Transitive and intransitive verbs

In Spanish there is a great casuistry around the verb forms. One of the multiple classifications of verbs in Spanish is from the concepts of transitivity and intransitivity, terms always linked to the meaning of the verb. Such is the importance of the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs that in the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) appear, preceding the corresponding meanings, the abbreviated marks of "intr." for intransitive verbs and "tr." for transitive verbs.

In this lesson from a TEACHER we will explain what the transitive and intransitive verbs in Spanish, what differences exist between them and we will propose a wide list with examples of both types.

A transitive verb is one that requires the existence of two complements (called arguments) in order to complete the proper meaning of the verb: the subject and the direct object. Transitive verbs follow the following structure:

• Someone (subject) + does (verb) + something (direct object)

Let's see it through an example. The verb

use in Spanish it is constructed as follows: "Someone usessomething ", so to form a correct sentence with this verb we need" Someone who use"(the subject who performs the action) and" something that use or what be used" (the object). For this reason we cannot say in Spanish *I use, which is wrong because we would miss the direct object required by this verb because it is transitive:I wear contact lenses.

It is important to note that there are some verbs, such as to drink or read, that, despite being transitive, the direct object does not have to be present, since, in some way, it is understood. For example, you can say I read a mystery novel and it is also possible I read, because implicit in the meaning of the verb "to read" is the idea that what can be read.

Compared to the above, the intransitive verbs They are those verbs that do not require the presence of an object that receives the action but their meaning only implies the protagonist of the action; that is, the subject. For example, the verb sneeze has the following structure: Someone (subject) + verb, so that there is no direct object and therefore it is correct to say Hersneeze, without the need to add any complement.

Sometimes, some transitive verbs can function as intransitive; that is, without the need to include the direct object either implicitly or explicitly. For example, the verb eat it is transitive since it follows the structure "Someone eats something." However, it is valid to say I eat at the office Monday through Friday.

Once the characteristics of transitive and intransitive verbs have been explained, we propose a list of some of the most recurring verbs in Spanish, organized according to the criteria of transitivity and intransitivity.

• Examples of transitive verbs: open, accompany, love, kiss, seek, close, take, eat, buy, know, care, give, say, turn on, understand, write, listen, exist, read, clean, be born, need, hate, ask, prepare, promise, collect, solve, break, snore, take out, leave, have, touch, use, to sell.
• Examples of intransitive verbs:lose weight, appear, dance, yawn, glow, walk, start, grow, run, sleep, evaporate, scream, run away, cry, rain, meow, lie, die, be born, swim, laugh, breathe, follow, serve, finish, come, live, vomit, fly.