Grammar › Particles
を (o) — the object particle
Marks what the action is done to: read a book, drink tea
を marks the direct object — the thing the verb acts on. The kana を exists almost solely for this job and is pronounced plain o. Pattern: [thing]を[verb]. It also marks the space you move through with motion verbs (公園を歩く — walk through the park).
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Object + を + verb | 水を飲みます — drink water |
| Place + を + motion verb | 橋をわたります — cross the bridge |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 毎朝コーヒーを飲みます。 | まいあさこーひーをのみます。 maiasako-hi-wonomimasu。 | I drink coffee every morning. |
| 日本の映画を見ました。 | にほんのえいがをみました。 nihonnoeigawomimashita。 | I watched a Japanese film. |
| 公園を散歩します。 | こうえんをさんぽします。 kouenwosanposhimasu。 | I take a walk through the park. |
🔊 Tap any Japanese sentence to hear it; kanji link to their study pages.
Watch out
A few “verbs” that feel transitive in English take が instead: わかる (understand) and できる (can do) — 日本語がわかります, not を. Treat those as exceptions to memorize early.