Transitive and intransitive verbs in Japanese describe the same situation from different perspectives. The transitive verb shows someone acting on an object, usually in the pattern person が + object を + verb. The intransitive presents something that happens or changes state, generally as element が + verb.
Compare: ドアが開きました means “the door opened,” while 田中さんがドアを開けました means “Tanaka opened the door.” In the first case, the focus is on the event; in the second, on a person's action on the door.
The difference is not equivalent to the passive voice. There is also no foolproof ending that reveals all pairs. The safest method is to learn each verb with its particle, its meaning, and a short sentence. If you are still organizing your foundation, review the Verb groups in Japanese and the guide to the particles は, が, を, に, and で.
What are transitive and intransitive verbs in Japanese?
他動詞（たどうし, tadōshi） is the transitive verb. It expresses an action directed at an object: someone opens something, turns on something, or decides something. This direct object is usually marked by を.
自動詞（じどうし, jidōshi） is the intransitive verb. It describes an event, a change, or a state without a direct object: something opens, turns on, falls, or becomes decided. The element that undergoes this situation is usually marked by が.
| Type | Basic pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intransitive | N が + verb | ドアが開きます。 | The door opens. |
| Transitive | Person が + N を + verb | 店員がドアを開けます。 | The clerk opens the door. |
The material Irodori, by the Japan Foundation, resume this opposition as N が V for intransitives and (pessoa が) N を V for transitives. This formula is an excellent starting point, but it should not be applied mechanically.
How to recognize each type without memorizing a passive translation
Ask two questions. First: is there someone or something acting on an object? If so, the verb tends to be transitive. Second: does the sentence simply present something happening or changing state? In that case, the verb tends to be intransitive.
- 窓が閉まりました。
まど が しまりました。
Mado ga shimari mashita.
The window closed. - 山田さんが窓を閉めました。
やまださん が まど を しめました。
Yamada-san ga mado o shime mashita.
Yamada closed the window.
Do not automatically translate the intransitive with “be + past participle.”. 窓が閉まりました is not a passive construction: the sentence simply informs that the window closed. The Japanese passive would require another verb form and would change the structure.
It is also important to remember that not every を marks a direct object. In ホテルを出ます (“leave the hotel”) and 道を歩きます (“walk along the street”), を indicates point of departure or route. The verb remains intransitive. This caution appears in the A2–B1 grammar material from Japan Foundation Madrid.
List of transitive and intransitive verbs in Japanese
The table brings together frequent and useful pairs. It does not intend to list all the verbs of the language. Memorize each line as two possible sentences, noting が with the intransitive and を with the transitive.
| Intransitive | Meaning | Transitive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 開く（あく） | to open; to be open | 開ける（あける） | to open something |
| 閉まる（しまる） | to close; to be closed | 閉める（しめる） | to close something |
| つく | to turn on; to be on | つける | to turn on or switch on something |
| 消える（きえる） | to go out; to disappear | 消す（けす） | to turn off or switch off something |
| 入る（はいる） | to enter; to be contained | 入れる（いれる） | to put in; to insert |
| 出る（でる） | to leave; to appear | 出す（だす） | pôr para fora; enviar |
| 始まる（はじまる） | to start | 始める（はじめる） | começar algo |
| 終わる（おわる） | terminar | 終える（おえる） | concluir algo |
| 止まる（とまる） | to stop | 止める（とめる） | parar algo |
| 動く（うごく） | mover-se; funcionar | 動かす（うごかす） | mover ou operar algo |
| 変わる（かわる） | mudar | 変える（かえる） | mudar ou alterar algo |
| 決まる（きまる） | ficar decidido | 決める（きめる） | decidir algo |
| 続く（つづく） | Continue | 続ける（つづける） | continue something |
| 集まる（あつまる） | gather; come together | 集める（あつめる） | collect; gather something |
| 見つかる（みつかる） | be found; appear | 見つける（みつける） | find something |
| 壊れる（こわれる） | break; stop working | 壊す（こわす） | break something |
| 割れる（われる） | break; crack | 割る（わる） | break or divide something |
| 折れる（おれる） | break; bend | 折る（おる） | break or bend something |
| 落ちる（おちる） | fall | 落とす（おとす） | to knock down; to drop |
| 届く（とどく） | to arrive at the destination | 届ける（とどける） | to deliver something |
| 直る（なおる） | to be fixed; to return to normal | 直す（なおす） | to fix or correct something |
| 増える（ふえる） | to increase in quantity | 増やす（ふやす） | to increase something |
| 減る（へる） | to decrease in quantity | 減らす（へらす） | to reduce something |
| 上がる（あがる） | to rise; to increase | 上げる（あげる） | to raise; to increase something |
| 下がる（さがる） | to go down; to decrease | 下げる（さげる） | to lower; to decrease something |
| 冷える（ひえる） | to get cold; to become cold | 冷やす（ひやす） | to cool something |
| 温まる（あたたまる） | to warm up; to become warm | 温める（あたためる） | to warm something |
| 汚れる（よごれる） | to get dirty; to become dirty | 汚す（よごす） | to dirty something |
| 起きる（おきる） | to wake up; to get up | 起こす（おこす） | to wake someone up; to cause something |
| 育つ（そだつ） | to grow; to develop | 育てる（そだてる） | to raise; to cultivate; to develop something |
| 焼ける（やける） | to be baked; to be grilled until done | 焼く（やく） | to bake or grill something |
| 煮える（にえる） | cook until done | 煮る（にる） | cook something in liquid |
THE linguistic analysis by the Japan Foundation on 自動詞 and 他動詞 shows that there are various formation patterns and also exceptions. Instead of looking for a single rule, learn the verb within a complete structure.
Examples showing the change in perspective
The door opened or someone opened the door
ドアが開きました。
ドア が あきました。
Doa ga aki mashita.
The door opened.
田中さんがドアを開けました。
たなかさん が ドア を あけました。
Tanaka-san ga doa o ake mashita.
Tanaka opened the door.
The meeting started or someone started the meeting
会議が十時に始まります。
かいぎ が じゅうじ に はじまります。
Kaigi ga jūji ni hajimari masu.
The meeting starts at ten o'clock.
部長が会議を始めます。
ぶちょう が かいぎ を はじめます。
Buchō ga kaigi o hajime masu.
The manager starts the meeting.
The amount increased or someone increased the amount
学生が増えました。
がくせい が ふえました。
Gakusei ga fue mashita.
The number of students increased.
学校がクラスの数を増やしました。
がっこう が クラス の かず を ふやしました。
Gakkō ga kurasu no kazu o fuyashi mashita.
The school increased the number of classes.
Note that Portuguese sometimes uses the same verb in both sentences. In Japanese, the choice of the pair makes explicit whether the speaker presents the event or someone's action on something. This distinction helps to form sentences in Japanese more precisely.
Intransitive verbs with ている and transitive verbs with てある
The pairs also appear when describing states. With an intransitive in the て-form followed by いる, the sentence presents the observed state. With a transitive followed by ある, it can highlight that the state results from an intentional action.
- ドアが開いています。
The door is open. The state is presented without indicating who opened it. - ドアが開けてあります。
The door has been left open. There is the idea that someone opened it for a purpose.
The contrast between 自動詞 + ている and 他動詞 + てある is explained in Irodori Elementary 2, lesson 13. Do not confuse this use of てある with an automatic passive translation.
Not every similar pair is a transitive–intransitive pair
Some common associations generate errors. 分かる (“to understand”) and 分かれる (“to divide; to separate”) do not form a pair with the same meaning. 見る (“to see; to look”) and 見える (“to be visible; to see naturally”) should also not be treated merely as “to see” and “to be seen.”.
The same caution applies to 聞く and 聞こえる. The first can mean to listen deliberately or to ask; the second indicates that something is audible. Meanwhile, 売れる can mean “to sell well” or “to be sellable,” and does not simply correspond to the passive of 売る.
There are also verbs without a regular partner. 走る (“to run”) is intransitive; 走らせる is its causative form, “to make run,” not a transitive verb paired by the same process as the pairs in the table. If you need to review this difference, also consult the potential form of verbs, which should not be confused with intransitivity.
How to memorize the pairs more reliably
- Learn the particle along with it. Record ドアが開く and ドアを開ける, not just 開く and 開ける.
- Use a scene for both verbs. Imagine the light turning on and then someone turning on the light: 電気がつく / 電気をつける.
- Compare short sentences. The opposition becomes clearer when subject, object, and particle appear.
- Avoid absolute ending rules. They work as clues, but they have exceptions.
- Check the dictionary. Look for the indications 自動詞 and 他動詞 and check the structure of the example.
This method fits into the study of Japanese grammar for beginners: first recognize the relationship between words and then expand your vocabulary.
Exercises
Choose the verb that completes each sentence.
- ドアが（開きました / 開けました）。
- 私が窓を（閉まりました / 閉めました）。
- 電気が（つきました / つけました）。
- 妹が部屋の電気を（消えました / 消しました）。
- 会議が十時に（始まります / 始めます）。
- 先生が授業を（始まります / 始めます）。
See explained answers
- 開きました: ドア is the element that opened and receives が.
- 閉めました: 私 acts on 窓, marked by を.
- つきました: the light turned on; there is no direct object.
- 消しました: the sister turned off the light, which receives を.
- 始まります: the meeting is presented as the event that begins.
- 始めます: the teacher starts the class, marked by を.
Summary
- 自動詞 describes something happening or changing state, usually in N が V.
- 他動詞 describes someone acting on an object, usually in person が + N を V.
- Intransitive is not synonymous with passive.
- The use of を alone is not enough to classify the verb.
- The pairs should be learned with particle, meaning, and example.
After mastering this opposition, you will more easily perceive why Japanese chooses different verbs for “something changed” and “someone changed something.” Keep practicing with the verbs in the simple form and turn each pair in the table into two sentences of your own.
What is an intransitive verb in Japanese?
It is a verb that presents an event, state, or change without a direct object. In basic sentences, the element undergoing the situation is usually marked by が, as in ドアが開きます, “the door opens.”.
What is a transitive verb in Japanese?
It is a verb that expresses the action of someone or something on an object. The direct object usually takes を, as in 田中さんがドアを開けます, “Tanaka opens the door”.
Is an intransitive verb the same as passive voice?
No. An intransitive describes something happening or changing state without a direct object. The passive voice is its own conjugation and establishes a different relationship between the participants of the sentence.
Is every verb followed by を transitive?
No. を can also mark a route or point of departure, as in 道を歩きます, “walk along the street”, and ホテルを出ます, “leave the hotel”. In these cases, the verbs are intransitive.
How to memorize transitive and intransitive pairs?
Learn each verb within a short sentence, along with its particle: ドアが開く for “the door opens” and ドアを開ける for “open the door.” Comparing the two perspectives is safer than memorizing only translations.
What is the difference between 自動詞 + ている and 他動詞 + てある?
自動詞 + ている usually presents an observed state, like ドアが開いています. 他動詞 + てある can indicate that the state results from an intentional action, like ドアが開けてあります.