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Transitive/Intransitive Verbs

In Korean, action verbs are divided into transitive and intransitive verbs.

Transitive verbs

A transitive verb is a verb that may have both a subject and an object.

받다 "get", "receive" - 편지를 받다 "receive a letter"

기다리다 "wait" - 친구를 기다리다 "wait for a friend"

Intransitive verbs

An intransitive verb is a verb that takes no object.

가다 "go" - 학교에 가다 "go to school"

짖다 "bark" - 개가 짖다 "dog barks"

Transitive-Intransitive verbs

There is also a group of verbs of mixed type. They can be used both like transitive and intransitive verbs.

불다 "blow"

바람이 불다 "wind blows" (intransitive)

피리를 불다 "play on a flute" (transitive)

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