「Learn Japanese」 Guide to Transitive and Intransitive Verbs (pt. 1 of 2)

「Learn Japanese」 Guide to Transitive and Intransitive Verbs (pt. 1 of 2)

A transitive (他動詞) verb is a verb word that requires a direct object such that the action is performed upon something.
An intransitive (自動詞) verb, while still an action, expresses an action that the subject simply does without affecting another entity.
*Note how the first kanji in both Japanese words is the only difference with 他 meaning "other" (i.e. [affecting] others) and 自 meaning "oneself" (i.e. just performing the action by oneself).

In the English language, the distinction between transitive and intransitive verbs can be categorized three ways.

1.) Words that can be only intransitive:
Example(s):
to arrive
"I arrived." [intransitive, no direct object]

2.) Words that can be both transitive and intransitive (depending on the rest of the sentence):
Example(s):
to eat
"I eat spaghetti every week." [transitive - direct object]
"I eat when I'm sad." [intransitive - no direct object]

3.) Words that can have both a transitive and intransitive version:
Example(s):
to lie - to lay
"I lied down." [intransitive]
"I laid the clothes down." [transitive]

Transitive and intransitive verbs in the Japanese language essentially work and can be categorized in the same way.

Basic Construction of Transitive and Intransitive Verb-usage:
Transitive verb: SUBJECT + は/が + OBJECT + を + (TRANSITIVE) VERB
Intransitive verb: SUBJECT + が/は + (INTRANSITIVE) VERB

1.) Words that can be only intransitive:
着きました。
Tsukimashita
"I arrived."

2.) Words that can be both transitive and intransitive (depending on the rest of the sentence):
毎週にスパゲティを食べます。
Maishuu ni spaghetti o tabemasu.
"I eat spaghetti every week."
[transitive - direct object]

悲しいとき食べる。
Kanashii toki taberu.
"I eat when I'm sad."
[intransitive - no direct object]

3.) Words that can have both a transitive and intransitive version:
事故は交通を止めた。
Jiko wa koutsuu o tometa.
"The accident stopped traffic."
[transitive - inherently transitive version of the word and direct object]

電車は止まった。
Densha wa tomatta.
"The train stopped."
[intransitive - inherently intransitive version of the word and no direct object]

In the end, you will have master distinguishing between transitive and intransitive verbs through experience as you naturally come across them.
However, there are three general guidelines that will keep you well-equipped for a majority of transitive-intransitive verb encounters.

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*Please leave a comment below if you notice any possible errors so that we may make proper notes and revisions for future viewers.

[learnjapanesebod]

Correction(s):
Text below example sentence at 12:30 should have the kanji 落 instead of 鉛 right before "means something along the lines of"

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[gplor]

I wish I could find this awesome channel before.
I would have been a native by now

[learnjapanesebod]

Correction(s):
Text below example sentence at 12:30 should have the kanji 落 instead of 鉛 right before "means something along the lines of"

[MMSCBF]

For the slide that has the sentence "鉛が落ちた。", in the text underneath where the English translation would be, it says "... that the kanji ~鉛 means... 'come down.'". Shouldn't the kanji be 落?

[gensou]

Can a sentence with an intransitive verb have an object? Cause in the destcription it says the basic conjugation is subject+は or が+intransitive verb, but for transitive verbs it’s subject +は or が+ object+ を+verb.