Verb transitive

Glossary

A verb which can take a direct object is transitive (e.g. He ate the bread).

Table Tran 1

Matthew 12:4
τοὺς	ἄρτους	τῆς	Προθέσεως	ἔφαγεν
tous	artous	tēs	Protheseōs	ephagen
the	bread	of the	of the setting forth/presentation	they ate

… they ate the bread of the presence

Note: In this example ἔφαγεν (they ate) is the transitive verb and ἄρτους (bread) is the direct object.

Article

Verbs may be classified as Transitive, Intransitive, or Linking . Linking verbs may also be referred to as equative verbs.

Transitive verbs require an object for the action of the verb. Therefore, transitive verbs will always have an object for the verb. The object may be stated or implied. The action of the verb is carried over into (or onto) an object of the verb. The direct object is a noun (or noun phrase) that receives the action of the transitive verb.

[Note] Participles function as a verbal adjective and Infinitives function as a verbal noun. Therefore participles and infinitives can act like a transitive verb and take a direct object because both participles and infinitives can function like a verb in a clause.

Most verbs take their direct object in the acusative case, but some verbs take their dirct object in the genetive or dative case. [See Dative_Direct_object or Genitive_Subject-Object and tables Tables_4a_and_4b below.]

Intransitive verbs do not take an object.

The verbal idea of the verb determines if a verb is transitive or intransitive. Intransitive verbs may appear in the active, middle, or passive voice. Although most verbs in the passive voice are intransitive, there are a few instances where a verb in the passive voice is transitive. See Intransitive verb.

Some verbs can be transitive in one sentence and intransitive in another sentence. ἐσθίω (2nd aorist of ἔφαγον ) is a verb which can be both transitive or intransitive depending upon the context.

ἐσθέω is transitive in Matthew 12:4

Table Tran 2

Matthew 12:4
τοὺς	ἄρτους	τῆς	Προθέσεως	ἔφαγεν
tous	artous	tēs	Protheseōs	ephagen
the	bread	the	of the setting forth/presentation	they ate

… they ate the bread of the presence

ἐσθέω is intransitive in the following example from Mark 6:42.

Table Tran 3

Mark 6:42
καὶ	ἔφαγον	πάντες	καὶ	ἐχορτάσθησαν
kai	ephagon	pantes	kai	echortasthēsan
and	they ate	all	and	they were satisfied

and they all ate and were satisfied.

Tables 4a and 4b Case of Direct object may vary

The following two tables (4a and 4b) are an example of a single sentence with three different transitive verbs. However, each verb takes its object in a different case.

• ἀκούω (present active indicative third person plural ἀκούουσιν) takes its object in the genitive case.

• γινώσκω (present active indicative first person singular γινώσκω ) takes its object in the accusative case.

• ἀκολουθἐω (present active indicative third person plural ἀκολουθοῦσίν) takes its object in the dative case.

Table 4a

John 10:27a
τὰ	πρόβατα	τὰ	ἐμὰ	τῆς	φωνῆς	μου	ἀκούουσιν
ta	probata	ta	ema	tēs	phōnēs	mou	akouousin
the	sheep	the	my	the	voice	my	they hear

My sheep hear my voice;

Table 4b

John 10:27b
κἀγὼ	γινώσκω	αὐτά	καὶ	ἀκολουθοῦσίν	μοι
kagō	ginōskō	auta	kai	akolouthousin	moi
and I	I Know	them	and	they follow	me
and I know them	and they follow me.