1

Was studying Anki when i came across やっと難しい問題が解けった

Instead of using the が particle, would it also be plausible to use the を particle here? I know that transitive sentences normally uses を and intransitive uses が, but how "wrong" (in terms of trying to express my thoughts to others) is it to use を in this case. Would the other party, not be able to decipher what I am trying to say? I know that using the verb　解かす with the を particle would probably be more correct, but I am just curious on whether it is still decipherable to others

Newbie
  • 2,131
  • 6
  • 19

1 Answers1

4

解ける happens to be the potential form of transitive 解く:

問題が解ける (present)、問題が解けた (past)
↑ intransitive "solve"
問題が(orを)解ける (present)、問題が(orを)解けた (past)
↑ potential form of transitive 解く "solve"

So grammatically speaking you can say:

やっと難しい問題が解けた。 The problem finally got solved / I could finally solve the problem
やっと難しい問題を解けた。 I could finally solve the problem

I know that using the verb 解かす with the を particle would probably be more correct

No, use 解く, not 解かす here:

問題を解く (present)、問題を解いた (past)
↑ transitive "solve"

You're right that とかす is transitive, but it means "melt" "dissolve" "comb out" etc. (溶かす, 融かす, 解かす, 梳かす etc.) You don't say 問題を解かす to mean "solve a problem".

So you can say:

やっと難しい問題を解いた。 I finally solved the problem

I know that transitive sentences normally uses を and intransitive uses が, but how "wrong" is it to use を... Would the other party, not be able to decipher what I am trying to say?

For example, if you said:

*パソコンを壊れた。
*ガソリンの値段を上がりました。
*お風呂を沸いた。

it'd depend on the context but native speakers would usually think that you meant to say:

パソコンが壊れた。 or パソコンを壊した。
ガソリンの値段が上がりました。
お風呂が沸いた。 or maybe お風呂を沸かした。

chocolate
  • 65,531
  • 5
  • 99
  • 204
  • Thanks, didn't realise it was in its potential form. It is possible to use を and が for potential form of verbs, and i myself might have had heard some natives using を with the potential form. Why does Tae Kim's guide discourages the use of を particle when used with the potential form? Link: http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar/potential#Potential_forms_do_not_have_direct_objects – Newbie Aug 14 '19 at 22:37
  • @Newbie そうですね。。 It's probably because using が is more common... I think 「富士山を登れた。」「重い荷物を持てます。」 are okay too, though it might depend on the context. – chocolate Aug 15 '19 at 07:18