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.