Transitive and intransitive verb examples. Determining the transitivity of a verb

Transitivity/intransitivity is a category on the basis of which the relationship between the subject and object of an action can be distinguished. The meaning of this category is that the subject performs a certain action, and its result may or may not “appear” (not transfer) to the subject. Therefore, verbs in Russian are divided into transitive and intransitive.

Transitive and intransitive verbs. Lexical meaning

To determine transitivity, it is necessary to identify a key feature that acts as an addition to the verb and has a certain case marking.

A transitive verb is a verb that has the meaning of an action that is aimed at an object and changes or produces it (check the work, dig a hole).

Intransitive verb - denotes movement or position in space, or a moral state, or a physical state.

So-called labile verbs are also distinguished. They can act as both transitive and intransitive (the editor edits the manuscript - the world is ruled by the person himself).

Syntactic difference

The syntactic difference between transitive and intransitive verbs is associated with lexical meaning. Transitive and intransitive verbs are usually combined:

In addition, the object of action with transitive verbs can also be expressed in the genitive case, but only in the following cases:

• when designating part of an object: buy water, drink tea;
• if the verb has a negation: I have no right, I haven’t read the book.

Transitive and intransitive verbs (table) have the following basic differences.

Morphological characteristics

As a rule, these verbs do not have special But still, certain types of word formation act as indicators of the transitivity or intransitivity of the verb. So, a transitive verb is:

• all verbs with the suffix -sya (make sure);
• denominative verbs in which the suffix -e- or -nicha-(-icha-) stands out: to be picky, to become weak, to be greedy.

Transitive verbs include verbs that are formed from adjectives using the suffix -i-: green, blacken.

There are some cases when, by attaching a prefix to intransitive unprefixed verbs, transitive verbs are formed. Examples: harm and neutralize.

If there is no object in the sentence, then the transitive verb performs the function of an intransitive verb: The student writes well (the property inherent in this person is indicated).

Intransitive verbs contain a special group of reflexive verbs; their formal sign is the suffix -sya (to wash, to return).

Reflexive verbs. Peculiarities

Reflexive verbs are studied in school curriculum, just like transitive verbs (grade 6).

A reflexive verb denotes an action directed towards oneself. It is formed using the particle (postfix) -sya (-s).

The following main features of these verbs can be identified:

• Firstly, they can come from both transitive verbs (dress - dress) and intransitive verbs (knock - knock). But still, reflexive verbs (transitive verbs after adding the postfix -sya (-sya)) in any case become intransitive (to dress - to dress).
• Secondly, these postfixes are added: -sya - after consonants (washed, washed, washed), -sya - after vowels (dressed, dressed). It is worth noting that participles are always written with the postfix -sya (dressing, washing).
• Thirdly, reflexive verbs are formed in three ways: suffixal-postfixal - by adding a suffix and a postfix to the stem (res+vi(t)sya), prefixal-postfixal (na+drink_sya), postfixal (wash+sya).

Formation of derivatives in -sya and passive participles

Since the main morphological properties transitive verbs - the formation of derivatives in -sya and which is not typical for intransitive verbs, let's get acquainted with this process in more detail.

In most cases, a transitive verb is one that forms a passive participle or derivatives with the ending -sya, which can have a reflexive (hurry up), passive (create), or decausative (break up) meaning.

Exceptions are the verbs add (in weight), cost, weigh, and most semelfactives in -nu (pick). In addition, these verbs do not form passive and reflexive derivatives.

But still, there are intransitive verbs that can form passive constructions. For example, the verb expect. He forms a passive from an intransitive construction with the addition in I expect the arrival of Vasily - the arrival of Vasily is expected.

Correlation of verb transitivity

Despite the fact that transitivity does not have a single formal expression, there are still trends that connect the category of transitivity with the formal properties of the verb, for example, with verbal prefixes:

• The overwhelming majority of non-reflexive verbs with the prefix raz- are transitive (to blur, to push apart). The exceptions are: verbs denoting movement with the suffix -va- / -iva- / -a- (waving, driving around); verbs expressing spontaneous changes in the properties of an object, in particular those containing the suffix -nu-, formed from intransitive verbs (soak, melt, swell); verbs containing thematic vowels -e-, which denote a change in properties (get rich, get rich); including calling, thinking about it.
• Almost all containing the prefix iz-, are transitive (exceptions: get wet, run out, deign and others).

Semantic properties of transitive verbs

The Russian language has a large class. In addition to those that are significantly affected by the situation, the verb can have a direct object that plays another semantic role (for example, see, have, create - with these transitive verbs nothing happens to the object, it is not destroyed, does not change).

So it turns out that contrast by transitivity should not be strictly connected with the semantic class of the verb. This means that a transitive verb does not necessarily have to denote an agentive-patient situation. But still, some trends can be noted.

So, a transitive verb is:

Semantic properties of intransitive verbs

Having identified the semantic properties of transitive verbs, we can determine the properties of all the others, that is, intransitive ones:

• Verbs are one-place, without objects, that is, characterizing a change in the state of the patient (direct object, significantly affected by the situation), which was not caused by the agent. Or there may be a case when the agent plays an insignificant role: die, rot, fall, get wet.
• Doubles with an indirect addition. That is, verbs of help (with the exception of support): promote, help, condone, assist.
• Verbs that are used with an object speaking integral part agentive participant of the verb (to move, move, wave).
• Verbs of perception of a fictitious situation (count on, expect (what), rely on, hope for).

Non-canonical types of direct objects

It has already been said more than once that the key property of transitive verbs is the ability to interact with the direct object in accusative case. But there are classes of verbs that are used not only with nouns and pronouns in the accusative case, but also with a word or phrase of another part of speech that is semantically identical to it to one degree or another. These could be:

• prepositional phrase (I scratched his ear);
• genitive group (grandfather did not read this newspaper);
• adverbial group (he drinks a lot, I decided so);
• sentential actant (infinitive phrase - I like to go to the theater; subordinate clause used together with the conjunction -so that or -that - I understood that he would go to the sea; subordinate clause together with the conjunction -when - I don’t like it when it rains).

Some of the listed constructions can not only replace the direct object used with transitive verbs, but also be used to express a similar function with intransitive verbs. Namely:

Analogues of the above additions in the accusative case have varying degrees prototypical properties of direct objects.

Let's sum it up

Despite the fact that this topic is one of the difficult ones, we were able to determine what a transitive verb means. We also learned to distinguish it from the intransitive and distinguish reflexive ones from the latter. And to prove this, let us give as an example phrases with transitive verbs, with intransitive and reflexive verbs:

• transitional: paint the walls, treat a patient, read a book, sew a suit, widen a sleeve, buy tea, drink water, has no right, rock a child;
• intransitive: walk the streets, believe in goodness, walk in the park, become exhausted from fatigue;
• reflexive: achieve a goal, disagree, get closer to each other, obey the boss, think about existence, vouch for a brother, touch on an issue.

Verbs of the Russian language are transitional And intransitive. General value transitivity/intransitivity characterized relation of action to object (S – V – O).

Transitional are called verbs that can have a direct object as a complement (i.e., they denote an action directed at an object). Indicator transitivity serves accusative direct object or genitive case with certain meanings.

Meaning transitivity- an internal property of a verb, it is included in its semantics(implicitly presented). Wed: pour, meet, chop etc. (whom? or What?). This action necessarily presupposes the presence of a direct object.

Genitive The direct object has two meanings:

• 1) how part of the whole: drink (what?) waterat(V.p.) – drink (what?) waters(R. p.) (= “drink only part of the water, not all the water”);
• 2) when verbs with negation: does not read (neither) newspapers, (nor) books(R.p.) etc. (cf. reads (what?) books, newspapers(V.p.) – doesn't read (what?) - Not - neg. particles. + neither– will strengthen, particles, with negation (and without neither)).

Intransitive verbs denote an action that is confined to the subject and does not go directly to the object: growing, sitting etc. Indicator intransitivity is absence of direct object with a verb (i.e. if the verb does not allow questions of the accusative case (who? what?), then it is intransitive).

Phenomenon transitivity/intransitivity– reflection lexical (semantic) specifics of the verb. Intransitive verbs mean actions sufficient for information, so they can be used absolutely, out of connection with some other word, without a spreading complement. Transitional verbs are called actions that do not exhaust information, For example: the child asks... (what?), the student listens... (what?). Therefore, transitive verbs cannot be used absolutely, but need extenders, direct objects: the child asks... (what?) a toy, a pencil(compare with the infinitive - eat, drink etc.) etc.; student listens to... (what?) lecture, message, report etc.

Transitivity/intransitivity is not marked (cf. verbs read– transitional and sleep– intransitive). However meaning of intransitivity can be marked with postfix(intransitive formant). If you attach a postfix to any verb -sya, it will be intransitive, returnable.

Transitive verbs are not marked in any way, and intransitive verbs are either marked or not marked. Wed: took it, read it(not marked) – transitional; tookXia(marked), slept(not marked) – intransitive.

Usually formal indicators There is no transitivity/intransitivity, but there is a group of verbs in which transitivity/intransitivity is distinguished by suffix:

• – verbs with suffixes -icha- or -nicha-, -stvova-, -well- (carpenternothingugh, buoystvovayeah, that's a good ideaWelluh, morgueWellt etc.) are intransitive;
• – verbs with suffix -And- may be transitional ( prosAndt, rankAndt) ,
• – verbs with suffix -A- can be either transitional ( kissesAt, startAt), and intransitive ( chromiumAt, moanAt etc.).

Let's compare verbs with suffixes -e-/-i-: verbs with meaning state Always intransitive (blacket, whiteet(= “to oneself”)), and verbs meaning “to perform an action on someone” are transitional (synAndt... (What? – underwear), whiteAndugh... (what! – walls)). In the same relation with suffixes -e-/-i- there are verbs formed in the prefix-suffix way: bleedingAndt(+ V. p.) – bleedinget(= "yourself"). Likewise: weaken - weaken the squad(I.p.) – exhaustedel(continuous) – exhaustedAndthere is an enemy(V. p. - transition).

There are the following ways to define verbs by the property of transitivity/intransitivity, indicating the basis for the definition:

• 1) transition, since there is an accusative case of the direct object;
• 2) transition, since there is a genitive hope of the direct object in negation;
• 3) transition, since there is a genitive case of a part of the whole;
• 4) transition, since the verb has an infinitive, which is replaced by the accusative or genitive of the direct object;
• 5) transition, since the verb has a dative with a preposition By, replaced by the accusative of the direct object;
• 6) transition, since the verb has an unchangeable nominal form (or an unchangeable quantitative combination), which is replaced by the accusative of the direct object.

Grammar The differences between transitive and intransitive verbs are as follows.

• 1. Everything returnable verbs are intransitive (quarrel, meet etc.). Reflexive verbs can be formed from transitional And intransitive. It is very important to learn how to define the postfix function -xia :
  • a) he can change grammatical form words, i.e. be a means of forming collateral values;
  • b) joining a verb, it forms a word with a new lexical meaning;
  • c) can attach to a verb meaning of impersonality(For example: it's getting dark);
  • d) without postfix -xia verb not used(word formation).

Wed. pleaseXia(formative meaning – please

• (transition) + -xia(uninterrupted)), agreeXia(word-forming meaning – without -xia not used). Likewise: stopXia(form.), persuadeXia(form.), bring closerXia(form.), likeXia(words) turn whiteXia(form.), meetXia(form.), uniteXia(form.), be proudXia(words).
• 2. Only from transitional verbs can be formed passive participles (read – chitaNNoh, readI eaty; decide – decideenneth etc.).

There is no sharp boundary between transitive and intransitive verbs. Many transitional verbs can be used in not a transitive meaning. Wed: He singssong(transitive, since there is a direct object in the form of the accusative case without a preposition) – He's great sings(the verb is used in an intransitive meaning, since there is no direct object in the expressive sentence). Likewise: Boy reading a book – The boy is reading. But if intransitive verbs are formed from transitive verbs ( meet – meetXia, wash – washXia etc.), then intransitive verbs cannot become transitive.

• Historically postfix -xia was an indicator of the transitivity of the corresponding verb, but by joining the verb, it eliminated the placement of the accusative case with this verb. With some verbs, the accusative case is possible (usually instead of the genitive), but this does not make the verb transitive.

Write the verbs in a column, determine their type, find, if possible, a species pair, if not, explain the reason.

Guessing game

cut - cut

Characterize – two-species

Hearing is one-species, does not strive for change.

To appear - to appear

Run - one-species, verb. movement

Applaud – single-species, multiple times

Take - take

To know - to know

Vesti - single-species, verb. movement

Talk - say

All verbs of the Russian language in relation to the object (subject) of action are divided into 2 groups: transitive and intransitive. Transitivity - intransitivity is related to the meaning of the verb itself.

In the language, some verbs denote an action aimed at an object, which at the same time changes (paint the house) or arises as a result of this action (write a letter) such verbs are called transitional.

Possibility or impossibility of asking a verb a question whom? What?– method of determining transitivity/intransitivity.

The object to which the action is directed is direct object action, it is expressed by a noun in the accusative case without a preposition: Old man caught seine fish.

The object of action in transitive verbs can also be expressed in the genitive case:

1) when designating part of an object ( drink tea),

2) if there is a negation of the verb ( don't buy milk).

Verbs have no morphological signs of transitivity, with the exception of the group of verbs like whiten - turn white, blacken - turn black and verbs with a prefix obez- (obes-): depopulate - depopulate, bleed - bleed. In these pairs the verbs end in – it are transitive, and verbs in -there are– intransitive.

Transitive verbs are:

1) verbs denoting actions that create something: build, draw, construct;

2) verbs denoting actions that destroy something: break, demolish, destroy;

3) verbs of perception: see, hear, feel.

When determining the transitivity/intransitivity of a verb, it is necessary to establish indicators of transitivity. In a sentence, the indicator of transitivity is the direct object - a noun or pronoun in V.p. without pretext or in R.p. – when denying or expressing a part of the whole, as well as equivalents of V.p.

1) The sentence lacks a direct object, but it can be restored from the context or situation: They probably have bread. Buy they have, okay?

2) The verb has inf-v, which can be replaced by V.p. without preposition: I love sleep in attics(K. Paust).

3) There is no direct object with the verb, but there is a subordinate clause that can be replaced by V.p. without preposition: Natasha saw that steam locomotives run on rails.

4) There is no V. or R.p with the verb. direct object, but there are stable combinations (D.p. with By, quantitative combinations), which can be replaced by V.p. without preposition: Now I'd like a hot cutlet eat. Let's more details - I'll collect everything(I. Vasilenko).

5) With the verb there is a substantivized unchangeable word, which is replaced by V.p. without preposition: I bet you feel good.

In all of the above cases, the verb in the sentence does not have a direct object, but you can ask a question about it whom? What?, so it's transitional.

Intransitive verbs- these are verbs that denote an action that is not capable of moving to a direct object, therefore they are not combined with nouns in the accusative case without a preposition: turn blue, walk, be sad, rush.

Intransitive verbs are:

1) verbs of being, existence: to be, to exist, to be;

2) verbs of motion: walk, swim, ride;

3) verbs of physical and mental state: stand, get sick, get angry;

4) verbs of type of activity, occupation: teach, carpenter;

5) verbs denoting behavior: to be brave, to be young;

6) verbs of auditory and visual perception: knock, sparkle.

Intransitivity can be formally expressed or unexpressed. The affix serves as an indicator of intransitivity -sya: rejoice, gather. But verbs without - Xia:dream, work.

Verbs with the suffix –sya (-s) are called returnable, they constitute a special type of intransitive verbs (cf.: wash the child - transitive verb, wash – intransitive). Thanks to the addition of the affix -sya verb wash became intransitive and received an additional semantic connotation - myself.

Difficult cases definitions of transitivity/intransitivity of verbs

1. When determining transitivity/intransitivity, you need to take into account the meaning in which the verb is used in a sentence: there are cases when in one meaning it is transitive, in another it is intransitive.

Finally everything fell silent.

Everything can be lost, everything that has been collected over centuries, everything can shut up, threatening reprisals... And only human memory cannot be concreted and destroyed!(S. Mikhalkov).

2. When analyzing V.p. a direct object must be delimited from the V.p. with adverbial meaning: Village residents light fires all night (K. Paust.). The soul must work and day and night, and day and night (N. Zabolotsky).

Verbs in can be divided into 2 large semantic types:

1) denoting an action that passes to an object and changes it;

2) denoting an action that is closed in itself and does not transfer to an object.

The first type includes verbs of creation, destruction, many verbs of speech and thought, for example: build, grow, educate; break, break, destroy; say, think, feel.

The second type combines verbs that express a certain state. Examples: lie, sit, sleep, feel.

Similar semantics of verbs in the form domain using the category of transitivity.

Verbs that denote an action that transfers to an object and are combined with a case form without are called transitive.

Verbs that are unable to denote an action passing to an object and cannot be combined with without a preposition are intransitive.

Examples: Tatyana wrote a letter to Onegin. The verb “wrote” is transitive.

He writes and translates well. The verbs “writes”, “translates”, denoting the ability to perform some action, are intransitive.

Transitivity is a lexico-grammatical category, therefore the category is determined strictly by formal features, and not by context.

The central part of transitive verbs includes verbs with negation, combined with the genitive, for example: dislike literature.

Indirect transitive verbs

Indirectly transitive verbs are also distinguished, which can be combined with an object without

The transitivity of a verb in Russian is determined by its ability to denote an action directed directly at an object. This is expressed grammatically by the fact that the verb controls the noun in the accusative case without a preposition. There are many examples of such constructions - “catch fish”, “write a letter”, “clean the carpet”.

How to determine the transitivity of a verb? There is nothing complicated in such an operation; it is enough to mentally ask him the question: “Who?”, “What?” If the verb is used in a negative context ( don't buy milk), the case changes to genitive - this should be remembered.

The meaning of transitive and intransitive verbs

Linguists have established that the transitivity and intransitivity of a verb are differentiated by the meaning of words. Thus, transitive verbs refer to various actions on objects. They can be created, destroyed or modified ( build a building, chop wood, destroy a house). The object can also remain unchanged ( congratulate mom). The same list includes combinations denoting the sensory perception of an object with the verbs “look”, “listen”, etc.

In turn, intransitive verbs are characterized by the following meanings:

• physical or mental condition ( be afraid, doze);
• appearance of a sign, its intensification ( blush);
• movement or location in space ( go, sit);
• activities, skills ( manage).

Morphological signs of intransitivity

The main difference between transitive and intransitive verbs lies in the ability to form passive participles. Compare the number of impersonal forms of the words “draw” and “walk”:

Paint

Walk

Sometimes the transitivity of a verb is determined based on the infinitive. There are derivational types of verbs that cannot be transitive:

Reflexive verbs

Of all the formal features, the transitivity and intransitivity of the verb are best distinguished by the postfixes -sya-/-s-. Once upon a time they were forms of the pronoun “oneself” until they lost their independence. This origin of the postfix determined the specific name of verbs - reflexive (the action is directed at the agent himself). Compare: wash your face And wash your face.

All reflexive verbs are intransitive. And this is absolutely understandable: why use an additional noun next to them if the transitivity of the verb is contained in the structure of the word itself?

Particularly difficult cases

Sometimes the question of how to determine the transitivity of a verb can be confusing. The main difficulty is that certain words with the meaning of action can be used differently in different contexts. Consider the sentences: " Child reading a book" And " The child is already reading".In the first case, an action takes place aimed at a specific object - a book. The main purpose of the second sentence is to convey information that the child is able to perceive what is written, that is, the verb “read” acts as intransitive. Another, more understandable example is with the word “shut up.” Compare: " Everyone finally fell silent" And " Silence a certain fact"(that is, deliberately not mentioning something).

Before determining the transitivity of a verb, it is necessary to check whether the noun next to it in the accusative case has an adverbial meaning. In the sentence “We studied all night,” the nominal component is used as a temporary characteristic, and not as an object on which the action is performed.

Some transitive verbs control nouns in the genitive case outside of negation ( buy notebooks, pick berries). In other cases, parallel forms are possible - wait for a trolleybus / trolleybus, which are differentiated in accordance with the category of certainty/uncertainty. So, after the phrase “I’m waiting for a trolleybus” I would like to add “at number 5”. But the form of the genitive case implicitly indicates that the speaker himself is not entirely sure what kind of vehicle he needs. He's just waiting and that's it.

A similar situation occurs with constructions like “drink tea/tea.” The existence of two parallel forms should not be confusing. The genitive case indicates that they are going to drink cup/glass tea. However, in both the first and second cases, the verb is transitive.

For the curious

You can often hear phrases like “walk/swim me” from young children. Such an error indicates a good sense of language that every child is endowed with. A few centuries ago we had many more verbs governing nouns without prepositions in the accusative case. Now their number has decreased. Perhaps someday the transitivity of the verb in the Russian language will cease to exist altogether. However, it is difficult to judge how true this information is, so it still doesn’t hurt to repeat the above material once again.