# transitive / intransitive



## Ibn Nacer

Hello,

What is the difference  between transitive and intransitive? What is the definition of these two  words?

Example: the verb بَيَّنَ is transitive or intransitive?

thank you very much


----------



## Razin'

Hi

Well transitive in Arabic is متعدي ie needs an object (مفعول به ) [or two] to convey complete meaning, like the verb you gave as an example.
Intransitive is لازم and means that the verb does not need an object to make sense such as وقف (to stand).

Hope that helped.


----------



## Ibn Nacer

Razin' said:


> Hi
> 
> Well transitive in Arabic is متعدي ie needs an object (مفعول به ) [or two] to convey complete meaning, like the verb you gave as an example.
> Intransitive is لازم and means that the verb does not need an object to make sense such as وقف (to stand).
> 
> Hope that helped.


thank you very much.

So the verb بَيَّنَ is transitive ?


----------



## clevermizo

Ibn Nacer said:


> thank you very much.
> 
> So the verb بَيَّنَ is transitive ?



Yes.


----------



## Ibn Nacer

clevermizo said:


> Yes.


thank you very much.


----------



## Ibn Nacer

Hello,

I want to know if this rules/definition is correct in arabic :

transitive verb

is the verb that is followed by a noun or pronoun that tells who or what received the action of that verb. that noun or pronoun is called the object

  Intaransitive Verb


are verbs that do not have objects. this means that the verb didnt need more than the subject to fullfill the meaning​ ​


----------



## clevermizo

Ibn Nacer said:


> Hello,
> 
> I want to know if this rules/definition is correct in arabic :
> 
> transitive verb
> 
> is the verb that is followed by a noun or pronoun that tells who or what received the action of that verb. that noun or pronoun is called the object
> 
> Intaransitive Verb
> 
> 
> are verbs that do not have objects. this means that the verb didnt need more than the subject to fullfill the meaning​ ​



Yes, I'd say this applies to Arabic as well. For example, the verb فرح means "to become happy", so I can say أنا فرحت without any object. However, a verb like كتب is transitive. If I say أنا كتبت by itself without more context, we wonder ماذا كتبت؟.


----------



## Muwahid

You guys seem like you're making it more complicated than it needs to be! Transitive and intransitive verbs are essential parts of grammar in general. In short when you do something TO something else, it's _transitive _

Transitive Verbs / أفعال متعدية / Af3aal Muta3diyyah_

I slapped you_ <- Transitive; I am the subject verb is slapped, direct object is you

Intransitive Verbs / أفعال غير متعدية / Af3aal Ghayr Muta3diyyah

Just opposed from intransitive, where I can just say something like "He died"; just a subject and the verb with no need for a direct object.


In the case of Arabic there's a few important things to note as well, Arabic has a passive voice, when the passive voice is used the verb becomes intransitive, and the object, then becomes the subject, for example _Futi7a il-baab _(The door was opened) _al-baab _is now the subject for the sentence. This is why it's essential that it's only possible to use a transitive verb in the passive voice!

But I think that's only scratching the surface, there's many other types if you want to get into the technicalities of it; don't forget some transitive verbs are actually ditransitive  verbs for example يعطي which will have a direct object (give to someone) and an indirect object too (gave them what?). 



> is the verb that is followed by a noun or pronoun that tells who or what  received the action of that verb. that noun or pronoun is called the  object



Sometimes, remember Arabic syntax is different so ذهبت أحمد is an intransitive verb even though it's followed by the subject! But if we take a transitive verb ضربتك / ضرب الرجل أحمد now that in blue is actually the *direct object *of the transitive verb _Daraba_. 



> are verbs that do not have objects. this means that the verb didnt need  more than the subject to fullfill the meaning



Sure, just remember the rule for the passive voice and that's basically correct! I'm sure others will have some more useful information too


----------



## Ibn Nacer

clevermizo said:


> Yes, I'd say this applies to Arabic as well.  For example, the verb فرح means "to become happy", so I can say أنا فرحت  without any object. However, a verb like كتب is transitive. If I say  أنا كتبت by itself without more context, we wonder ماذا كتبت؟.


thank you very much.




Muwahid said:


> You guys seem like you're making it more complicated than it needs to be! Transitive and intransitive verbs are essential parts of grammar in general. In short when you do something TO something else, it's _transitive _
> 
> Transitive Verbs / أفعال متعدية / Af3aal Muta3diyyah_
> 
> I slapped you_ <- Transitive; I am the subject verb is slapped, direct object is you
> 
> Intransitive Verbs / أفعال غير متعدية / Af3aal Ghayr Muta3diyyah
> 
> Just opposed from intransitive, where I can just say something like "He died"; just a subject and the verb with no need for a direct object.
> 
> 
> In the case of Arabic there's a few important things to note as well, Arabic has a passive voice, when the passive voice is used the verb becomes intransitive, and the object, then becomes the subject, for example _Futi7a il-baab _(The door was opened) _al-baab _is now the subject for the sentence. This is why it's essential that it's only possible to use a transitive verb in the passive voice!
> 
> But I think that's only scratching the surface, there's many other types if you want to get into the technicalities of it; don't forget some transitive verbs are actually ditransitive  verbs for example يعطي which will have a direct object (give to someone) and an indirect object too (gave them what?).
> 
> 
> 
> Sometimes, remember Arabic syntax is different so ذهبت أحمد is an intransitive verb even though it's followed by the subject! But if we take a transitive verb ضربتك / ضرب الرجل أحمد now that in blue is actually the *direct object *of the transitive verb _Daraba_.
> 
> 
> 
> Sure, just remember the rule for the passive voice and that's basically correct! I'm sure others will have some more useful information too


thank you very much.


----------



## Ibn Nacer

Hello

Is an nun of agent derived  from a transitive verb requires a direct object?

Example : Mubayyin مبَيِّن (is the اسم فاعل of the verb بَيَّنَ )

Can I  use this word alone? Can  it be khabar ? Can it be a subject or adjective? Can you please give me some examples?


----------



## Muwahid

Are you asking if a derived noun from a transitive verb needs an object? In that case no I don't think so. For example an active participle (اسم الفاعل) is derived from a verb to denote the doer of the action e.g., راكب، كاتب، ناطق، شارع. Where as passive participles (اسم المفعول) describes the object of a transitive verb. For example to imprison someone the passive participle is مسجون so the object is مسجون (imprisoned or a prisoner).

But they should be treated as nouns, you can just say هو كاتب (He is a writer) على الشارع (In the street) and so on. And in Arabic adjectives are still considered أسماء so you can use participles as adjectives too.


----------



## Ibn Nacer

Muwahid said:


> Are you asking if a derived noun from a transitive verb needs an object? In that case no I don't think so. For example an active participle (اسم الفاعل) is derived from a verb to denote the doer of the action e.g., راكب، كاتب، ناطق، شارع. Where as passive participles (اسم المفعول) describes the object of a transitive verb. For example to imprison someone the passive participle is مسجون so the object is مسجون (imprisoned or a prisoner).
> 
> But they should be treated as nouns, you can just say هو كاتب (He is a writer) على الشارع (In the street) and so on. And in Arabic adjectives are still considered أسماء so you can use participles as adjectives too.


thank you very much.

الشارع is a nun of agent ? Which verb ?


----------



## Ibn Nacer

hello

a watch that shows the time

ساعة مبَيِّن الوقت

is it correct ?


----------



## Muwahid

The verb يشرع, my Hans-Wehr dictionary gives many definitions for the verb so maybe others can help, from "to prescribe" to "make laws", I do know it's connecting with laws for example شرعي (lawful). Hans-Wehr gave a second defintion for شارع too as "Lawmaker". Maybe one with more expertise can help on this one.


----------



## Ibn Nacer

Ibn Nacer said:


> hello
> 
> a watch that shows the time
> 
> ساعة مبَيِّن الوقت
> 
> is it correct ?



a  watch *is* a tool that shows the time الساعة آلَةٌ مبَيِّن الوقت

rule is clarifier القاعدة مبَيِّن

l'explication est clarifiante or obvious التفسير مبَيِّن​​is it correct ?​


----------



## Ibn Nacer

Muwahid said:


> The verb يشرع, my Hans-Wehr dictionary gives many definitions for the verb so maybe others can help, from "to prescribe" to "make laws", I do know it's connecting with laws for example شرعي (lawful). Hans-Wehr gave a second defintion for شارع too as "Lawmaker". Maybe one with more expertise can help on this one.


thank you very much.


----------

