Japanese Transitive and Intransitive Verbs: Akeru vs Aku and Other Pairs
Many Japanese verbs come in pairs: a transitive verb, where someone does something to an object and the object takes を (ドアを開ける, I open the door), and an intransitive verb, where something happens by itself and the subject takes が (ドアが開く, the door opens). The two verbs look alike, so learners mix them up. Learn them as pairs, check the particle, and remember that Japanese often prefers the intransitive verb to describe what happened without pointing at who did it.
Ten pairs to learn first
| Meaning | Transitive (を) | Intransitive (が) |
|---|---|---|
| open | 開ける（あける） | 開く（あく） |
| close | 閉める（しめる） | 閉まる（しまる） |
| start | 始める（はじめる） | 始まる（はじまる） |
| stop | 止める（とめる） | 止まる（とまる） |
| turn on | つける | つく |
| turn off, go out | 消す（けす） | 消える（きえる） |
| put in, go in | 入れる（いれる） | 入る（はいる） |
| take out, go out | 出す（だす） | 出る（でる） |
| drop, fall | 落とす（おとす） | 落ちる（おちる） |
| break | 壊す（こわす） | 壊れる（こわれる） |
Patterns that help you guess
- -eru (transitive) and -aru (intransitive): 閉める／閉まる, 始める／始まる, 決める／決まる (decide / be decided).
- -su is usually transitive: 消す／消える, 出す／出る, 落とす／落ちる, 直す／直る (fix / get fixed).
- -reru is often intransitive: 壊れる, 割れる (crack, smash), 汚れる (get dirty).
These are tendencies, not rules, so always learn the pair together. Not sure about verb groups? See verb conjugation basics.
~ている and ~てある: describing a state
| Japanese | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 窓が開いています。 | mado ga aite imasu. | The window is open. (just describing it) |
| 窓が開けてあります。 | mado ga akete arimasu. | The window has been opened (on purpose, for a reason). |
| 電気がついています。 | denki ga tsuite imasu. | The light is on. |
| 会議室の予約が取ってあります。 | kaigishitsu no yoyaku ga totte arimasu. | The meeting room has been booked (in advance). |
Use the intransitive verb with 〜ている for a state, and the transitive verb with 〜てある when someone set it up deliberately. More on te-form patterns in the Japanese te-form.
Why the choice matters in real life
Japanese speakers often describe accidents with the intransitive verb: コップが割れました (the glass broke) sounds softer than コップを割りました (I broke the glass). That’s useful when reporting a problem at work or to a landlord. But when you’re apologising, owning it with the transitive verb shows responsibility: 私がコップを割ってしまいました。すみません。 Likewise, 財布を落としました (I dropped my wallet) is what you say at a police box (交番).
Common mistakes
- Wrong particle: ドアを開く in everyday speech should be ドアを開ける or ドアが開く.
- Using the transitive verb for machines: the train stops is 電車が止まる, not 止める.
- Learning only one verb of the pair: you’ll hear the other one constantly, especially on announcements such as ドアが閉まります (the doors are closing).
How Hanabuddies can help
Verb pairs stick when you use them, not when you read lists. Our native tutors teach one-to-one online and use quick picture and situation drills (what’s open, what you did, what happened) so you choose the right verb and particle in real conversation.