![(Alt Text: Automatic door opening [Aku] vs. Joy opening a door [Akeru])](https://jplt-dialogplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-23-2026-03_32_11-PM.png)
(Automatic door opening [Aku] vs. Joy opening a door [Akeru])
“The door opens.” (Doa ga aku)
“I open the door.” (Doa o akeru)
In English, the word “Open” is the same. But in Japanese, 開く (Aku) is when it happens naturally, and 開ける (Akeru) is when someone does it. Let’s master this pair with Joy and Ken!
🗣 Conversation Scene
Joy and Ken are standing in front of a convenience store.
何もしなくても、ドアを 開（あ）けます！
(Wow, an automatic door. Even if I do nothing, I “open” the door!)
勝手（かって）に ドアが 開（あ）く んですよ。
(Hm? You don’t open it, Joy. The door “opens” by itself.)
💡 Explanation
Check the particle: “GA” vs “WO”.
Point 1: Aku (開く) = Opens (by itself)
Type: Intransitive (Jidoushi)
The subject opens naturally, automatically, or is already open.
Pattern: [Subject] が 開く
- ドアが 開（あ）く。
(The door opens.) - 店（みせ）が 開（あ）く。
(The shop opens [for business].) - 花（はな）が 開（あ）く。
(The flower opens/blooms. [Note: Often read ‘Hiraku’ for flowers, but ‘Aku’ is the core intransitive])
Point 2: Akeru (開ける) = To open (something)
Type: Transitive (Tadoushi)
Someone performs the action of opening something.
Pattern: [Person] が [Object] を 開ける
- （私が）ドアを 開（あ）ける。
(I open the door.) - プレゼントを 開（あ）ける。
(Open a present.) - 教科書（きょうかしょ）を 開（あ）ける。
(Open the textbook.)
📊 Comparison Table
🚧 Joy’s Mistake
(Watching a window open by the wind)
❌ Wrong: 風（かぜ）で 窓（まど）を 開（あ）けました。
(Use “Akeru” only when a person does it intentionally. The wind doesn’t have hands!)
✅ Right: 風（かぜ）で 窓（まど）が 開（あ）きました。
(The window opened naturally/by accident. Use “Aku”.)
🔥 Practice Quiz
Tap to check the answer!
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The Difference Between 暑い vs 熱い vs 厚い (Atsui)｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)