Grammar Info

N5 Lesson 2: 6/12

Object marking particle

Structure

Object +

Details

  • Part of Speech

    Particle

  • Word Type

    Case Marking Particle

  • Register

    Standard

About を

In Japanese, is a particle that marks the object of an action. This means that the subject (the person or thing performing an action) is performing that action with the object being the goal/target of the action. In most cases, whatever is attached to will not actually be 'doing' anything, but will instead have something being done to it.

In these sentences, is marking the thing that is having an action performed 'on' it. This is how the Japanese language views the 'object'. However, unlike English, an object can also be a place in which an action is performed 'through', if the goal of that action is based in that location itself.

In these sentences, is marking the place 'through' which the action is taking place. This use of highlights that the place itself is what is being interacted with (running/walking requires interaction with the ground, so the ground/place is the object).

Examples

--:--

    漢字(かんじ)(おぼ)

    To memorize kanji. (object marker)

    (なに)()ます

    What will you have to eat? (object marker)

    バター()

    To eat butter. (object marker)

    スポーツ()

    To watch sports. (object marker)

    時計(とけい)()

    To look at the clock. (object marker)

  • Get more example sentences!

    Premium users get access to 12 example sentences on all Grammar Points.

Self-Study Sentences

Study your own way!

Add sentences and study them alongside Bunpro sentences.

を – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (13 in total)

  • Jake

    Jake

    particle that marks the object of action

    Structure

    • Object +

    [object marker・particle]

    View on Bunpro

    Hey!
    If a grammar point has other function, we create another grammar point for it.
    で you are speaking of is here:
    https://bunpro.jp/grammar_points/36

  • seanblue

    seanblue

    @mrnoone I just got the following sentence:

    I have two concerns.

    1. The first is a general concern about this grammar point and many of the basic grammar particle questions. During reviews you often show the orange hint that it’s a particle particle. However, by doing so you are no longer testing that the user knows how to use that particle. You are now only testing that they have memorized that “object marker” = を.
    2. For this particular sentence, is this even the object particle usage of を? Jisho lists 出る as intransitive (I can’t find a more definitive source), so is it possible that this usage is more like the “through” usage, like 公園を歩く?
  • mrnoone

    mrnoone

    1. You are right, this is too much of a hint. I will change those to [choose proper particle.]

    1. Yes you are right. It is not a direct object use.
      The を in 出る is used to describe a starting point of the movement, similar to から.

    It is used with verbs like 発つ(たつ)、出る(でる)、離れる(はなれる)etc.
    But you focus only on that point of start, you don’t mention the goal of movement, you don’t know where(or don’t want to say it) or it is simply not important. This is the difference with から, which is used for the movement from A to B.
    So, you cannot say 家庭に出る。But 家を出る is perfectly fine. Also 家から庭に出る is also proper.


    公園を歩く
    This を is different を to both starting を and direct object(accusative case) particles.

    It is used to describe location of movement. Similar to で.
    It focuses on the route when moving. Like movement through something.

    It is used with verbs like 歩く、泳ぐ、渡る(わたる)


  • seanblue

    seanblue

    Thanks for the great explanation. Two questions then.

    1. Are you going to replace this sentence since this grammar point is about direct object version of を?
    2. Can you add to your “to do” list (for when you have time) to add grammar points for the point of departure and location of movement versions of を?

    As a side question, what level are those two grammar points? N3?

  • mrnoone

    mrnoone

    Ohh, I forgot to mention important fact about 出る:
    When you use Aから Bに 出る. The destination has to be right outside of the starting point.


    1. For the time being I will leave it as it is to show that there are other uses of を.
      When を grammar points will be added for other uses I will swap it for normal sentence.

    2. Yes, I added those immediately after explaining it

  • Andulien

    Andulien

    I think here should also be at least one example sentence using します:

    • 私はサッカをします。
  • Andulien

    Andulien

    I saw that there are also example sentences with を added there, however there is no explanation on the usage of them like: 学校 で 勉強 する -> Here it is not referring to an object, but rather a way of doing, if I interpret it right? This stands in comparison to 図書館 で 日本語勉強します。Where を is used to describe the object but not again for “study”. This can be a bit confusing for someone who has not seen this before and reads the examples carefully

  • Unlocked

    Unlocked

    I’m a bit confused on when を is necessary and when it is not. For example, during reviews for a different grammar point, I encountered the sentence 妹はパンだけ食べます。 However, based on my understanding of grammar in English, パン would be a direct object of 食べます. Is を optional in certain cases or would it be wrong to put を after パンだけ or is that example sentence incorrect?

  • Superpnut

    Superpnut

    Can someone clarify what an object is referring to? Because I keep getting を and は confused. The lesson guide thing says を is for an object, fair enough. 家 is an object so it gets を. Easy I get it 家を出ます。

    But then 公園 isn’t considered an object and is given は?
    公園は広い。
    The lesson guide says は is for subject marker. So how do you know if it is an object or a subject marker? I just can’t figure out when to use which.

    To me they just seem like they do the same thing so I don’t know when to use which. If someone could explain using simple terms I would appreciate it

  • gyroninja

    gyroninja

    I think you are fundamentally missing some information about the particles.

    を is a case marking particle, a particle that is used to express a relationship between clauses.
    「家を出ます。」 has 2 clauses. 「家を」 and 「出ます」. 「家を」 modifies 「出ます」by providing it an object. In this case we are providing the starting point of the action.

    は is a binding particle, a particle that is used to add meaning to the word it attaches to and adds emphasis.
    Depending on the context, 「公園は」 in 「公園は広い」 can either be adding the meaning that it is a park that we are talking about or it can be contrasting this park with something else (eg. saying that this park is more spacious than other parks).

    In short を provides an object for a verb and は marks the topic that is being talked about.

    Can someone clarify what an object is referring to?

    The object is the target of a verb. For transitive verbs this is the direct object (りんご in りんごを食べる). For movement...

  • nekoyama

    nekoyama

    出る is intransitive, so 家を doesn’t provide a direct object like it would with a transitive verb, but instead indicates a location of movement.

  • gyroninja

    gyroninja

    While it might not be providing a direct object, the usage of を is viewed as being the same thing to at least some native speakers. A native speaker I asked said that what the verb was didn’t matter and that を did the same thing, marking the target of a verb. I have also seen someone else document this in an answer on the Japanese Language StackExchange. Someone did comment on that answer that a native t...

  • Superpnut

    Superpnut

    Okay thank you I think I get it now, well maybe
    And you don’t need to think I am missing fundamentals because I definitely am
    I am missing them so much that I don’t even know what is a fundamental in this language or not but that’s okay just keep swimming.
    Thanks for spelling it out that one is for verbs and one isn’t. I can now continue to struggle through!

  • machinaeZER0

    machinaeZER0

    In the example sentence above, the lady in the audio recording pronounced as ‘wo’, but in my studies so far I learned it’s pronounced ‘o’ most of the time. Is there a specific reason that the ‘wo’ pronunciation was used here? Mostly just curious Thanks!

Got questions about を? Join us to discuss, ask, and learn together!

Join the Discussion