Examples of transitivity

Transitive Intransitive
Maistaa versus maistua
maistaa keittoa
= to taste the soup
= an action which you do yourself		 Maistua hyvältä
= to taste good.
= something that happens to you
Säikäyttää versus säikähtää
säikäyttää joku
= to frighten, scare someone
= an action which you do yourself		 säikähtää vähästä
= to be easily frightened
= something that happens to you
Pahentaa versus pahentua
pahentaa tilannetta
= to make the situation worse
= an action which you do yourself		 Hänen tilansa pahentui.
= His condition got worse.
= happens by itself
Alentaa versus alentua
alentaa ääntään
= to lower one's voice
= an action which you do yourself		 alentunut verenpaine
= low bloodpressure
= you didn't lower it yourself
Saastuttaa versus saastua
Atomienergia saastuttaa.
= Nuclear energy contaminates.
= it does so by itself		 Maa on saastunut.
= The earth is polluted.
= people did it, not the earth itself
Sammuttaa versus sammua
Sammutin tulen.
= I put out the fire.
= an action which you do by yourself		 Tuli sammui.
= The fire went out.
= happens without you interfering
Tyhjentää versus tyhjetä
tyhjentää lasinsa
= to empty one's glass
= an action which you do by yourself		 Huone tyhjeni nopeasti.
= The room emptied quickly.
= happens without you interfering
Ahdistaa versus ahdistua
Huominen tentti ahdistaa minua.
= Tomorrow's test distresses me.
= it's distressing actively		 Opiskeija ahdistui tentistä.
= The student was distressed about the test.
= it happened to him
Haavoittaa versus haavoittua
Luoti haavoitti miestä jalkaan.
= A bullet wounded a man's leg.
= the bullet did it actively		 Kapteeni haavoittui jalkaan.
= The captain was wounded to his leg.
= it happened to him
Heijastaa versus heijastua
Projektori heijastaa kuvan.
= The projector reflected a picture.
= it did it actively		 Ikkunasta heijastui valoa.
= A light was reflected from the window.
= happens by itself
Heräättää versus herätä
Herätä minut ajoissa kouluun.
= Wake me in time for school.
= please do it actively		 Heräsin kellonsoittoon.
= I was woken by the ringing of the bell.
= an action which happens to you
Innostaa versus innostua
Isoäiti innosti minua aina.
= Grandmother always inspired me.
= she did it actively		 Innostuimme asiasta.
= We get inspired by the thing.
= it happens to us
Jatkaa versus jatkua
Jatkamme kurssia ensi vuonna.
= We continue the course next year.
= we do it actively ourselves		 Matka jatkui Oulusta Tampereelle.
= The trip continued from Oulu to Tampere.
= it happens to us
Kaataa versus kaatua
Matti kaatoi marjoja korista.
= Matti dumped berries in a basket.
= he did it by himself		 Puu kaatui maahan.
= The tree fell on the ground.
= it happened to the tree, it didn't do it itself
Avata versus avautua
Minä avaan oven.
= I open the door.
= an action which you do yourself		 Ovet avautuvat.
= The doors opened.
= they didn't do it themselves
Sulkea versus sulkeutua
Minä suljen oven.
= I open the door.
= an action which you do yourself		 Kun 1 ovi sulkeutuu, toinen avautuu.
= When 1 door closes, another opens.
= it happens to the doors
Kohdistaa versus kohdistua
Pappi kohdisti sanansa nuorille.
= The pope aimed his words to the youth.
= he aimed it at them actively		 Huomio kohdistui häneen.
= The attention concentrated on him.
= without actively doing it
Liikuttaa versus liikuttua
Tapaus liikutti meitä kovasti.
= The incident moved us a lot.
= it moved us actively		 Äiti liikuttui lahjasta.
= Mom was moved by the present.
= it happened to her
Löytää versus löytyä
Pojat löysivät lompakon.
= The boys found the wallet.
= they did it actively		 Lompakko löytyi kadulta.
= The wallet was found on the street.
= the wallet didn't find itself
Masentaa versus masentua
Sateinen sää masensi häntä.
= Rainy weather depressed him.
= it did it actively		 Hän masentuu vähästä.
= He gets depressed easily.
= it happens to him
Muuttaa versus muuttua
Muutin Suomeen 5 vuotta sitten.
= I moved to Finland 5 years ago.
= I did it actively		 Sää on muuttunut.
= The weather has changed.
= it happened, not actively
Pelastaa versus pelastua
Hän pelasti meidät eksymästä.
= He saved us from getting lost.
= he did it actively		 Mies pelastui joutumasta vankilaan.
= The man was saved from going to jail.
= it happened to him
Piilottaa versus piiloutua
Hän piilotti avaimen hyllylle.
= He hid the key in the drawer.
= he did it actively		 Rahaa oli piiloututtu metsään.
= The money was hidden in the woods.
= it happened to the money
Piristää versus piristyä
Matka piristi Maria kovasti.
= The trip cheered Mari up a lot.
= it did it actively		 Mari piristyi matkasta kovasti.
= Mari was cheered up a lot by the trip.
= it happened to her
Päättää versus päättyä
Päätin kokous.
= I ended the meeting.
= I did it actively		 Kokous päättyi.
= The meeting ended.
= the meeting isn't ending itself
Rasittaa versus rasittua
Television katselu rasittaa silmiä.
= Watching tv strains the eyes.
= it does so actively		 Silmäni rasittuvat television katselusta.
= My eyes are strained by watching tv.
= it happens to them
Säästää versus säästyä
Säästän rahaa omaan asuntoon.
= I save money for my own apartment.
= I does so actively		 Palkasta ei säästy penniäkään.
= Not a penny is saved of the salary.
= it happened to the money
Unohtaa versus unohtua
Unohdin lompakon kotiin.
= I forgot the wallet at home.
= I did it actively		 Lompakko unohtui kotiin.
= The wallet was forgotten at home.
= it happened to it
Vaihtaa versus vaihtua
Vaihdoin autoon renkaat.
= I changed the tires of the car.
= I did it actively		 Valo vaihtuu vihreäksi.
= The light was changed to green.
= it happened to the light
Virkistää versus virkistyä
Lomamatka virkisti heitä.
= The holiday revived them.
= it did it actively		 He virkistyivät lomamatkasta.
= They were revived by the holiday.
= it happened to them
Related grammar
Transitivity and intransitivity