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Help with transative/intransative verbs?

  • 17-11-2014 3:39pm
    #1
    Links234
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,944 ✭✭✭✭


    I thought I'd try use this forum a bit more, so one problem I'm having is that when it comes to transative and intransative verbs, I keep stumbling.

    So for example, 助ける vs　助かる, or　決める　vs 決まる.

    I need some way of remembering which is the transative and which is the intransative, anyone got any tips?


Comments

  • #2
    Giruilla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,595 ✭✭✭Giruilla


    As far as I can tell, theres no real formula to remembering which is transitive/intransitive.

    The examples you give are kind of straight forward as in it's an え sound turning into an あ sound for intransitive, and the meanings 'to decide' and 'be decided' being similar.

    But then for example you have say 入れる (to insert) and 入る (to enter),
    or 消す (to erase) and 消える (to disappear). These examples having no real formula to them.

    Only way I remembered was just practice and repetition!


  • #3
    Aard
    Registered Users Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    I was only looking through this forum the oter day for info on in/transitive verbs. Generally there seems to be an a/e pattern but then you get things like okiru/okosu which doesn't fit in. One by one, it seems.


  • #4
    Konata
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,164 ✭✭✭Konata


    As mentioned above, there isn't really any strict formula unfortunately but most of them follow a general pattern. You just need to keep practicing and repeating and eventually you'll get to a stage where you don't even think about whether something is transitive or intransitive - you just know it sounds right/wrong!


  • #5
    Links234
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,944 ✭✭✭✭Links234


    Ok, thanks everyone! :D

    I've found that I've actually had much better luck trying to remember things individually, instead of trying to figure out some patern.


  • #6
    just-joe
    Registered Users Posts: 679 ✭✭✭just-joe


    I would say learning them with context, i.e. in example sentences, would help a lot.

    Maybe jisho.org, or an app with example sentences is a good place for material.

    Eg 入れる　http://jisho.org/sentences?jap=%E5%85%A5%E3%82%8C%E3%82%8B&eng=

    入る　http://jisho.org/sentences?jap=%E5%85%A5%E3%82%8C%E3%82%8B&eng=

    Obviously there'll be vocab you odnt understand in the example sentences, but just reading to get the sound and meaning into your head would help. I guess!


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  • #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    My Japanese teacher gave me a table showing the patterns of these verbs and I can't for the life of me find it.. sorry :(
    But yeah, generally it's a matter of 'e' and 'a'. 'E' is done by a person, 'A' happens on its own (not sure if that makes sense to you but it's what my teacher said to me to get me to remember)


  • #8
    Links234
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,944 ✭✭✭✭Links234


    Found this! http://www.mlcjapanese.co.jp/Download/ViVt.pdf

    :D


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