# Intransitive verb? Confused about WK example: お尻を触った **URL:** \ **Category:** Grammar\ **Created:** [August 20, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/intransitive-verb-confused-about-wk-example-%E3%81%8A%E5%B0%BB%E3%82%92%E8%A7%A6%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F/19419 "2017-08-20T16:33:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jesseseay](https://cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/f/d/fd4c154120954695f788402f3bcf4e616499bc2d.png) [@jesseseay](https://community.wanikani.com/u/jesseseay)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/intransitive-verb-confused-about-wk-example-%E3%81%8A%E5%B0%BB%E3%82%92%E8%A7%A6%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F/19419/1 "2017-08-20T16:33:33Z")
So I just learned suwaru, “to touch”. WK says it’s intransitive but the WK example sentence appears to include a direct object, “my butt”, and an agent, “my boss”. I’m confused. What’s up with that? 上司が私のお尻を触った翌日、私は会社を一日休んだ。 I took a full day off from work the day after my boss touched my butt. ---
**Author:** ![raegefilth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/raegefilth/32/675344_2.png) [@raegefilth](https://community.wanikani.com/u/raegefilth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/intransitive-verb-confused-about-wk-example-%E3%81%8A%E5%B0%BB%E3%82%92%E8%A7%A6%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F/19419/2 "2017-08-20T17:03:35Z")
Careful, すわる, 座る means “to sit” and is indeed intransitive. さわる, 触る is “to touch.” In the example sentence, 触った is its plain past form, さわった。The one doing the touching is the 上司, the boss. EDIT: Just checked WK’s and jisho’s pages on 触る and didn’t know it’s also intransitive… Huh, weird. Always assumed it was transitive until now, my bad. ---
**Author:** ![LucasDesu](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/lucasdesu/32/6254_2.png) [@LucasDesu](https://community.wanikani.com/u/LucasDesu)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/intransitive-verb-confused-about-wk-example-%E3%81%8A%E5%B0%BB%E3%82%92%E8%A7%A6%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F/19419/3 "2017-08-20T17:07:31Z")
Although I don’t fully understand why, 触る（さわる）can be used with を. I found this. Maybe someone else may know the rhyme or reason for this. [触る - Wiktionary](https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%A7%A6%E3%82%8B) ---
**Author:** ![Luviex](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/luviex/32/210308_2.png) [@Luviex](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Luviex)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/intransitive-verb-confused-about-wk-example-%E3%81%8A%E5%B0%BB%E3%82%92%E8%A7%A6%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F/19419/4 "2017-08-20T17:08:45Z")
触る is indeed an intransitive verb, according to both WK and Jisho. But it seems to be used with を anyways ---
**Author:** ![Starker](https://cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/f/d/fd4c154120954695f788402f3bcf4e616499bc2d.png) [@Starker](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Starker)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/intransitive-verb-confused-about-wk-example-%E3%81%8A%E5%B0%BB%E3%82%92%E8%A7%A6%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F/19419/5 "2017-08-20T18:03:25Z")
Seems to be a nuance of intentionality: [https://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/6772905.html](https://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/6772905.html) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/6/2/a/62a8b0f4c59ff2c5b6651ffcf43531480b3e5297.png) [@system](https://community.wanikani.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/intransitive-verb-confused-about-wk-example-%E3%81%8A%E5%B0%BB%E3%82%92%E8%A7%A6%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F/19419/6 "2018-08-20T18:15:07Z")
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