を (direct object)

• Reading: を
• Romaji: o
• Formation: Noun + を + Transitive verb

Meaning

A particle that marks the direct object of a transitive verb, indicating what the action is performed upon. It connects the thing being acted on with the verb that acts on it.

を (pronounced 'o' in modern Japanese) is the primary direct object marker. It appears between the object noun and its transitive verb. Unlike English, Japanese word order is flexible, but を always follows the noun it marks. を can only be used with transitive verbs; using it with intransitive verbs is incorrect. In casual speech, を is sometimes dropped, especially after pronouns, but it is always required in written and formal speech. Be careful not to confuse this use of を with its other functions marking a path of movement or point of departure.

Examples

1. 毎朝パンを食べます。 I eat bread every morning.
2. 弟は本を読んでいる。 My younger brother is reading a book.
3. 日本語を勉強しています。 I am studying Japanese.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 水を飲みたいです。
• 映画を見ましょう。
• 友達にプレゼントを買いました。

Don't Say

• 公園を遊びました。(を cannot be used with the intransitive verb 遊ぶ) → 公園で遊びました。
• 音楽をが好きです。(Using both を and が with 好き — 好き takes が, not を) → 音楽が好きです。

Origin & History

を has been used as an object marker since Old Japanese. Its pronunciation shifted from 'wo' to 'o' in the modern era, though the kana を is retained in writing to distinguish it from the vowel お.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal