LEARN + JAPANESE / Note 86 JLPT N4
Did It Happen, or Did You Do It (自動詞・他動詞)
Many Japanese verbs come in pairs describing the same event from two angles: a transitive verb for someone doing it on purpose, and an intransitive verb for it simply happening, with no one named as the cause.
Lin turned off the light.
The light went out.
In Real Life
消す (transitive, someone turns something off) and 消える (intransitive, something goes out on its own) describe the same result, a light no longer being on, but only one names who did it. を marks the object of the transitive verb; が marks the subject of the intransitive one, and the two verbs are never interchangeable despite looking related.
The window was open.
The wallet was on the ground (had fallen).
In Real Life
Attach ている to the intransitive half and you get a neutral resultant state, no blame or intention implied, unlike てある which always points at someone’s deliberate action. 窓が開いています just says the window is open; who opened it, or why, isn’t part of the sentence at all.
Vocabulary
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| to turn on (transitive) | |
| to turn on, come on (intransitive) | |
| to stop something (transitive) | |
| to come to a stop (intransitive) | |
| to drop (transitive) | |
| to fall (intransitive) | |
| to get something dirty (transitive) | |
| to become dirty (intransitive) | |
| to break something (transitive) | |
| to become broken (intransitive) | |
| to take out, put out (transitive) | |
| to come out, exit (intransitive) | |
| to start something (transitive) | |
| for something to start (intransitive) | |
| entryway, front door | |
| key, lock | |
| TV program | |
| floor | |
| socks | |
| air conditioner |