を
🃏 Flashcard
を
o / wo
Tap to reveal usage
object marker particle
N5
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N5
Beginner · Basic sentence structures
Reading
o / wo
Post ID
50659
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
object marker particle
📖 How to use it
Marks the direct object of a transitive verb.
Attaches to
Attaches directly to a noun (or noun phrase) that is the object of the verb. The noun has no particle before it; を is placed right after the noun.
The particle を marks the thing that receives the action of the verb. In Japanese, the object comes before the verb, so you say 'I apple eat' rather than 'I eat an apple'. It is used with verbs that take an object, like たべる (to eat), のむ (to drink), みる (to see), きく (to listen).
You can think of を as the 'target' of the action. It is not used with intransitive verbs like いく (to go) or ある (to exist), which do not have an object. Also, note that を is sometimes used after places with motion verbs (like こうえんをさんぽする), but for N5, remember it mainly for objects.
When speaking, を is often pronounced 'o', but it is written as を.
わたしは りんごを たべます。
Watashi wa ringo o tabemasu.
I eat an apple.
えいがを みます。
Eiga o mimasu.
I watch a movie.
コーヒーを のみませんか。
Koohii o nomimasen ka.
Won't you have some coffee?
Not が (subject marker)
を marks the object that receives the action, while が marks the subject that does the action. For example, in 'ねこが さかなを たべる' (the cat eats fish), ねこ is the subject with が, and さかな is the object with を.
Register
Neutral and used in both speaking and writing; it is a basic particle.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
を
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat を three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using を. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N5 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern を mean?
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Object marker particle
What JLPT level is を?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N5 — Beginner · Basic sentence structures. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use を in a sentence?
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Attach を (o / wo) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is を formal or casual Japanese?
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を is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember を long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.