Is this correct regarding transitive and intransitive?
2
votes
Romper
Rompí la ventana - I broke the window (transitive)
Se rompió - It broke (intransitive)
1396 views
updated Mar 30, 2011
posted by dewclaw
Unless someone just asked you what happened to the window, you might want to mention what broke. - lorenzo9, Mar 30, 2011
oh but i thought if I mention the window broke, it is then an object and it becomes transitive - dewclaw, Mar 30, 2011
La ventana se rompió. The window broke. There is neither object nor agent. Look at the transitive-intransitive se reference article for the same example using a radio. - lorenzo9, Mar 30, 2011
in "window broke", window is subject, not object. - pesta, Mar 30, 2011
oooh it is subject, not object - dewclaw, Mar 30, 2011
1 Answer
4
votes
Yes!
oh but i thought if I mention the window broke, it is then an object and it becomes transitive
It is still intransitive (la ventana se rompió) because, if you'll say the window broke, it just did, and it doesn't mean that someone or something did it, which is what being transitive is about.
updated Sep 27, 2011
edited by Deanski
posted by Deanski
