{"id":3776,"date":"2012-09-20T08:00:57","date_gmt":"2012-09-20T08:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=3776"},"modified":"2014-07-17T18:46:33","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T18:46:33","slug":"walking-a-dog-or-more-about-transitive-and-intransitive-verbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/walking-a-dog-or-more-about-transitive-and-intransitive-verbs\/","title":{"rendered":"Walking a Dog or More About Transitive and Intransitive Verbs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week I did a post<\/a> about whether to use nouns in accusative or genitive case after verbs. If you missed the post and don\u2019t feel like reading it now, here\u2019s the rule in the nutshell:<\/p>\n

If a verb is transitive, then use the accusative case.<\/strong>
\nIf a verb is intransitive, then use the genitive case.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Simple enough, isn\u2019t it? Aha! But remember, \u043d\u0435\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u043b \u0431\u0435\u0437 \u0438\u0441\u043a\u043b\u044e\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0439<\/strong> (there are no rules without exceptions) which explains the following real-life sentences by native speakers of Russian:<\/p>\n

\u041b\u0443\u0436\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0432 \u0437\u0430\u044f\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u043b, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u201c\u0443\u0448\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u201d \u0432 \u0441\u0432\u044f\u0437\u0438<\/span> \u0441 \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u0440\u0430\u043c\u0438 2012 \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430<\/strong> – Luzhkov (former mayor of Moscow) states that his firing is connected to the 2012 elections. (See original article<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

\u0420\u0435\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0438 \u043d\u043e\u0447\u0435\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0432 \u0430<\/span>\u044d\u0440\u043e\u043f\u043e\u0440\u0442\u0443<\/span>, \u0441 \u0446\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u044e \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u043f\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0442\u0430\u043c \u0440\u0435\u0431\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0430<\/strong> – We decided to spend the night at an airport so that the child gets enough sleep. (Original source is here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u041f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0443<\/strong> – To wake up a cat (a cat video<\/a>; careful here, don\u2019t get sucked into watching cat videos instead of reading this post)<\/p>\n

\u0420\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0438 \u0435\u0451<\/span> \u0438 \u0432 \u0438\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0442 \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0443\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0438 \u0438 \u043d\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0443 \u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u043b\u0438<\/strong> – Parents both got her into college and found her a job (just some water cooler gossip).<\/p>\n

\u041a\u0442\u043e \u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0443 \u0443<\/span>\u0436\u0438\u043d\u0430\u0435\u0442, \u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0435\u0451<\/span> \u0438 \u0442\u0430\u043d\u0446\u0443<\/span>\u0435\u0442<\/strong> – The one who pays for the girl\u2019s dinner gets to dance with her (for example, watch this interview<\/a> at 0:38)<\/p>\n

\u0423 \u043f\u0438\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0430 \u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0430 – \u043e\u043d \u043b\u0435\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> – A pilot has a job – he flies a plane (enjoy<\/a>, especially at 0:40)<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s going on here? \u0423\u0439\u0442\u0438<\/span><\/strong> (to go away), \u0441\u043f\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to sleep), \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u044b\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong> (to wake up), \u0443<\/span>\u0436\u0438\u043d\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to have supper), \u0442\u0430\u043d\u0446\u0435\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to dance), \u043b\u0435\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to fly) are all intransitive verbs. Yet the nouns are in the accusative case instead of genitive (\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span>, \u0440\u0435\u0431\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0430, \u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0443, \u0435\u0451<\/span>, \u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0443, \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u0442<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

What\u2019s going on here?<\/p>\n

First, a bit of trivia. Do you know that there are a lot more intransitive verbs in Russian than transitive verbs? (Some\u00a0sources<\/a> say the ratio is 2:1, others say it\u2019s closer to 3:1).<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s something else – all transitive verbs in Russian language have intransitive counterparts:<\/p>\n

\u043c\u044b\u0442\u044c – \u043c\u044b\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0412\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u044f \u043f\u043e\u0448\u0451<\/span>\u043b \u043c\u044b\u0442\u044c \u0440\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (Vasya went to wash hands)
\n\u0412\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u044f \u0440\u0435\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u043b, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043f\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span> \u043c\u044b<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong> (Vasya thought it was time to bathe.)<\/p>\n

\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c – \u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041c\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0430 \u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u043a\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0443<\/strong> (Masha is reading a book)<\/p>\n

\u042d<\/span>\u0442\u0430 \u043a\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0430 \u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u043d\u044c \u043b\u0435\u0433\u043a\u043e<\/span> \u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f<\/strong> (This book is easy to read)<\/p>\n

\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u0442\u044c – \u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0439 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u0442 \u0434\u043e\u043c<\/strong> (Nikolay is building a house)<\/p>\n

\u042d<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0434\u043e\u043c \u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0443\u0436\u0435<\/span> \u043c\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e \u043b\u0435\u0442<\/strong> (This house is being built for many years now)<\/p>\n

However, the reverse is not true – not all Russian intransitive verbs have transitive forms. Those that do frequently rely on prefixes to convey transitivity:<\/p>\n

\u041a \u043d\u0430\u043c \u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u0440\u0435\u0432\u0438\u0437\u043e<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> (An auditor is on his way)
\n\u0420\u0435\u0432\u0438\u0437\u043e<\/span>\u0440 \u043e\u0431\u044a\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u0443\u0447\u0440\u0435\u0436\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (An auditor will make his way to all agencies)<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e \u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043c \u044f \u0433\u0443\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u044e<\/strong> (In the evenings I go on walks)
\n\u041f\u043e \u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043c \u044f \u0432\u044b\u0433\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0430\u044e \u0441\u043e\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0443<\/strong> (In the evenings I take my dog for a walk)<\/p>\n

Yet many intransitive verbs simply don\u2019t have transitive forms, including \u0441\u043a\u0443\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to be bored), \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u044b\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong> (to wake up), \u0441\u043c\u0435\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong> (to laugh), \u043b\u0435\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to fly), and many more. If you do want to say that someone enacted these verbs onto an object (or perhaps onto yourself), you\u2019d say:<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0430 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u043d\u0430\u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span> \u0441\u043a\u0443\u043a\u0443<\/strong> (I was bored) or \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0430\u0441\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u043b\u043e<\/strong> (I was bored by this)
\n\u041c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0431\u0443\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0438<\/strong> (I was woken up)
\n\u041c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u043c\u0435\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0438<\/strong> or \u041c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u043d\u0430\u0441\u043c\u0435\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0438<\/strong> (I was moved to laughter)
\n\u042f \u043b\u0435\u0447\u0443<\/span> \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u0442\u0435<\/strong> (I am on a plane) or \u042f \u043f\u0438\u043b\u043e\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u0443\u044e \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (I am piloting a plane)<\/p>\n

But, as you can see from the examples at the beginning of the post, sometimes intransitive verbs are forced to act as transitive. Such \u0440\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u043e\u0431\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (turn of phrase) is used mostly in an informal, conversational language. It is used purposefully by the native speakers to inject the situation with a dash of humor or irony:<\/p>\n

\u0414\u0432\u0430 \u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u044f\u0446\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0434 \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0446 \u0443\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u043b \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span>, \u0430 \u0442\u0435\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u044c \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0443\u0448\u043b\u0438<\/span><\/strong> (Two months ago this scoundrel fired me and now he himself got canned)<\/p>\n

\u041a\u0442\u043e \u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0443 \u043d\u043e\u0447\u0443<\/span>\u0435\u0442, \u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0435\u0451<\/span> \u0438 \u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0442\u0440\u0430\u043a\u0430\u0435\u0442<\/strong> (The one who sleeps with a girl serves her breakfast)<\/p>\n

It is also used a lot by young children who, obviously, do not yet know the whole truth about transitivity of Russian verbs. For example, my child loves nothing more than, as he says it, \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0443, <\/strong>instead of \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0431\u0443\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0443<\/strong> (to wake up mom) at the crack of dawn. I recently overheard a 3-year old say \u0421\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0430 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u0441\u043c\u0435\u0451<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> instead of \u0421\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0430 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u0441\u043c\u0435\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (Sasha is making me laugh).<\/p>\n

Back to the simple rule of \u201caccusative with transitive; genitive with intransitive\u201d<\/strong>. While you probably won\u2019t hear a native Russian speaker say \u044f \u0433\u0443\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u043b \u0441\u043e\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0443<\/strong>, many \u201caccusative with intransitive\u201d phrases pop up in (absolutely authentic) casual conversations.<\/p>\n

P.S. Russian grammar got you confused? Are you feeling frustrated or lost? Let us know what you’re struggling with and we’ll jot a (hopefully) illuminating post or two just for you.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week I did a post about whether to use nouns in accusative or genitive case after verbs. If you missed the post and don\u2019t feel like reading it now, here\u2019s the rule in the nutshell: If a verb is transitive, then use the accusative case. If a verb is intransitive, then use the genitive…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3794,253009,1084,3861,1237,9545,1290,253007],"class_list":["post-3776","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-accusative-case","tag-confusing-russian-phrases","tag-genitive-case","tag-intransitive-verbs","tag-russian-grammar","tag-russian-jokes","tag-russian-verbs","tag-transitive-verbs"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3776","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3776"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3776\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6501,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3776\/revisions\/6501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3776"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3776"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}