Common Verb Pairs
Japanese has many transitive-intransitive verb pairs that express related actions. Learning these pairs together helps you understand the relationship between causing something to happen and something happening by itself.
Pattern:
Transitive (他動詞) - someone does it
Intransitive (自動詞) - it happens
開ける (tr.) - open something
開く (intr.) - something opens
Learn as pairs
Understand relationship
Opening and Closing
開ける ⟷ 開く
開ける (akeru) - transitive
"open (something)"
ドアを開ける "open the door"
窓を開ける "open the window"
本を開ける "open a book"
Someone opens it
開く (aku) - intransitive
"(something) opens"
ドアが開く "door opens"
窓が開く "window opens"
花が開く "flower opens"
It opens by itself
閉める ⟷ 閉まる
閉める (shimeru) - transitive
"close (something)"
ドアを閉める "close door"
窓を閉める "close window"
目を閉める "close eyes"
Someone closes it
閉まる (shimaru) - intransitive
"(something) closes"
ドアが閉まる "door closes"
店が閉まる "store closes"
目が閉まる "eyes close"
It closes by itself
Lights and Power
つける ⟷ つく
つける (tsukeru) - transitive
"turn on, attach"
電気をつける "turn on light"
テレビをつける "turn on TV"
ボタンをつける "attach button"
Someone turns it on/attaches
つく (tsuku) - intransitive
"(something) turns on, attaches"
電気がつく "light turns on"
火がつく "fire catches"
ボタンがつく "button is attached"
It turns on/attaches
消す ⟷ 消える
消す (kesu) - transitive
"turn off, erase"
電気を消す "turn off light"
テレビを消す "turn off TV"
字を消す "erase letters"
Someone turns it off/erases
消える (kieru) - intransitive
"(something) goes out, disappears"
電気が消える "light goes out"
火が消える "fire goes out"
姿が消える "figure disappears"
It goes out/disappears
Starting and Stopping
始める ⟷ 始まる
始める (hajimeru) - transitive
"start (something)"
仕事を始める "start work"
授業を始める "start class"
話を始める "start talking"
Someone starts it
始まる (hajimaru) - intransitive
"(something) starts"
仕事が始まる "work starts"
授業が始まる "class starts"
映画が始まる "movie starts"
It starts
終える ⟷ 終わる
終える (oeru) - transitive
"finish (something)"
仕事を終える "finish work"
話を終える "finish talking"
Someone finishes it
Less common than 終わる
終わる (owaru) - intransitive
"(something) ends"
仕事が終わる "work ends"
授業が終わる "class ends"
映画が終わる "movie ends"
It ends
Very common
止める ⟷ 止まる
止める (tomeru) - transitive
"stop (something)"
車を止める "stop car"
時計を止める "stop clock"
出血を止める "stop bleeding"
Someone stops it
止まる (tomaru) - intransitive
"(something) stops"
車が止まる "car stops"
時計が止まる "clock stops"
雨が止まる "rain stops"
It stops
Finding and Losing
見つける ⟷ 見つかる
見つける (mitsukeru) - transitive
"find (something)"
鍵を見つける "find key"
答えを見つける "find answer"
間違いを見つける "find mistake"
Someone finds it
見つかる (mitsukaru) - intransitive
"(something) is found"
鍵が見つかる "key is found"
答えが見つかる "answer is found"
犯人が見つかる "criminal is found"
It is found
なくす ⟷ なくなる
なくす (nakusu) - transitive
"lose (something)"
財布をなくす "lose wallet"
時間をなくす "lose time"
Someone loses it
なくなる (nakunaru) - intransitive
"(something) disappears, runs out"
お金がなくなる "money runs out"
痛みがなくなる "pain goes away"
人がなくなる "person dies"
It disappears/is gone
Breaking and Fixing
壊す ⟷ 壊れる
壊す (kowasu) - transitive
"break (something)"
おもちゃを壊す "break toy"
機械を壊す "break machine"
Someone breaks it
壊れる (kowareru) - intransitive
"(something) breaks"
おもちゃが壊れる "toy breaks"
機械が壊れる "machine breaks"
It breaks
直す ⟷ 直る
直す (naosu) - transitive
"fix (something)"
時計を直す "fix clock"
間違いを直す "fix mistake"
Someone fixes it
直る (naoru) - intransitive
"(something) gets fixed"
時計が直る "clock gets fixed"
病気が直る "illness heals"
It gets fixed
Movement
出す ⟷ 出る
出す (dasu) - transitive
"take out, send out"
手紙を出す "send letter"
ゴミを出す "take out trash"
声を出す "let out voice"
Someone puts out/sends
出る (deru) - intransitive
"(something) comes out, leaves"
芽が出る "sprout comes out"
血が出る "blood comes out"
人が出る "person leaves"
It comes out/leaves
入れる ⟷ 入る
入れる (ireru) - transitive
"put in"
お金を入れる "put in money"
コーヒーを入れる "make coffee"
名前を入れる "input name"
Someone puts in
入る (hairu) - intransitive
"(something/someone) enters"
部屋に入る "enter room"
大学に入る "enter university"
水が入る "water gets in"
It/someone enters
Changing States
変える ⟷ 変わる
変える (kaeru) - transitive
"change (something)"
予定を変える "change plans"
考えを変える "change opinion"
Someone changes it
変わる (kawaru) - intransitive
"(something) changes"
天気が変わる "weather changes"
気持ちが変わる "feelings change"
It changes
増やす ⟷ 増える
増やす (fuyasu) - transitive
"increase (something)"
人数を増やす "increase number of people"
お金を増やす "increase money"
Someone increases it
増える (fueru) - intransitive
"(something) increases"
人口が増える "population increases"
体重が増える "weight increases"
It increases
減らす ⟷ 減る
減らす (herasu) - transitive
"decrease (something)"
支出を減らす "decrease spending"
体重を減らす "lose weight"
Someone decreases it
減る (heru) - intransitive
"(something) decreases"
人口が減る "population decreases"
お金が減る "money decreases"
It decreases
Connecting
つなげる ⟷ つながる
つなげる (tsunageru) - transitive
"connect (something)"
線をつなげる "connect lines"
手をつなげる "hold hands"
Someone connects
つながる (tsunagaru) - intransitive
"(something) connects"
電話がつながる "call goes through"
インターネットにつながる "connects to internet"
It connects
Hanging and Attaching
かける ⟷ かかる
かける (kakeru) - transitive
"hang, put on"
絵をかける "hang picture"
鍵をかける "lock"
電話をかける "make phone call"
Someone hangs/puts
Multiple meanings
かかる (kakaru) - intransitive
"(something) hangs, is on"
絵がかかる "picture hangs"
鍵がかかる "is locked"
時間がかかる "takes time"
It hangs/is on
Multiple meanings
Raising and Rising
上げる ⟷ 上がる
上げる (ageru) - transitive
"raise (something)"
手を上げる "raise hand"
値段を上げる "raise price"
Someone raises it
上がる (agaru) - intransitive
"(something) rises"
温度が上がる "temperature rises"
成績が上がる "grades go up"
It rises
下げる ⟷ 下がる
下げる (sageru) - transitive
"lower (something)"
頭を下げる "lower head (bow)"
値段を下げる "lower price"
Someone lowers it
下がる (sagaru) - intransitive
"(something) lowers"
温度が下がる "temperature drops"
成績が下がる "grades drop"
It lowers
Common Mistakes
❌ Mixing up the pairs
✗ ドアを開く (should be 開ける)
✗ 電気がつける (should be つく)
✓ Learn pairs together
Transitive uses を
Intransitive uses が
❌ Using wrong particle
✗ ドアが開ける
✓ Match particle to verb type
✓ ドアを開ける
✓ ドアが開く
Practice with both
Understand the relationship