share the same 終止形, were created by taking a base verb, whether transitive or ...
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146 views
Particle Use with 注射する
(1) 人に薬を注射する。
(2) 人を薬で注射する。
(3) 人に薬で注射する。
A survey of sentences tells me that (1) is certainly grammatical, but (2) & (3) do not occur (At least in the ones I looked at). Both in English and ...
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1answer
196 views
休む usage with を？
I'm a beginner to Japanese, and I just learned about transivity. I read that the verb 休む is intransitive, and it means "to take a break from." I also read that intransitive verbs cannot take ...
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1answer
122 views
「が分かるようにできる」についての質問
日本語
32変数のd次方程式って32個があったら大抵変数を分かるようにできます。
この文を書いてたんですけど、間違えてたと思います。「何々が分かるようになる」を使えるのは分かりますが、「何々を分かるようにする」ってあってますか？僕の原因でそのことが分かるようになったみたいなことを言いたいです。
英語
First, for accurate context, a mathematically ...
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106 views
Intransitive verb that becomes passive?
What are the nuances when an intransitive verbs becomes a passive verb. Is not it just duplication:
Example
窓が開いた
And
窓が開かれた
Isnt 開かれる and 開く both mean "to be opened".
2
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1answer
90 views
Can intransitive verbs be used in a transitive way with abstract objects?
Nearly all Japanese verbs are classified as either transitive or intransitive. However, I am wondering if there are cases where one can use an intransitive verb in a transitive way, especially in a ...
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233 views
Please help me understand the tadoushi/jidoushi distinction
I’m trying to understand the tadoushi/jidoushi distinction. I read an article in wikionary.org
Here
which seemed to make sense. In particular it stated that the tadoushi/jidoushi distinction is a ...
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108 views
Understanding 他動詞vs自動詞 more clearly
I have been trying to grasp the concepts of transitive vs intransitive as I learn Japanese and had some questions on the following
窓を開けている... OK
窓を開けてある..... OK
窓が開いている.... OK
now I have an issue with ...
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1answer
108 views
Transitive, Intransitive and Potential Verbs
Do all tadoshi verbs have a jidoushi verb to pair with?
How do you differentiate volitional and non-volitional form verbs? Do we categorise them like we do for jidoshi (intransitive form) eg. Action ...
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1answer
165 views
Can you add a “cause” to an intransitive verb with に
I was wondering if when you have the transitive statement
誰が窓を[開]{あ}けた？
You can make an intransitive version like
窓は誰に[開]{あ}いた？
I can't find any sources that tell if you can add the "actual&...
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1answer
183 views
Transitivity of the verb 逃げる and 逃れる
Until I looked it up recently, I'd never really noticed that the verb 逃げる is intransitive, but it makes sense now that I think of it. But there's still something that bothers me, and that's that this ...
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1answer
2k views
How do you say this? (Warning NSFW)
How would you say: "I want a girl to sit on my face" in Japanese?
Would it be something like this: "俺の顔の上に女の子を座りたいだ"?
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2answers
260 views
What is difference between 熱を出す and 熱が出る
I know that 熱が出る (netsu ga deru) means to have a fever.
Example:
風邪を引いたら、39℃の熱が出た。
Kaze wo hiitara, 39C no netsu ga deta
When I caught a cold, I had a fever of 39C.
What does 熱を出す (netsu wo dasu) ...
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Does/Can the “standalone” 来る have a passive form in Japanese? [duplicate]
Due to my dictionary 来られる would be the passive as well as potential form.
Potential form is clear: 来られる? -> Can you come?
But I have great trouble imagining a sentence of 来られる in the passive ...
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Does '頑張って' affect '仕事' using 'を' in 留学を決心した上は、**仕事を頑張って**留学の代金を貯金すべきだ。?
留学を決心した上は、仕事を頑張って留学の代金を貯金すべきだ。
頑張って is Intransitive verb so why would it be related to 仕事? I thought it had to be 仕事に not 仕事を.
If the verb of 仕事を is not 頑張って , then where is its verb in the sentence (...
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1answer
78 views
Is it possible to use を with any intransitive motion verb like 戻る in the same fashion as「駅を出る」?
Is it possible to use を with any intransitive motion verb like 戻る in the same fashion as「駅を出る」?
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1answer
95 views
Confusing usage of 写る
I am confused about a certain usage of 写る, that i have encountered in example sentences.
An Anki deck I use presented: このカメラはよく写りますよ。The given translation is "This camera takes good pictures.&...
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2answers
645 views
Difference between shimatte arimasu and shimete arimasu
In this link, it is explained that shimeru is a transitive verb and so it can take the -te aru ending but shimaru is an intransitive verb so it can take the -te imasu ending.
However, in some grammar ...
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1answer
101 views
思い出 - Ludens Song Lyrics を and が with intransitive verb (流れる), is this translation acceptable?
The song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4nT5-ouBEA
The lyrics:
https://earth-colors.dreamwidth.org/14442.html
This line 川面の上を雲が流れる is translated as "Clouds passing over a flowing river".
川面 is ...
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4answers
348 views
Why this Transitive Verb with が
while I was searching for と思う I came across a sentence, which is reproduced herewith:
さくらさんは松本さんが止めると思う (Sakura thinks Matsuoto will stop)
Here are my questions:
In this sentence I want to ask, ...
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1answer
120 views
Struggling with identifying the 'correct' verb here (+intransitivity)
This sentence is giving me a hard time ...
「下り坂を休まれちまった、残りは１０００と数百...」
(The sentence was uttered during a horse race when the speaker was passed by other competitors as he was saving his horse's ...
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3answers
342 views
Can one ever use an intransitive verb as a transitive verb?
Note from the OP: The original phrasing of the question was very unclear so, after thinking this over a few times, I decided to rewrite this completely.
Please see here for the new question
In other ...
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1answer
226 views
負かした俺: who beat whom in this relative clause?
Context: Riku is a boxer of Baba gym. Tokorozawa is a retired boxer of Baba gym. Ishigami is a retired boxer of an unmentioned gym. Tokorozawa beat Ishigami in the past. Recently, Tokorozawa asked a ...
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1answer
145 views
が vs は for intransitive verbs
In my textbook it says that to say:
There is a good restaurant in this building.
the translation is:
このたてものにいいレストランがあります。
However, why is が used and not は? Would は be indicating a contrast (...
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に vs. を in “to pass a test”
Every time I'm feeling confident about the correct usage of に, を, and で, I get thrown for a loop. Could someone please explain to me the use of に in this sentence:
I will study a lot and pass the ...
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1answer
190 views
transitive and intransitive verbs using を/が particle
Was studying Anki when i came across やっと難しい問題が解けった
Instead of using the が particle, would it also be plausible to use the を particle here? I know that transitive sentences normally uses を and ...
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0answers
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Potential verb form and を [duplicate]
I saw “私は日本語を話せます。” in an online lesson. Is it grammatically correct?
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1answer
124 views
Padding of 好みの潰さで味ゎぅ [closed]
I'm trying to parse (put spaces between each word) the following sentence in the picture attached:
I've tried Recognizing the Characters using an app and got this :
好みの潰さで味ゎぅ
I recognize that there ...
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1answer
148 views
Why does 電池 take the を particle
The sentence
咲は電池{でんち}を時計｛とけい｝に入｛はい｝れました。
Translates as "Saki put the batteries in the watch" but would would 電池 take を in this case?
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1answer
144 views
How to interpret intransitives in non-past tense
I've been reading linguistics books lately and they've gotten me reexamining things I've learned in Japanese textbooks for foreign learners.
Susumu Kuno's book The Structure of the Japanese Language ...
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1answer
175 views
Transitive-intransitive pairs with different readings
Transitive-intransitive pairs are common in Japanese. But in general the reading of the kanji is the same. I know of two exceptions: 出す{だす}-出る{でる} and 入れる{いれる}-入る{はいる}. Are there more?
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Xに捕まる vs Xに捕まえられる
Xに捕まる was used when describing the speaker getting grabbed by X when trying to leave.
Why was the intransitive used over passive when it was Xに...?
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1answer
133 views
Can「確立する」function as an intransitive verb?
Was casually browsing through the Wikipedia page on modern Japanese literature and came across this line that has been bugging me for a bit. For context, I've included a bit of the beginning of the ...
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2answers
204 views
What is the difference between はみ出す and はみ出る?
They are both intransitive:
シャツがズボンからはみ出していますよ。
Your shirt is coming out of your pants.
足が 線からはみ出ています。
Your foot is over the line.
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1answer
56 views
Is this enough to make intransitive use of the transitive 設ける?
The sentence in question:
入院先の聖隷浜松病院が設けてくれました。
For Full context:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/web_tokushu/2018_1130.html?utm_int=news_contents_tokushu_002
My attempt at translation:
"The...hospital ...
12
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2answers
553 views
Transitive English words becoming intransitive 外来語
While reading naruto's answer to Difference in sentences (と and に）, I realized that although キス is an intransitive verb in Japanese, the English kiss is almost always used as a transitive verb. Some ...
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1answer
519 views
Transitive vs Causative Intransitive
original (Causative Intransitive): 彼女は私の肩に頭を凭れさせる
vs
new (transitive): 彼女は私の肩に頭を凭せる
way back when i asked this, i took it as sometimes there is no transitive pair for an intransitive verb so the ...
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3answers
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Expected sentence in article to use を but が is used instead
I'm reading this article and I have come across this sentence and I'm wondering why が is used instead of を. What's the reason am I missing here?
１１日、豊洲市場がオープンして競りが始まりました。
My translation:
On the 11th, ...
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2answers
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Distinction of using を/に instead of が
さあ次もビーチバレーという名のウォッチング[に]勤しむぜ！- Ok, next, lets endeavor to watch beach
volleyball !
それにしても、人間世界はじつに物[に]あふれておるな。- That being said, the world of humans is actually overflowing with things (this ...
3
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1answer
79 views
Under what scenarios can you use transitive verbs with に？
それじゃあなんかお前の方が詳しそうだから、ここはお前に任せる
俺の負けだ。今日のところは素直に敗北を認める
Can に and を be swapped in these scenarios? If not, what is the distinction between 認める and 任せる ?
3
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1answer
180 views
Nuance of Noun-verb (を）入る/入れる
ええ～、なかなかいらっしゃらないからと、近隣の署に片っ端から連絡を入れたそうですよ
eh, you didn't show up, so it seemed like (she) contacted every police station in the area
おたくらちょっとそれ軽くいじめ入ってるよ！？ 自覚あります！？
you Otakus, you're sorta (...
3
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2answers
146 views
PhraseA-て + phraseB + ために + phrase C
From here:
この行事は、お盆が終わって先祖の霊を送るために行われていて、３００年以上の歴史があると言われています。
This is event is performed to dispatch the souls of the ancestors ??? and is said to have over 300 years of history.
I'm struggling ...
3
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1answer
80 views
I don't understand the difference in meaning of ようにする and ようになる in this particular sentence
朝早く起きられるようになりました。apposed to 朝早く起きられるようにしました。
I understand that the first sentence is intransitive and the second is transitive but I don't understand the difference in meaning
From my understanding ...
5
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2answers
235 views
Meaning of 欲ばっから and help with the following sentence
Context: Riku, the protagonist boxer of this manga, is fighting against an evasive opponent that is really good at dodging punches and who always tries to win on points rather than KOs. Riku tries to ...
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2answers
420 views
Question about the uses of “を” particle besides being a “direct object” and “spatial object” marker
I know that the former is for transitive verbs and the latter is for intransitive verbs (specifically motion verbs like 出る、向く、上る) but how do I explain the following sentence:
明日、会社を休む。
At first, I ...
