を: objects and routes

The idea

を follows the thing affected by a transitive verb: water is what one drinks. In the reading sentence it marks the book as the object of reading. With movement verbs such as walk, を can mark the route or area traversed, as in walking through a park.

Examples

• パンを食たべます。I eat bread.
• 水みずを飲のみます。I drink water.
• 本ほんを読よみます。I read a book.
• 手紙てがみを書かきます。I write a letter.
• 毎朝まいあさ、公園こうえんを歩あるきます。I walk through the park every morning.
• 学校がっこうで日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。I study Japanese at school.

Watch out

The particle is written を but pronounced “o”. Do not use it automatically after every noun: 好き normally takes が.

Try it yourself

1. 水みず＿飲のみます。（を／に）

   Show answer or example answer

   を

   を follows the thing affected by a transitive verb: water is what one drinks.

2. 本ほん＿読よみます。（を／に）

   Show answer or example answer

   を

   In the reading sentence it marks the book as the object of reading.

3. 公園こうえん＿歩あるきます。（を／に）

   Show answer or example answer

   を

   With movement verbs such as walk, を can mark the route or area traversed, as in walking through a park.

Use it today

Write two Japanese sentences using を. Explain what each means, then compare the forms with the examples.