- What are transitive and intransitive verbs?
- Examples of transitive verbs
- Examples of intransitive verbs
We explain what transitive and intransitive verbs are, how they differ and examples of each one in sentences.
What are transitive and intransitive verbs?
In grammar Y syntax, a distinction is made between verbs transitive and intransitive verbs according to certain criteria both semantic as syntactic, which can be summarized in the presence or absence of a direct object (OD) or direct object (CD) so that the verb can express its full meaning. That is to say:
- Transitive verbs are those that require a direct object.
- Intransitive verbs do not require them.
This can be understood more easily if we contemplate a verb like "buy", than in a prayer as "I buy" shows the lack of a direct complement: what is bought? Without it, the meaning is incomplete. On the other hand, a verb such as "exist" does not require any direct object, and in a sentence such as "I exist" it already expresses its entire meaning, regardless of the circumstances.
So to distinguish between a transitive verb and an intransitive one, it is enough to determine whether the verb allows a direct object or not. This can be done, remember, with the following syntactic tests:
- Replacing the possible direct object with a pronoun Accusative: “lo”, “los”, “la”, “las”, as appropriate, or with the pronoun “eso”. For example: "I buy paper", "I buy it" or "I buy that" (OD = "paper").
- Transforming prayer to passive voice, to see if the possible direct object happens to play the role of subject of the sentence. For example: "I buy paper", "The paper was bought by me" (Subject = "The paper").
- Asking the verb "What?" or "What?", since the logical answer is the direct object. This does not always work, but it is a simple and practical method. For example: "I buy paper", what do I buy? (answer = "paper").
The distinction between transitive and intransitive verbs in Spanish, however, is not absolute. There are always transitive verbs and always intransitive verbs, but some can also belong to one or another category depending on the case. For this reason, some scholars prefer to speak of transitive and intransitive uses or cases of verbs.
For example: in "My brother studies English" we have a transitive verb, since English is what is studied ("My brother studies it" or "My brother studies that").
On the other hand, "My brother studies at night" presents an intransitive verb, since in the action of studying the subject studied does not matter, but the context in which it is done, expressed through a circumstantial complement ("at night"). The verb to studyThus, it serves both transitively and intransitively, depending on the context communicative.
Examples of transitive verbs
Here are some examples of transitive verbs in their respective possible sentences:
- Prayer: Your mother brought a chicken for dinner.
Direct object: a chicken (“Your mother brought that for dinner”)
Transitive verb: to bring
- Prayer: Jonah hasn't done his homework yet.
Direct Object: Your Homework ("Jonah hasn't done it yet")
Transitive verb: do
- Prayer: Tomorrow we will order a pizza.
Direct object: a pizza ("Tomorrow we will order that")
Transitive verb: ask
- Sentence: Can you buy me a tissue?
Direct object: tissue (“Can you buy it for me?)
Transitive verb: purchase
- Sentence: Helena was unable to collect her bags.
Direct object: her bags ("Helena couldn't pick them up")
Transitive verb: pick
- Prayer: Do not touch the merchandise.
Direct object: the merchandise ("Don't touch that")
Transitive verb: play
- Sentence: We want to move the library to the background.
Direct object: the library ("We want to move it to the bottom")
Transitive verb: move
- Prayer: We better avoid unfortunate encounters.
Direct Object: Unfortunate Encounters ("We'd better avoid that")
Transitive verb: avoid
- Prayer: On Thursday they will broadcast a soccer game.
Direct object: a soccer game (“They will broadcast it on Thursday”)
Transitive verb: to transmit
- Prayer: The frosts damaged the celery crops.
Direct object: celery crops (“Frost damaged them”)
Transitive verb: to damage
- Sentence: Your father said he would be back at five.
Direct object: that he would return at five ("Your father said that")
Transitive verb: tell
- Prayer: The neighbors exhausted the water tank.
Direct object: the water tank ("The neighbors exhausted it")
Transitive verb: exhaust
- Prayer: It was not my intention to affect your business.
Direct object: your business ("It was not my intention to affect it")
Transitive verb: to affect
- Sentence: Yesterday I called the cable technician.
Direct Object: The Cable Technician ("I called him yesterday")
Transitive verb: to call
- Prayer: The check has not yet been deposited into my account.
Direct object: the check ("They haven't deposited that into my account yet")
Transitive verb: to deposit
Examples of intransitive verbs
Similarly, we present below some examples of intransitive verbs along with their respective sentences:
- Prayer: Next year we move to Jamaica.
Direct object: Does not apply
Circumstantial complement: to Jamaica
Intransitive verb: move
- Prayer: They began to dance in the middle of the floor.
Direct object: Does not apply
Circumstantial add-on: in the middle of the track
Intransitive verb: dance
- Prayer: My parents always walk hand in hand.
Direct object: Does not apply
Situational complement: always holding hands
Intransitive verb: walk
- Prayer: We will be at Grandma's house.
Direct object: Does not apply
Circumstantial complement: in the grandmother's house
Intransitive verb: be
- Prayer: It rained heavily during the early morning.
Direct object: Does not apply
Circumstantial accessories: poured, during the early morning
Intransitive verb: to rain
- Sentence: Some sectors oppose the government.
Direct object: Does not apply
Indirect object: to the government
Intransitive verb: stand against
- Prayer: We take a detour before reaching Antofagasta.
Direct object: Does not apply
Situational supplement: before arriving in Antofagasta
Intransitive verb: deviate
- Prayer: My grandfather fell across the street.
Direct object: Does not apply
Situational complement: when crossing the street
Intransitive verb: fall down
- Prayer: Don't come back so late this time!
Direct object: Does not apply
Situational add-ons: so late, this time
Intransitive verb: to get back
- Prayer: We will always be faithful to our team.
Direct object: Does not apply
Indirect object: to our team
Situational complement: Always
Intransitive verb: to be
- Prayer: My brother works Monday through Friday.
Direct object: Does not apply
Circumstantial supplement: Monday to Friday
Intransitive verb: to work
- Prayer: Today we will be late.
Direct object: Does not apply
Circumstantial complements: Today, afternoon
Intransitive verb: arrive
- Prayer: Mary has been crying with water since Wednesday.
Direct object: Does not apply
Circumstantial complements: pitchers, from Wednesday.
Intransitive verb: mourn
- Prayer: A specter appeared to the soldiers.
Direct object: Does not apply
Indirect object: to the soldiers
Intransitive verb: show up
- Sentence: The bird suddenly flew away.
Direct object: Does not apply
Situational complement: suddenly
Intransitive verb: fly