40 Confusing Verb Pairs

Intransitive (自動詞) vs Transitive (他動詞) Verbs

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Group A: Verbs ending in ~su (Transitive ends in ~su)

Most transitive verbs in this group end in ~す (su).

Intransitive

が消える

kieru

Goes off

Transitive

を消す

kesu

Turn off

Intransitive

が/から出る

deru

Comes out

Transitive

を出す

dasu

Take out

Intransitive

が落ちる

ochiru

Falls

Transitive

を落とす

otosu

Drop

Intransitive

が壊れる

kowareru

Breaks

Transitive

を壊す

kowasu

Break something

Intransitive

が倒れる

taoreru

Falls down

Transitive

を倒す

taosu

Knock down

Intransitive

が汚れる

yogoreru

Gets dirty

Transitive

を汚す

yogosu

Make dirty

Intransitive

が破れる

yabureru

Tears

Transitive

を破る

yaburu

Tear something

Intransitive

が揺れる

yureru

Shakes

Transitive

を揺らす

yurasu

Shake something

Intransitive

が冷える

hieru

Gets cold

Transitive

を冷やす

hiyasu

Cool down

Intransitive

が増える

fueru

Increases

Transitive

を増やす

fuyasu

Increase

Intransitive

が減る

heru

Decreases

Transitive

を減らす

herasu

Decrease

Intransitive

が沸く

waku

Boils

Transitive

を沸かす

wakasu

Boil water

Intransitive

が乾く

kawaku

Dries

Transitive

を乾かす

kawakasu

Dry something

Intransitive

が動く

ugoku

Moves

Transitive

を動かす

ugokasu

Move something

Intransitive

が直る/治る

naoru

Gets repaired/cured

Transitive

を直す/治す

naosu

Repair/Cure

Group B: Verbs with ~aru sound (Intransitive ends in ~aru)

Most intransitive verbs in this group have the ~ある (aru) sound.

Intransitive

が閉まる

shimaru

Closes

Transitive

を閉める

shimeru

Intransitive

が始まる

hajimaru

Starts

Transitive

を始める

hajimeru

Start

Intransitive

が変わる

kawaru

Changes

Transitive

を変える

kaeru

Change

Intransitive

が集まる

atsumaru

Gather

Transitive

を集める

atsumeru

Collect

Intransitive

が決まる

kimaru

Is decided

Transitive

を決める

kimeru

Decide

Intransitive

が見つかる

mitsukaru

Is found

Transitive

を見つける

mitsukeru

Find

Intransitive

がかかる

kakaru

Takes time/Hangs

Transitive

をかける

kakeru

Spend/Hang

Intransitive

がつながる

tsunagaru

Is connected

Transitive

をつなぐ

tsunagu

Connect

Intransitive

が伝わる

tsutawaru

Is conveyed

Transitive

を伝える

tsutaeru

Convey/Tell

Intransitive

が助かる

tasukaru

Is saved

Transitive

を助ける

tasukeru

Save/Help

Intransitive

が重なる

kasanaru

Overlaps

Transitive

を重ねる

kasaneru

Pile up

Intransitive

が/に曲がる

magaru

Turns/Bends

Transitive

を曲げる

mageru

Bend something

Intransitive

が片付く

katazuku

Gets tidied up

Transitive

を片付ける

katazukeru

Tidy up

Group C: Intransitive ends in ~reru

These verbs usually have their intransitive form ending in ~れる (reru).

Intransitive

が開く

aku

Opens

Transitive

を開ける

akeru

Open

Intransitive

が売れる

ureru

Sells well

Transitive

を売る

uru

Sell

Intransitive

が切れる

kireru

Cuts/Snaps

Transitive

を切る

kiru

Cut

Intransitive

が外れる

hazureru

Comes off

Transitive

を外す

hazusu

Remove/Take off

Intransitive

が折れる

oreru

Snaps/Breaks

Transitive

を折る

oru

Fold/Break

Intransitive

が抜ける

nukeru

Falls out

Transitive

を抜く

nuku

Pull out

Intransitive

が割れる

wareru

Cracks/Breaks

Transitive

を割る

waru

Crack/Divide

Intransitive

が破れる

yabureru

Gets torn (Rules)

Transitive

を破る

yaburu

Break rules/Tear

Group D: Other Common Pairs

Common pairs that don't fit perfectly into the above rules.

Intransitive

に入る

hairu

Enter/Get in

Transitive

を入れる

ireru

Put in

Intransitive

に乗る

noru

Ride/Get on

Transitive

を乗せる

noseru

Give a ride

Intransitive

が/に起きる

okiru

Wake up

Transitive

を起こす

okosu

Wake someone up

Intransitive

が並ぶ

narabu

Line up

Transitive

を並べる

naraberu

Line things up