is there a 自動詞/他動詞 dictionary available?

[untmdsprt]

I'm working on the supplement みんなの日本語 books, and one exercise is wanting me to write both the transitive and intransitive verbs that have the same meaning. For example: 開ける、開く both mean "open" but 開ける is used when you physically open the door. 開く means the door is open in its present state.

I am in Japan, so buying the book wouldn't be a problem if it exists.


Thanks to anyone who knows of such a thing.

[QuackingShoe]

I don't know any, but you can-
Hmm. I just started to state 'a rule of thumb', then 'a few rules of thumb', and then realized I had no rules of thumb at all, I just kindof know how they work.

Sooo... no help there, sorry.

[untmdsprt]

I do have a "Handbook of Japanese verbs" that has a list in the back and whether or not they're transitive or intransitive. I'll have to look at that and see if it helps.

I do know one takes が while the other takes を

[QuackingShoe]

Oh, do you not know what intransitive and transitive mean as a general thing? That's fairly easy to explain: A transitive verb takes an object (the action is [i]trans[i]fers to the object), and an intransitive verb does not (explaining the negative 'in').
The Japanese names are just as explanatory, being 自動詞 (an intransitive verb, that is, one that's action is contained within itself) and 他動詞 (a transitive verb, that is, one that's action is applied to something else).

So 壊す is transitive 他動詞, and 壊れる is intransitive, 自動詞. The first is used when something breaks something else, the latter is used when something breaks. They both 'take' が, but with a 他動詞 (in the active tense) the thing marked by が breaks the thing marked by を, and with a 自動詞 the thing marked by が is what ends up broken. 自動詞 do not take を (usually).

But if you're looking for a dictionary that lets you look up 壊す and see that 壊れる is an intransitive equivalent, I not personally familiar with anything.

[Belton]

If you just need to check the pairing you can do it using Edict's dataset.
On the Mac using JEDict you can do a search using the kanji root "search for verbs that start with xx" Most likely the first two results will be the transitive and intransitive pair.
I am guessing that online resources or a PC dictionary reader would allow you to make a similar search.

I found this listing that may also be of help.
http://www.sljfaq.org/afaq/jitadoushi.html

If you have the Japan Times Dictionary of Basic Grammar there's a short list pointing out the main patterns in Appendix 3

Maybe a course of action would be to find out the pairing of verbs you already know, and when you learn new verbs check for a corresponding transitive or intransitive pairing.

I suspect that the topic is only something that concerns second language learners. For a native speaker it would be one of the many things they just know somehow, having learnt the language naturally.

[untmdsprt]

@Quack - I do know the differences, but just trying to find the right one is challenging. Also some meanings have 3 or more verbs that you could use, but deciding which one is another challenge. Looking up the verbs for "open" gave me at least 6.

Thanks Belton, I'll have to look at that page. I did look in a children's dictionary here, and it did list whether or not a verb was transitive or not. I may need to invest in a J-J dictionary one day.

[Belton]

Also some meanings have 3 or more verbs that you could use, but deciding which one is another challenge. Looking up the verbs for "open" gave me at least 6.

A slightly different problem. You need a learners dictionary. And the only one I've come across is the Oxford Beginners. It's quite good on pointing out differences and usages, but it's a bit basic. (Although you can now get an iPhone version which is both cheaper and more useful than the print edition) After that the only way is through good example sentences. Check out the dictionaries built in to Mac OS X they're very good.

I did look in a children's dictionary here, and it did list whether or not a verb was transitive or not.

Again Edict gives these grammatical details about entries. What it's not good at is usage or differentiation.

[Jessi]

A slightly different problem. You need a learners dictionary. And the only one I've come across is the Oxford Beginners. It's quite good on pointing out differences and usages, but it's a bit basic. (Although you can now get an iPhone version which is both cheaper and more useful than the print edition)

I agree with this recommendation - I had this dictionary in print form and loved it! (Wish I still had it now, in fact.. ) It is very clear in explaining usage and there is no romaji used anywhere. You have to look up the words using the Japanese order.
Belton - do you mean that there is an iPhone version of this same dictionary? I'll have to look into that!

[Belton]

Belton - do you mean that there is an iPhone version of this same dictionary? :o I'll have to look into that!

I have this version
http://itunes.apple.com/app/msdict-begi ... 73347?mt=8
which has the full text including the essays and appendixes

There was another version which had a load of English audio files which I thought a bit useless for a dictionary aimed at English speakers. This seems to have been withdrawn from the app store. (It's a bit disconcerting when this happens. I have the excellent Kodansha Kanji Learners Dictionary for the iPhone that also seems to have completely disappeared from the UK, Japan and US stores. )

[ChocolateMesher]

Here is a book I actually very recently bought that's made just for similar verbs and has a whole section on transitive and intransitive verbs: http://chokochoko.wordpress.com/2010/02 ... ok-review/

In this blog, it's reviewed so you can learn more about it and it's available on whiterabbitpress.com

Only thing is that it's all in Japanese but it's made for intermediate level learners so it has furigana for all the kanji and it uses simple language.

Check it out if you like.

[Javizy]

Japanese (code from Tokyo) was just updated and "transitivity pairs" was included on the feature list.

[untmdsprt]

Here is a book I actually very recently bought that's made just for similar verbs and has a whole section on transitive and intransitive verbs: http://chokochoko.wordpress.com/2010/02 ... ok-review/

In this blog, it's reviewed so you can learn more about it and it's available on whiterabbitpress.com

Only thing is that it's all in Japanese but it's made for intermediate level learners so it has furigana for all the kanji and it uses simple language.

Check it out if you like.

Thanks! I'll have to go to the local bookstore and see if they have this one.

I've been using my dictionary app that came with Snow Leopard more and more and trying to take the time to read the Japanese only dictionary.

That's too bad about the Kanji learner's dictionary. At least I have it on my Casio dictionary.