14.1 All verbs can be identified by whether they need a direct object to complete their meaning. TRANSITIVE verbs do take a direct object. INTRANSITIVE verbs do not. For example:
- Transitive verb (διδωμι): ἆθλα ἑτέροις δίδωσιν.
- He gives prizes (ἆθλα) to others (ἑτέροις).
- Intransitive verb (εἰμί): ἄξιοί ἐσμεν, ὦ Λακεδαιμόνιοι.
- We are worthy (ἄξιοί), Lakedaimonians.
While most verbs are either transitive or intransitive, some verbs can be BOTH.
- Transitive use (ἵστημι): ἱστᾶσιν ἱστὸν.
- They are standing/setting (up) the mast (ἱστὸν).
- Intransitive use (ἵστημι): ἱστᾶσι περὶ τὴν πόλιν.
- They are standing/stationed around the city (περὶ τὴν πόλιν).
14.2 While most English transitive verbs are also transitive in Greek, there are a handful of English transitive verbs, such as obey or serve, that are intransitive in Greek! If any Greek verbs in a glossary or dictionary are marked with (+ dat.) or (+ gen.), this means that the object of the verb is not in the accusative case (as we might expect in English), but rather in the dative or genitive case, respectively.
Such verbs, while INTRANSITIVE in Greek, effectively become TRANSITIVE when translated into English. For example, while a Greek would say that I have trust for someone, πιστεύω τινί, in English we can say – and so can translate the Greek – I trust someone.
When learning Greek verbs, therefore, be sure to note whether they are transitive, intransitive, or both, and whether they take their object in a case other than the accusative. If in doubt, Greek dictionaries often mark whether a verb is used transitively or intransitively, usually with abbreviations such as trans. and intrans.