• A large number of Transitive and intransitive verb pairs transitive and intransitive verbs are paired. They are only Su- vs. non-su-ending slightly different in shape and meaning Transitive Intransitive and may confuse なおす fix なおる be fixed you. Here are some practical hints for こわす break something こわれる break telling them apart. つぶす crush つぶれる be crushed こぼす spill something こぼれる spill 返す(かえす) return 帰る(かえる) return 戻す(もどす) put back 戻る(もどる) return • Generally speaking, if a su-ending verb 回す(まわす) turn around something 回る(まわる) turn around has a non-su-ending 残す(のこす) leave behind 残る(のこる) remain counterpart, the su- ending one is the 散らかす(ちらかす) scatter 散らかる(ちらかる) be scattered transitive one, and 離す(はなす) separate 離れる(はなれる) move away the other the intransitive one. 流す(ながす) flush 流れる(ながれる) flow 表わす(あらわす) express 現われる(あらわれる) appear 外す(はずす) remove 外れる(はずれる) come off 隠す(かくす) hide something 隠れる(かくれる) hide oneself 崩す(くずす) break down something 崩れる(くずれる) break down 倒す(たおす) throw down 倒れる(たおれる) fall
• Here are more. Transitive and intransitive verb pairs Su- vs. non-su-ending Transitive Intransitive 起こす(おこす) raise 起きる(おきる) rise 落とす(おとす) drop 落ちる(おちる) fall 降ろす(おろす) lower 降りる(おりる) get off 過ごす(すごす) pass something 過ぎる(すぎる) pass 滅ぼす(ほろぼす) destroy 滅びる(ほろびる) perish
延ばす(のばす) stretch something 延びる(のびる) stretch
尽くす(つくす) exhaust 尽きる(つきる) run out
漏らす(もらす) leak something 漏れる(もれる) leak
荒す(あらす) devastate 荒れる(あれる) fall to ruin 燃やす(もやす) burn something 燃える(もえる) burn 冷やす(ひやす) chill 冷える(ひえる) be chilled 増やす(ふやす) increase something 増える(ふえる) increase
• If an eru-ending verb Transitive and intransitive verb pairs is paired with an aru- ending verb, the eru- ending one is the Eru- vs. aru-ending transitive one. Transitive Intransitive ぶつける hit ぶつかる collide まとめる organize まとまる be organized つなげる connect つながる be connected かける hang something かかる hang 暖める(あたためる) warm something 暖まる(あたたまる) get warm 上げる(あげる) raise 上がる(あがる) go up 終える(おえる) finish something 終わる(おわる) finish 始める(はじめる) begin something 始まる(はじまる) begin 広める(ひろめる) spread knowledge 広まる(ひろまる) spread 深める(ふかめる) deepen 深まる(ふかまる) be deepened 重ねる(かさねる) pile 重なる(かさなる) be piled up 固める(かためる) make solid 固まる(かたまる) become solid 変える(かえる) change something 変わる(かわる) change 曲げる(まげる) bend something 曲がる(まがる) bend 混ぜる(まぜる) mix 混ざる(まざる) be mixed
• And here are some more. Transitive and intransitive verb pairs Eru- vs. aru-ending Transitive Intransitive 見つける(みつける) find 見つかる(みつかる) be found 閉める(しめる) close something 閉まる(しまる) close 止める(とめる) stop something 止まる(とまる) stop 泊める(とめる) lodge a person 泊まる(とまる) stay over 伝える(つたえる) communicate 伝わる(つたわる) be passed on 分ける(わける) divide 分かる(わかる) understand 受ける(うける) take a test 受かる(うかる) pass a test
• The dichotomy is a Transitive and intransitive verb pairs relative one. Kasu “lend” and kariru “borrow” are both More-or-less cases transitive in one More transitive Less transitive sense because they take an o-marked 貸す(かす) lend 借りる(かりる) borrow direct object. 預ける(あずける) deposit 預かる(あずかる) receive
• However, in terms of 教える(おしえる) teach 教わる(おそわる) learn
the meaning, kasu is more transitive because an object moves away from the lender. Kariru is more intransitive in the sense that an object merges with the borrower.
• The same explanation holds for the other two pairs.