N3#verbs#transitive#intransitive#grammar

Transitive / Intransitive Lesson 2

Mastering the distinction between states resulting from intentional actions (〜てある) and ongoing actions or states (〜ている).

Context

The State of the Room

Imagine you walk into a room. You see a window that has been opened by someone to let fresh air in, and it remains open. You also see a cat sleeping on the rug. How do you describe these two different situations?

In Japanese, we distinguish between things that are in a state because someone intentionally did something to them (like the window) and things that are simply in a state (like the cat). Understanding this difference is key to sounding natural.

Explanation

〜ている vs 〜てある

We use 〜ている for ongoing actions or natural states, and 〜てある for states resulting from a deliberate human action.

Intransitive VerbているTransitive Verbてある

Use 〜ている with intransitive verbs to describe a state that exists naturally or is currently happening (e.g., 'The door is open'). The focus is on the current condition of the subject.

Use 〜てある with transitive verbs to describe a state that exists because someone performed an action on an object (e.g., 'The door has been opened'). The focus is on the fact that the action was completed and the result remains.

Tip

Remember: 〜てある always implies that someone did the action intentionally, even if the person who did it is not mentioned.

Examples

Seeing the Difference

Compare these examples to see how the choice of verb and auxiliary changes the nuance.

窓(まど)が開いて(あいて)いる。

The window is open (in an open state).

窓まどwindowががsubject marker開いてあいてis openいるいるstate

窓(まど)が開けて(あけて)ある。

The window has been opened (by someone).

窓まどwindowががsubject marker開けてあけてopenedあるあるresultant state

カレンダーが壁に掛けて【ある】。

Hint: The calendar was hung intentionally.

The calendar has been hung on the wall.

Usage

Nuance and Context

Choosing between these forms depends on whether you are observing a natural state or a prepared state.

Focus of the sentence

〜ている

Focus on the current state itself.

電気がついている (The light is on).

〜てある

Focus on the preparation/intent.

電気がつけてある (The light has been turned on [for a reason]).

Which sentence implies that someone prepared the room for guests?

部屋が片付いている。
✓ 部屋が片付けてある。

片付けてある implies the action of cleaning was performed intentionally to prepare the room.

Deep dive

Advanced Usage

Sometimes, the particles change depending on the focus.

Particle nuances

When using 〜てある, the object of the transitive verb is usually marked with が (e.g., 窓が閉めてある). However, if you want to emphasize the object as the topic, you can use は (e.g., 窓は閉めてある - 'As for the window, it has been closed').

Summary

Recap

In summary, use 〜ている with intransitive verbs for natural states, and 〜てある with transitive verbs for states resulting from deliberate human action.

開く

あくverb

to open (intransitive)

開ける

あけるverb

to open (transitive)

閉まる

しまるverb

to close (intransitive)

閉める

しめるverb

to close (transitive)

掛ける

かけるverb

to hang (transitive)