Learn Japanese Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You see that the lights in a room are on. Which sentence correctly describes this existing state?
- 電気が消えています。
- 電気をつけています。
- 電気がついています。 (Correct answer)
- 電気をつけました。
Correct answer: 電気がついています。
The intransitive verb つく (tsuku - to turn on by itself) is used with the 〜ている form to describe a resulting state. 「電気がついています」 (Denki ga tsuite imasu) means "The light is on," which correctly describes the state of the lights without mentioning who performed the action.
Question 2: Which of the following statements best describes the primary function of a transitive verb (他動詞 - tadoushi) in Japanese?
- It describes an action or change that happens on its own, with the subject marked by が.
- It describes an action performed by an agent that directly affects an object, which is marked by the particle を. (Correct answer)
- It is only used to describe a resulting state, never an action in progress.
- It never appears in pairs with an intransitive verb.
Correct answer: It describes an action performed by an agent that directly affects an object, which is marked by the particle を.
A transitive verb (他動詞) describes an action that a subject performs on a direct object. This direct object is marked with the particle を (o). For example, in 「私がドアを開ける」 (I open the door), 開ける is the transitive verb acting on the object ドア.
Question 3: In the sentence「会議を＿＿＿＿＿。」(kaigi o _____.), which verb correctly fills the blank to mean "(Someone) will start the meeting"?
- 始まる (hajimaru)
- 始まりました (hajimarimashita)
- 始める (hajimeru) (Correct answer)
- 始まっている (hajimatte iru)
Correct answer: 始める (hajimeru)
The particle を (o) marks 会議 (kaigi - meeting) as the direct object. This requires a transitive verb. 始める (hajimeru) is the transitive verb meaning "to start something." 始まる (hajimaru) is intransitive and means "(something) starts."
Question 4: What is the intransitive (自動詞) counterpart to the transitive (他動詞) verb 落とす (otosu - to drop something)?
- 落ちる (ochiru) (Correct answer)
- 落として (otoshite)
- 上げる (ageru)
- 落とさない (otosanai)
Correct answer: 落ちる (ochiru)
The verb 落とす (otosu) is transitive, meaning "to drop something." Its intransitive pair, which describes something falling by itself, is 落ちる (ochiru).
Question 5: A student wants to say, "The car stopped." Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct and most natural?
- 車を止めました。(Kuruma o tomemashita.)
- 車が止まりました。(Kuruma ga tomarimashita.) (Correct answer)
- 車を止まりました。(Kuruma o tomarimashita.)
- 車が止めました。(Kuruma ga tomemashita.)
Correct answer: 車が止まりました。(Kuruma ga tomarimashita.)
The sentence describes something that happened on its own (the car stopped), so the intransitive verb 止まる (tomaru) is needed. The subject of an intransitive verb is marked with が (ga). Therefore, 「車が止まりました。」 is correct. 「車を止めました。」 uses the transitive verb 止める (tomeru) and means "I/someone stopped the car."
Question 6: Choose the correct particle to complete the following sentence describing an action: 「泥棒が窓を＿＿＿＿＿、逃げました。」(The thief ___ the window and escaped.)
- 割られて (wararete)
- 割って (watte) (Correct answer)
- 割れて (warete)
- 割る (waru)
Correct answer: 割って (watte)
The sentence describes a sequence of actions performed by the thief (泥棒). The particle を marks the window (窓) as the direct object of an action. Therefore, the transitive verb 割る (waru - to break something) is required. To connect two actions, the te-form is used, so 割る becomes 割って (watte).
Learn Japanese Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Questions and Answers
You see that the lights in a room are on.
Which sentence correctly describes this existing state?