At a Glance
| Verb | Reading | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 閉まる | shimaru | Intransitive (自動詞) | to close (by itself) |
| 閉める | shimeru | Transitive (他動詞) | to close (something) |
| 開く / 開く | aku / hiraku | Intransitive | to open (by itself) |
| 開ける | akeru | Transitive | to open (something) |
The door closed. You closed the door. In English, the verb “close” works for both. In Japanese, they are two different verbs: 閉まる（しまる） and 閉める（しめる）. This intransitive/transitive pair is one of the most important grammar patterns in Japanese — and understanding it unlocks dozens of other verb pairs too.
Yuka窓を閉めてもいいですか？
Mado wo shimete mo ii desu ka?
Is it okay if I close the window?
Reiどうぞ。もう閉まってますよ、あ、ごめんなさい。
Douzo. Mou shimatte masu yo, a, gomennasai.
Go ahead. Oh, it’s already closed — sorry!
Intransitive vs Transitive — The Key Concept
Japanese has a systematic pattern of verb pairs where one verb is intransitive (自動詞, jidoushi — the subject acts by itself) and the other is transitive (他動詞, tadoushi — someone acts on an object).
閉まる (intransitive): The thing doing the closing IS the subject. No one is doing it — it happens on its own.
A: ドアが閉まった。
A: Doa ga shimatta.
A: The door closed. (It closed by itself / on its own.)
閉める (transitive): A person closes something. The verb takes an object marked with を.
B: 私はドアを閉めた。
B: Watashi wa doa wo shimeta.
B: I closed the door.
The critical takeaway: 閉まる takes が; 閉める takes を. This particle difference is your guide to which verb to use.
Common Mistakes
This is one of the most common error points for English speakers, because English doesn’t make this distinction.
| Wrong | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ドアが閉めた | ドアが閉まった | Door is subject, not agent — use intransitive |
| 私はドアが閉めた | 私はドアを閉めた | Person closes object — use transitive + を |
| 店が閉めている | 店が閉まっている | Store’s state — intransitive + ている |
Tip: If you can ask “who closed it?” and the answer is a person, use 閉める. If it just happened with no agent, use 閉まる.
Store/Business Examples
This pair appears constantly when talking about shop hours and business operations.
A: 銀行はもう閉まっている。
A: Ginkou wa mou shimatte iru.
A: The bank is already closed.
B: 今日は早めに店を閉めよう。
B: Kyou wa hayame ni mise wo shimeyou.
B: Let’s close the shop early today.
C: 何時に閉まりますか？
C: Nan-ji ni shimarimasu ka?
C: What time does it close?
The Parallel Pair: 開く/開く vs 開ける
The same intransitive/transitive pattern applies to “open.” Learning both pairs together doubles your mastery.
| Verb | Reading | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 開く | aku | Intransitive | ドアが開く (The door opens) |
| 開ける | akeru | Transitive | ドアを開ける (to open the door) |
| 閉まる | shimaru | Intransitive | ドアが閉まる (The door closes) |
| 閉める | shimeru | Transitive | ドアを閉める (to close the door) |
Note: 開く can also be read ひらく in some contexts, particularly for books, events, or formal openings: 会議を開く (to open/hold a meeting), 本を開く (to open a book).
Yukaドアが開いてるよ！
Doa ga aite ru yo!
The door is open!
Reiあ、ごめん、閉めるね。
A, gomen, shimeru ne.
Oh sorry, I’ll close it.
Quick Quiz
1. Which verb do you use when the door closes by itself — 閉まる or 閉める?
Answer: 閉まる (intransitive)
2. Fix this sentence: “私はドアが閉めた”
Answer: 私はドアを閉めた
3. How do you ask “What time does it close?” in Japanese?
Answer: 何時に閉まりますか？（なんじにしまりますか？）
4. What is the transitive counterpart of 開く（あく）?
Answer: 開ける（あける）
5. In the sentence “店が閉まっている,” what is the subject?
Answer: 店（みせ）— the store
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