Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
The distinction between Transitive Verbs (他動詞, Tadoushi) and Intransitive Verbs (自動詞, Jidoushi) is fundamental to Japanese grammar, determining particle usage and the focus of the sentence. Tadoushi require a direct object (marked by を), while Jidoushi do not, focusing instead on the subject’s state or change.
🎯 Primary Function
To categorize verbs based on whether they require a direct object (他動詞) or if they describe an action that the subject performs on itself, or a change/state of the subject (自動詞).
📋 Grammar Structure
Transitive Verb (他動詞): [Actor] が [Object] を [Verb]
N/A (This category describes verb functions, not adjective conjugations.)
N/A (This category describes verb functions, not adjective conjugations.)
N/A (Negation applies to both T- and I-verbs normally.)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
The distinction is crucial in formal writing and speech to maintain grammatical precision, especially in technical or explanatory contexts.
Informal Situations
Used naturally and often interchangeably, though correct particle usage (を vs. が) is still observed. Mistakes are more tolerated than in formal settings.
Written Language
Highly important for grammatical correctness and clarity. Misusing を and が can lead to ambiguity.
Spoken Language
Essential. The distinction determines the particle used after the object/subject, affecting sentence flow and meaning.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing an action directed at an object (他動詞)
The speaker (actor) is performing the action ‘close’ on the direct object ‘door’. This verb requires the ‘を’ particle.
Example: ドアを閉める。(Doa o shimeru. – I close the door.)
Describing an inherent change or state of a subject (自動詞)
The door is the subject undergoing the change ‘closing’. The verb focuses on the subject’s state and uses the ‘が’ particle.
Example: ドアが閉まる。(Doa ga shimaru. – The door closes/is closed.)
Using the 〜ている form to show a completed action’s result (自動詞)
The automatic verb in the 〜ている form expresses the *state* resulting from the action (being broken), a common usage in daily Japanese.
Example: パソコンが壊れている。(Pasokon ga kowarete iru. – The computer is broken.)
Frequency
Very High. Essential for forming basic sentences and mastering correct particle usage.
Difficulty
Intermediate (N4-N3). While the concept is simple, mastering the pairs and their appropriate particle usage is a common hurdle.
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
窓を開ける。
Furigana: まどを あける。
Romaji: Mado o akeru.
English: I open the window. (The action is performed by me on the window.)
Example #2
窓が開く。
Furigana: まどが あく。
Romaji: Mado ga aku.
English: The window opens. (The window performs the action or is in the state of opening.)
Example #3
お客様が荷物を落としている。
Furigana: おきゃくさまが にもつを おとしている。
Romaji: Okyakusama ga nimotsu o otoshite iru.
English: The customer is dropping the package.
Example #4
荷物が落ちた。
Furigana: にもつが おちた。
Romaji: Nimotsu ga ochita.
English: The package has fallen. (It is in the state of having fallen.)
Example #5
10時に会議を始める。
Furigana: １０じに かいぎを はじめる。
Romaji: Jūji ni kaigi o hajimeru.
English: We will start the meeting at 10 o’clock.
Example #6
会議が10時に始まる。
Furigana: かいぎが １０じに はじまる。
Romaji: Kaigi ga jūji ni hajimaru.
English: The meeting starts at 10 o’clock.
Example #7
誰かが花瓶を壊した。
Furigana: だれかが かびんを こわした。
Romaji: Dareka ga kabin o kowashita.
English: Someone broke the vase.
Example #8
花瓶が壊れている。
Furigana: かびんが こわれている。
Romaji: Kabin ga kowarete iru.
English: The vase is broken. (The resulting state of the vase.)
Example #9
電気をつけてください。
Furigana: でんきを つけてください。
Romaji: Denki o tsukete kudasai.
English: Please turn on the light. (An action requiring an actor.)
Example #10
電気がついている。
Furigana: でんきが ついている。
Romaji: Denki ga tsuite iru.
English: The light is on. (The current state of the light.)
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
The Core Difference: Actor vs. Change.
Identifying the “actor” is key. If an external agent causes the action, use 他動詞 (を). If the subject changes state on its own, use 自動詞 (が).
Example: お湯を沸かす。(Oyu o wakasu. – I boil the water.) / お湯が沸く。(Oyu ga waku. – The water boils/is boiling.)
The Essential 〜ている State vs. Action Rule.
When describing a resulting state (e.g., a hole is open, a light is on), the Intransitive Verb in the -ている form is used. The Transitive Verb in the -ている form usually indicates an ongoing action.
Example: 自動詞: 窓が開いている。(Mado ga aite iru. – The window is open.) / 他動詞: 窓を開けている。(Mado o akete iru. – I am in the process of opening the window.)
Common Transitive/Intransitive Pairing Patterns.
Many pairs are easily identifiable by sound changes: -asu/-u (沸かす/沸く), -eru/-aru (開ける/開く, 閉める/閉まる), -su/-ru (壊す/壊れる). Memorizing these patterns helps predict the partner verb.
Example: テレビが消えた。(Terebi ga kieta. – The TV went off.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using を with an Intransitive Verb (自動詞).
✅ ドアを閉まった。(Doa o shimatta.) → ドアが閉まった。(Doa ga shimatta.) OR ドアを閉めた。(Doa o shimeta.)
Mistakenly using the transitive particle を with the intransitive verb 閉まる (shimaru) is common. If the door *closed by itself*, use が. If *someone* closed it, use the transitive verb 閉める (shimeru) with を.
❌ Overusing the transitive form when describing a state.
✅ かばんが開いている。(Kaban ga aite iru.) → かばんが開いている。(Kaban ga aite iru.) OR 私がかばんを開けた。(Watashi ga kaban o aketa.)
When describing a state (e.g., the bag is open), the intransitive form (開く) is almost always preferred in the -ている form. Using the transitive form (開ける) in -ている implies an ongoing action of opening, not the resulting state.
❌ Confusing the particle usage, especially with the 〜ている form.
✅ 車を止まっている。(Kuruma o tomatte iru.) → 車が止まっている。(Kuruma ga tomatte iru.)
泊まる (tomaru, to stop/be stopped) is an intransitive verb. When describing the car’s state (being stopped), the subject (車) must take the が particle.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral. The distinction is purely grammatical, not related to politeness, though polite forms (-masu) apply to both.
Social Situations: In professional or formal explanations (e.g., explaining a malfunction), Jidoushi (自動詞) is often used to avoid assigning blame or an actor: “システムが壊れました” (The system broke) vs. “私がシステムを壊しました” (I broke the system).
Regional Variations: Standard across all major dialects, as it is a fundamental grammatical distinction.
🔍 Subtle Differences
を vs. が Particles
を marks the direct object of a transitive verb; が marks the subject of an intransitive verb (the entity whose state is changing).
When to use: Use を when you explicitly state the agent and the target of the action. Use が when describing a change or state without focusing on the agent.
📝 Conjugation Notes
Both verb types follow standard conjugation rules for Japanese verbs (dictionary form, -masu form, past form, etc.). The distinction is purely functional (transitive vs. intransitive) and does not affect the verb’s conjugational pattern itself, only its argument structure (particles).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pay attention to the vowel changes in common pairs (e.g., `akeru`/`aku`, `shimeru`/`shimaru`). The difference of just one vowel determines whether the verb is transitive or intransitive.
🧠 Memory Tips
“Tadoushi (他動詞): Think of ‘Ta’ as ‘Target’ (the object) requiring ‘を’. Jidoushi (自動詞): Think of ‘Ji’ as ‘Jibun’ (self), where the action happens to the subject, requiring ‘が’.”
Other Grammar
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.