立つ vs 立てる
JLPT N5 vocabulary · what is the difference?
立つ is you standing up, with が: 人が立つ. 立てる is standing something else up, with を: 本を立てる. 立てる also carries a set of everyday idioms that 立つ does not — 計画を立てる (make a plan) and 音を立てる (make a noise).
When to use each
立つ
たつ
The one standing is the subject with が. It covers a person rising to their feet or being on their feet, and also things that are upright — 木が立っている, ビルが立っている.
みなさん、立ってください。
みなさん、たってください。
Everyone, please stand up.
駅の前に大きなビルが立っています。
えきのまえにおおきなびるがたっています。
There's a big building standing in front of the station.
立てる
たてる
You put something into an upright position, marked with を. Learn the idioms as set phrases too: 計画を立てる, 予定を立てる, 音を立てる, 役に立てる.
夏休みの計画を立てました。
なつやすみのけいかくをたてました。
I made plans for the summer holiday.
本を棚に立てて並べます。
ほんをたなにたててならべます。
I stand the books upright on the shelf.
Sentences where only one works
彼は教室の前に立っています。
かれはきょうしつのまえにたっています。
He is standing at the front of the classroom.
He is on his own feet and nothing is being acted on, so 立つ.
傘を壁に立てておきました。
かさをかべにたてておきました。
I stood the umbrella against the wall.
The umbrella cannot stand itself; someone put it there, so を立てる.
旅行の予定を立てましょう。
りょこうのよていをたてましょう。
Let's make a plan for the trip.
A fixed idiom. 予定が立つ exists and means the plan has firmed up, but proposing to make one is always 立てる.
音を立てないでください。
おとをたてないでください。
Please don't make any noise.
You cause the sound, so を立てる. 音がする is the natural way to say a sound simply occurs.
Common mistakes
計画を立ちました。
計画を立てました。
計画 is something you construct, so it needs the transitive 立てる. 計画が立つ is possible, but it means the plan has come together.
私は立てました。
私は立ちました。
Standing up yourself is 立つ. 立てました leaves the listener waiting for an object — what did you stand up?
この本は役に立てます。
この本は役に立ちます。
役に立つ, 'to be useful', is the intransitive idiom. 役に立てる means to put something to use and needs an object.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't 立てる also the potential form of 立つ?
Yes, and the forms look identical. Context sorts it out: 一時間も立てない means 'I can't stand for even an hour', while 本を立てる is standing a book up. The particle helps, since the potential takes が or は and the transitive takes を.
Do I use 立つ or 建つ for a building?
For buildings, 建つ is the usual kanji, and 建てる for constructing one. 立つ can appear for something merely being upright, but 家を建てる is the standard way to say building a house.
What does 腹が立つ mean?
It means to get angry, literally 'the stomach stands up'. It is intransitive and takes が; 腹を立てる also exists with the same meaning but a slightly more deliberate feel.