Transitive/Intransitive Verbs – Free Exercise

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Exercises

Decide if the underlined verb is transitive or intransitive.

  1. Ich schreibe einen Brief.There is an accusative object → transitive|What am I writing? - a letterI’m writing a letter.
  2. Die Kinder gehen in die Schule.There is no accusative object → intransitive|Who is going where?|to school is accusative, but it’s a place and not an accusative objectThe children go to school.
  3. Bei 0°C gefriert Wasser.There is no accusative object → intransitive|Who/what is freezing when?Water freezes at 0° Celsius.
  4. Der Vater holt seine Tochter vom Kindergarten ab.There is an accusative object → transitive|Who is he picking up? - his daughterThe father picks up his daughter from kindergarten.
  5. Ich habe Kaffee gekocht.There is an accusative object → transitive|What did I make? - coffeeI’ve made coffee.
  6. Das Auto ist zu schnell gefahren.There is no accusative object → intransitive|Who/what went too fast? the car (subject)The car went too fast.
  7. Wir tanzten die ganze Nacht.There is no accusative object → intransitive|Who danced when?We danced all night.
  8. Ich habe mich verlaufen.There is no accusative object → intransitive|all reflexive verbs are intransitive|Who got lost? (not: Who did I get lost?)I got lost.
  9. Ich bin gestern einer alten Freundin begegnet.There is no accusative object → intransitive|With whom did I meet? (indirect object)|To note: If the sentence were „Ich traf gestern eine alte Freundin.“, then a friend would be the accusative object (Who did I meet?) and treffen would therefore be transitive.I met an old friend yesterday.
  10. Du hast dem Fremden den Weg erklärt.There is an accusative object → transitive|What did you show to the stranger? - the wayYou showed the stranger the way.

Choose the correct form.

  1. An der Tür ein Zettel.What hangs where?|intransitive verb → irregular formA sign was hanging on the door.
  2. Nachdem mich eine Biene gestochen hatte, mein Gesicht an.What swelled up?|intransitive verb → irregular formAfter a bee stung me, my face swelled up.
  3. Warum hast du das Bild ? What did you take down? - the picture|transitive verb → regular formWhy did you take down the picture?
  4. Als ich das sah, ich.Who was scared?|intransitive verb → irregular formWhen I saw that, I was scared.
  5. Der Wind die Segel.What did the wind swell? - the sails|transitive verb → regular formThe wind swelled the sails.
  6. Der Junge verkleidete sich als Monster und die Passanten.Who did the boy scare? - the passers-by|transitive verb → regular formThe boy dressed up as a monster and scared the passers-by.