Intransitive & Transitive Verbs

Opens on its own vs someone opens it

'The door opened' vs 'I opened the door.' In Japanese, this isn't just vocabulary — it's a different verb entirely. Mastering these pairs is essential for natural Japanese.

What you'll learn

• Intransitive (自動詞): ~ が + verb (natural change)
• Transitive (他動詞): ~ を + verb (intentional action)
• Key pairs: 開く/開ける, 消える/消す, 割れる/割る, 始まる/始める

JLPT N4 Japanese self-study — interactive practice, instant feedback, completely free.