| Transitive and Intransitive verbs |
| А. Verbs that take a direct object are called transitive verbs. They are indicated by a "v.t." in the dictionary.
The direct object answers the question что? (what?) or кого? (whom?) asked after the verb and receives the action of the verb directly, without prepositions separating the verb from the receiver.
Study the following example: |
| 1. Он читает газету. | 1. He is reading a newspaper. |
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| The verb (читает - is reading) is followed by the noun (газету - a newspaper) answering the question что? (what): - Он читает что? Answer: газету. - He is reading what? Answer: a newspaper.
The noun газету is in the Accusative case. The Accusative case expresses the direct object.
More examples of the transitive verbs followed by the direct object: |
| 2. Она пишет статью. | 1. She is writing an article. | 3. Мы смотрим телевизор. | 2. We are watching TV. | 4. Я изучаю русский язык. | 3. I'm studying Russian. | 5. Они редко слушают музыку. | 3. They listen to the music rarely. |
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| Б. Verbs that do not take a direct object are called intransitive verbs. They are indicated by a "v.i." in the dictionary. An intransitive verb cannot take a direct object by definition.
Study the following example: |
| 1. Он живёт в Москве. | 1. He lives in Moscow. |
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| The verb (живёт - lives) cannot be followed by a noun answering the question что? (what?). The question we ask is где? (where): - Он живёт где? Answer: в Москве. - He lives where? Answer: in Moscow.
The noun в Москве is in the Prepositional case, and it is the indirect object.
More examples of the intransitive verbs followed by the indirect object: |
| 2. Она работает в университете. | 2. She works at university. | 3. Я всегда отдыхаю в воскресенье. | 3. I always relax on Sunday. |
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| Notes - Some verbs may be used both transitively and intransitively.
- Some verbs are transitive in English but intransitive in Russian. Such verbs are to be mentioned and discussed later on.
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