JLPT N5 · Particles
を (o)
を (o) — the object particle
In short · を marks the direct object — the noun that receives the action of the verb. It is used only as a particle and is read o.
Pattern
-
N を V。do V to N (N is the object) -
〈place〉を でます／さんぽします。leave / move through a place
What it does
を marks the direct object: the thing the verb acts on. パンを たべます = "eat bread" — パン is what gets eaten.
How to read it
を is used only as this particle and is read o (the same sound as お). You will often see it romanised "wo", but in speech it is just o.
With movement verbs
を can also mark the place you leave or pass through: いえを でます (leave the house), こうえんを さんぽします (take a walk through the park).
Examples
-
まいにち ほんを よみます。
Mainichi hon o yomimasu.
I read a book every day.
を marks "book", the object of "read".
-
みずを ください。
Mizu o kudasai.
Water, please.
-
7じに いえを でます。
Shichi-ji ni ie o demasu.
I leave home at seven.
With でる (leave), を marks the place you exit.
Common mistakes
- を is written with its own kana and said "o" — don't pronounce the "w".
- Not every verb takes を. Motion verbs like いきます (go) use に／へ for direction, not を.
More grammar points
- は は (wa) — the topic particle
- に に (ni) — time, destination, location
- で で (de) — place of action & means
- と と (to) — and / together with
- の の (no) — possessive & noun linker
- へ へ (e) — direction
- も も (mo) — also / too
- か か (ka) — the question marker
- から から・まで — from … to …
- より より (yori) — than (comparison)
- だけ ～だけ — “only ～”
- で ～で — place, means and cause
- が ～が — marks the subject
- か か — the question particle
- まで ～まで — “until / up to ～”
- も ～も — “also / too”
- なあ ～なあ — sentence-final feeling
- ね ～ね — “..., right? / isn’t it?”
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