BOTH TRANSITIVELY AND INTRANSITIVELY USED ENGLISH VERBS

Yksel Gknel

2013

BOTH TRANSITIVELY AND INTRANSITIVELY USED ENGLISH VERBS BOTH TRANSITIVELY AND INTRANSITIVELY USED ENGLISH VERBS
(The Ambitransitive English Verbs)
Some English verbs are both transitive and intransitive. There are few verbs used in this fashion in Turkish. Therefore, those who are studying English or Turkish as a second language face some difficulties in learning them. In the following list, you can find frequently used English verbs that are used both transitively and intransitively. The Turkish equivalents of such verbs and how their allomorphs change are given in the examples below. As it has already been noted, the identical vowels that follow each other combine, and the single underlined consonants detach from their syllables and attach to the first vowels of the following allomorphs during the syllabication process: Yumurta-lar kayna-.yor. (yu*mur*ta*lar / kay*n*yor ) The eggs are boiling. (The Turkish and the English verbs are intransitive.) Fatma yumurta kayna-at-,yor. (fat*ma / yu*mur*ta / kay*na*t*yor ) Fatma is boiling eggs. (transitive) In the first Turkish sentence above, the intransitive verb kayna has changed into kaynat transitive verb fram e to take the object yumurta. However, the English verb boil has not changed. This shows us that the English verb boil can be used both transitively and intransitively. In the following sentences, the explanations in parentheses are about the Turkish sentences. However, when necessary, both Turkish and English verbs are explained in parentheses: Ate yan-.yor. (a*te / ya*n*yor ) The fire is burning. (intr.) Ate parmaklarn yak-ar. (a*te / par*mak*la*r*n / ya*kar ) Fire burns your fingers. (tran.) Dkkn-lar saat yedi-de kapa-an-r. (dk*kn*lar / sa*at / ye*di*de / ka*pa*nr ) Shops close at seven. (reflexive) (They close themselves.)

BOTH TRANSITIVELY AND INTRANSITIVELY USED ENGLISH VERBS

Onlar dkkn-lar- yedi-de kapa-at-r-lar. (on*lar / dk*kn*la*r / sa*at / ye*di*de / ka*pa*tr*lar ) They close the shops at seven. (tran.) Dkkn-lar saat yedi-de kapa-at-l-r. (dk*kn*lar / sa*at / ye*di*de / ka*pa*t*lr ) The shops are closed at seven. (passive) Renk-ler sonbahar-da dei-ir. (renk*ler / son*ba*har*da / de*i*ir ) The colors change in the autumn. (intr) (O) giysi-ler-i-/n/i dei-tir-i.yor. (o ~/ giy*si*le*ri*ni / de*i*ti*ri*yor ) He is changing his clothes. (tran.) imdi mutfak-ta yemek pi-ir-i.yor. (im*di / mut*fak*ta / ye*mek / pi*i*ri*yor ) She is cooking in the kitchen now. (Turkish tran.) (English intr.) O, balk pi-ir-i.yor. (o / ba*lk / pi*i*ri*yor ) She is cooking fish. (tran.) Yemek pi-ti. (ye*mek / pi*ti ) The meal has cooked. (intr) Meyve-ler olgun-la-n.ca aa-lar-dan d-er. (mey*ve*ler / ol*gun*la*n*ca / a*a*lar*dan / d*er ) Fruits drop from trees when they ripen. (intr.) Kalem-i-/n/i d-r-d. (ka*le*mi*ni / d*r*d ) She dropped her pencil. (tran.) Baz nehir-ler yaz-n kuru-ur. (ba*z / ne*hir*ler / ya*zn / ku*rur ) Some rivers dry up in the summer. (intr.) El-ler-i-/n/i ben-im havlu-um-la kuru-la-ma. (el*le*ri*ni / be*nim / hav*lum*la / ku*ru*la*ma ) Dont dry your hands on my towel. (tran.)

BOTH TRANSITIVELY AND INTRANSITIVELY USED ENGLISH VERBS

Sava son-a er-di. (sa*va / so*na / er*di ) The war ended. (intr.) Sava- son-a er-dir-di-ler. (sa*va* / so*na / er*dir*di*ler ) They ended the war. (tran.) Bir bomba patla-d. (bir / bom*ba / pat*la*d ), or (bir / bom*ba / pat*la*d ) A bomb exploded. (intr.) Onlar bir bomba patla-at-t-lar. (on*lar / bir / bom*ba / pat*lat*t*lar ) They exploded a bomb. (tran.) nekler tarla-da besle-en-i.yor-lar. (i*nek*ler / tar*la*da / bes*le*ni*yor*lar ) The cows are feeding (grazing) in the field. (reflexive) Kpek-im-i her sabah besle-er-im. (k*pe*i*mi / her / sa*bah / bes*le*rim ) I feed my dog every morning. (tran.) Sokak-lar k-n amur-la dol-ar. (so*kak*lar / k*n / a*mur*la / do*lar ) The streets fill up with mud in winter.(intr.) Kalem-im-i siyah mrekkep-le dol-dur. (ka*le*mi*mi / si*yah / m*rek*kep*le / dol*dur ) Fill my pen with black ink. (tran.) henz bit-me-di. (i / he*nz / bit*me*di ) The work hasnt finished yet. (intr.) -im-i henz bit-ir-me-di-im. (i*i*mi / he*nz / bi*tir*me*dim ) I havent finished my work yet. (tran.) Ku-lar hava-da u-ar. (ku*lar / ha*va*da / u*ar ) Birds fly in the sky. (intr.)

BOTH TRANSITIVELY AND INTRANSITIVELY USED ENGLISH VERBS

ocuk-lar uurtma u-ur-u.yor-lar. (o*cuk*lar / u*urt*ma / u*u*ru*yor*lar ) The boys are flying kites. (tran.) Patates-ler kzar-.yor. (pa*ta*tes*ler / k*za*r*yor ) The potatoes are frying. (intr.) O, balk kza-art-.yor. (o~ / ba*lk / k*zar*t*yor ) She is frying fish. (tran.) Pamuk Adanada yeti-ir. (pa*muk / a*da*na*da / ye*ti*ir ) Cotton grows in Adana. (intr.) Adanada pamuk yeti-tir-ir-ler. (a*da*na*da / pa*muk / ye*ti*ti*rir*ler ) They grow cotton in Adana. (tran.) Kap-/n/n arka-/s/-/n/a sakla-an-.yor. (ka*p*nn / ar*ka*s*na / sak*la*n*yor ) He is hiding behind the door. (reflexive) (He is hiding himself.) Mektup-lar--/n/ sakla-ar. (mek*tup*la*r*n / sak*lar ) She hides her letters. (tran.) Zorluk-lar-m.z art-.yor. (zor*luk*la*r*mz / ar*t*yor ) Our difficulties are increasing. (intr.) Hz-n- art-r-ma. (h*z*n / ar*tr*ma ) Dont increase your speed. (tran.) iek-ler sabah-le.yin a-ar. (i*ek*ler / sa*bah*le*yin / a*ar ) Flowers open in the morning. (intr.) Sabah-le.yin pencere-ler-i a-ar-z. (sa*bah*le*yin / pen*ce*re*le*ri / a*a*rz ) We open the windows in the morning. (tran.) (The verb "a" is used both transitively and intransitively in Turkish as it is used in English.)

BOTH TRANSITIVELY AND INTRANSITIVELY USED ENGLISH VERBS

At-lar yar-.yor. (at*lar / ya*r**yor ) The horses are racing. (intr.) At-lar- yar-tr-.yor-lar. (at*la*r / ya*r*t*r*yor*lar ) They are racing the horses. (tran.) Elma-lar scak hava-da olgun-la-r. (el*ma*lar / s*cak / ha*va*da / ol*gun*la*r ) Apples ripen in warm weather. (intr.) Note: "Ol" is a verb root, "ol-gun" is an adjective stem, "ol-gun-la" is an intransitive verb frame, "ol-gun-la-tr" is a transitive verb frame. Scak hava elma-lar- olgun-la-tr-r. (s*cak / ha*va / el*ma*la*r / ol*gun*la*t*rr ) Warm weather ripens the apples. (tran.) Zil al-.yor. (zil / a*l*yor ) The bell is ringing. (intr.) Zil-i al. (zi*li / al ) Ring the bell. (tran.) (Both "al " and "ring" verbs are used both transitively and intransitively in Turkish and English.) Bazen kaya-lar tepe-ler-den aa yuvarlan-r. (ba:*zen / ka*ya*lar ~/ te*pe*ler*den / a*a* / yu*var*la*nr ) Sometimes rocks roll down the hills. (reflexive) Baz kimse-ler tepe-den aa kaya-lar- yuvarla-.yor-lar. (ba:*z / kim*se*ler~ / te*pe*den / a*a* / ka*ya*la*r / yu*var*l*yor*lar ) Some people are rolling rocks down the hill. (tran.) Baz kz-lar nehir-de yz-.yor. (ba:*z / kz*lar / ne*hir*de / y*z*yor ) Some girls are swimming in the river. (intr.) ocuk-lar model kayk-lar--/n/ yzdr-.yor. (o*cuk*lar / mo*del / ka*yk*la*r*n / yz*d*r*yor*lar ) The children are sailing their modal boats. (tran.)

BOTH TRANSITIVELY AND INTRANSITIVELY USED ENGLISH VERBS

Yer sarsl-.yor. (yer / sar*s*l*yor ) The ground is shaking. (reflexive) la- i-me-den nce ie-/y/i alkala (sars). (i*la*c / i*me*den / n*ce / i*e*yi / al*ka*la ) Shake the bottle before taking the medicine. (tran.) kinci Dnya Sava/n/-da birok gemi bat-t. (i*kin*ci / dn*ya: / sa*va*n*da / bir*ok / ge*mi / bat*t ) A lot of ships sank during The Second World War. (intr.) kinci Dnya Sava/n/-da birok gemi batr-d-lar. (i*kin*ci / dn*ya: / sa*va*n*da~ / bir*ok / ge*mi / ba*tr*d*lar ) They sank a lot of ships during The Second World War. (tran.) Gmlek-im-e ay dkl-d. (gm*le*i*me~ / ay / d*kl*d ) Tea spilled on my shirt. (reflexive) Seyhan Nehri Akdeniz-e dkl-r. (sey*han / neh*ri / ak*de*ni*ze / d*k*lr ) The Seyhan River pours into the Mediterranean Sea. (reflexive) Limonata-/y/ yer-e dk-t-m. (li*mo*na*ta*y / ye*re / dk*tm ) I have spilled (spilt) the lemonade on the floor. (tran.) Araba-lar dur-du. (a*ra*ba*lar / dur*du ) The cars stopped. (intr.) Polis araba-lar- durdur-du (po*lis / a*ra*ba*la*r / dur*dur*du ) The police officer stopped the cars. (tran.) Tekerlek-ler dn-.yor. (te*ker*lek*ler / d*n*yor ) The wheels are turning. (intr.) Motor tekerlek-ler-i dndr-r. (mo*tor / te*ker*lek*le*ri / dn*d*rr ) The engine turns the wheels. (tran.)

BOTH TRANSITIVELY AND INTRANSITIVELY USED ENGLISH VERBS

Parmak--/n/a bir ine bat-t. (par*ma**na / bir / i*ne / bat*t ) A needle stuck in her finger. (intr.) Parmak--/n/a bir ine batr-d. (par*ma**na / bir / i*ne / ba*tr*d ) She stuck a needle into her finger. (tran.) Bu pul iyi yap-ma-.yor. (bu / pul / i*yi / ya*p*m*yor ) This stamp doesnt stick well. (intr.) Mektup-un st--/n/e bir pul yaptr. (mek*tu:*bun / s*t*ne / bir / pul / ya*p*tr ) Stick a stamp on the letter. (tran.)

If one hesitates over whether an English verb is transitive or intransitive or whether it is used both transitively and intransitively, he should consult a good dictionary. Note: This document is taken from my book titled "TURKISH GRAMMAR UPDATED ACADEMIC EDITION YUKSEL GOKNEL SEPTEMBER 2013". If you want to download and read it freely, you could find it on the internet. Yksel Gknel