Verbs

Transitive and intransitive verbs

Transitive und intransitive Verben

Transitive verbs are those that can refer to the accusative object (Akkusativobjekt) and answer the question Wen/Was? (whom/what?). They can be used to build a sentence with the passive voice. On the other hand, intransitive verbs are those that cannot refer to an object in the the accusative case Akkusativ and cannot form the passive voice.

Applications

Transitive verbs
  • Translation
  • I am eating a soup. (Passive: A soup is being eaten by me.)
  • Explanation
  • What am I eating? 👉 a soup; the verb essen refers to an object in the Akkusativ case, a sentence in passive voice possible
  • Transitive verbs don't always have to take an object e.g. Ich esse viel. (Passiv: Von mir wird viel gegessen.)
  • Translation
  • Tobias cleaned his flat. (Passive: The flat was cleaned by Tobias.)
Intransitive verbs
  • Translation
  • I am ill. (Passive: not possible)
  • Translation
  • I am going/driving to Berlin. (Passive sentence not possible)

Exceptions and special cases

Verbs that can be both transitive and intransitive

Some verbs depending on the meaning might be transitive or intransitive. Most often when a verb takes an object, it is transitive. If there is no object, then the verb is usually intransitive.

  • Translation
  • My father is going/driving to Berlin.
  • Explanation
  • fahren in the sense of "to drive" (movement involving changing the location); intransitive verb (the subject 👉 mein Vater, no object); sentence in passive voice cannot be built
  • Translation
  • My father is driving me to Berlin.
  • Explanation
  • fahren in the sense of giving sb a ride; transitive verb (the subject 👉 mein Vater, the object 👉 mich); a sentence in the passive voice can be built (Ich werde von meinem Vater nach Berlin gefahren.)
  • Translation
  • I hung the picture on the wall.
  • Explanation
  • hängen (hängte gehängt) in the sense "to hang" (motion); transitive verb (the subject 👉 ich, the object 👉 ein Bild) and regular conjugation; a sentence in the passive voice can be built (Ein Bild ist von mir an die Wand gehängt.)
  • Translation
  • A picture/painting was hanging on the wall.
  • Explanation
  • hängen (hing gehangen) in the sense of "to hang / to be hanging" (motionless, already hanging); intransitive verb (the subject 👉 ein Bild, no object) and irregular conjugation; sentence in passive voice cannot be built