〜を (o)

JLPT N5

The particle that marks the object of an action — what the verb acts on.

Meaning

を marks the direct object: the thing that receives the action. It's written を but always read “o.”

Formation

• Noun + を + [verb]

Examples

毎朝コーヒーを飲みます。

Maiasa kōhī o nomimasu. — I drink coffee every morning.

週末に映画を見た。

Shūmatsu ni eiga o mita. — I watched a movie on the weekend.

日本語を勉強しています。

Nihongo o benkyō shite imasu. — I'm studying Japanese.

ドアを開けてください。

Doa o akete kudasai. — Please open the door.

How it works

を points to the thing the verb affects — what you eat, read, open, study. It's written with the special character を but pronounced “o.” With motion verbs, を can also mark the space passed through (公園を散歩する = stroll through the park).

Compared with similar words

• 〜を — the object (what the action acts on).

• 〜が — the subject (who / what does or is).

• 〜は — the topic (what the sentence is about).

Common mistakes

• を is for objects of transitive verbs — intransitive verbs (行く, 来る) use に / へ for the goal.

• Read it “o,” never “wo.”

Related grammar

• 〜が — subject particle

• 〜は — topic particle

• 〜に — particle (target)