Meaning
A transitive verb (他動詞) names what a person does to an object, which takes を: ドアを開ける — open the door. An intransitive verb (自動詞) describes what happens to the object itself, which takes が: ドアが開く — the door opens. Such verbs come in pairs: 開ける／開く, 閉める／閉まる, 消す／消える, つける／つく, 落とす／落ちる, 入れる／入る.
Formation
- A transitive verb takes を: ドアを開ける
- An intransitive verb takes が: ドアが開く
- Pairs differ in the ending: 開ける／開く, 消す／消える, 始める／始まる
When to use it
- Core use
- Transitive and intransitive verbs
Example
母がドアを開ける
Mother opens the door.
Important notes
- Pay attention to the word form before the construction and to the particles around it.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate the pattern word for word; first identify its function in the whole situation.