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In the English language, an ergative verb is a verb whose action affects the subject, rather than the object, of the verb. Another way to describe this is that a normal verb's patient is its object, whereas an ergative verb's patient is its subject. Often, but not always, ergative verbs take no direct object. Some verbs can act as either a regular transitive verb or an ergative verb.

Examples of ergative-only verbs:

I think.
I see.
I understand.
I experience.

Examples of verbs that can be ergative or transitive:

open
- The door opens.
- John opens the door.
eat
- I ate.
- I ate a hamburger.

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Topics: Ergative Verb, Ergative Case, Ergative absolutive Language...

Ergative caseIn ergative-absolutive languages, the ergative case identifies the subject of a transitive verb. In such languages, the ergative case is typically marked (most salient), while the absolutive case is unmarked. Certain Australian languages possess an intran	ErgativeThe term ergative is used in grammar in two different meanings: ergative case, ergative language ergative verb.	Ergative verbIn the English language, an ergative verb is a verb whose action affects the subject, rather than the object, of the verb. Another way to describe this is that a normal verb's patient is its object, whereas an ergative verb's patient is its subject. Often
Ergative-absolutive languageAn ergative-absolutive language (or just ergative language is one that marks the subject of transitive verbs distinctly from the subject of intransitive verbs and the object of transitive verbs. If the language has morphological case, then the verb argume

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