Transitive and Intransitive Japanese Verb Pairs

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Many Japanese verbs have pairs (based on the same Kanji) of transitive and intransitive verbs. A transitive verb (something done yourself - e.g. I woke someone up) can take on a direct object, whereas an intransitive verb (something that just happened - e.g. I woke up) can not.

他動詞 Transative Verb自動詞 Intransitive Verb
akeru 開けるto openaku 開くto open, become vacant
arawasu 現すto show, revealarawareru 現れるto appear, show up
atsumeru 集めるto gather, collectatsumaru 集まるto gather, assemble
dasu 出すto extract, take outderu 出るto go out
fuyasu 増やすto increasefueru 増えるto increase
hanasu 離すto separate, releasehanareru 離れるto separate from, leave
hayasu 生やすto grow somethinghaeru 生えるto grow
hazusu 外すto remove, unfastenhazareru 外れるto be disconnected, disengage
herasu 減らすto reduce, decreaseheru 減るto decrease, be reduced
hiyasu 冷やすto cool, refridgeratehieru 冷えるto cool down, become cold
hodoku 解くto untiehodokeru 解けるto come untied, loose
ireru 入れるto put in, let inhairu 入るto enter
kaeru 変えるto changekawaru 変わるto change
kaesu 返すto give back, return (something to someone)kaeru 帰るto return, go home
kakeru 掛けるto hang, sit, telephone, riskkakaru 掛かるto take, begin, be hanging
karasu 枯らすto let witherkareru 枯れるto wither
kawakasu 乾かすto drykawaku 乾くto become dry
kesu 消すto turn off, erasekieru 消えるto vanish, go out, be extinguished
kiku 聞くto listenkikoeru 聞こえるto be audible, able to hear
kimeru 決めるto decide, choosekimaru 決まるto be decided, agreed upon
kowasu 壊すto break, smashkowareru 壊れるto get broken
kuwawaru 加わるto join, participatekuwaeru 加えるto add to, include
mawasu 回すto turn, spinmawaru 回るto go round
miru 見るto lookmieru 見えるto be visible, able to see
mitsukeru 見つけるto findmitsukaru 見つかるto be found
naosu 直すto repair, curenaoru 直るto be cured, healed
nigasu 逃 がすto let escapenigeru 逃げるto run away, escape
noseru 乗せるto put on top off, put on boardnoru 乗るto board, ride on
nuku 抜くto extractnukeru 抜けるto be extracted, come out
okosu 起こすto wake (somebody) upokiru 起きるto get up
orosu 降ろすto drop off, unloadoriru 降りるto get off, go down
otosu 落とすto lose, dropochiru 落ちるto fall, fail, go down
shimeru 閉めるto shutshimaru 閉まるto close, be closed
sodatsu 育つto grow up, be raisedsodateru 育てるto to rear, to bring up
sugosu 過ごすto spend (time)sugiru 過ぎるto pass, exceed
taosu 倒すto overthrow, knock downtaoreru 倒れるto fall down, collapse
tasukeru 助けるto helptasukaru 助かるto be saved
tateru 立てるto buildtatsu 立つto stand up
todokeru 届けるto delivertodoku 届くto reach
tokasu 溶かすto melt somethingtokeru 溶けるto melt, dissolve, come untied
tomeru 止めるto stop, fastentomaru 止まるto stop
tosu 通すto let through, let passtoru 通るto go through, pass
uru 売るto sellureru 売れるto be sold
wakasu 沸かすto bring something to the boilwaku 沸くto boil
watasu 渡すto hand overwataru 渡るto cross
yaku 焼くto bake, grillyakeru 焼けるto burn
yogosu 污すto make dirty, stainyogoreru 汚れるto become dirty
yorokobasu 喜ばすto delight, give pleasureyorokobu 喜ぶto be glad, pleased
yoseru 寄せるto let near, approachyoru 寄るto approach
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