## Pronunciation of the particle を (wo / o)

![Japanese particle wo](https://lingualninja.blob.core.windows.net/lingual-storage/articles/japanese-particle-wo/japanese-particle-wo.jpg)

The Hiragana character **を** is a special character.

This character is used only as a particle.

We therefore don't use the character **を** in any normal words.

The pronunciation of **を** is *"WO"* or *"O"*.

When you write Romaji, both ways are OK.

In conversations, it sounds like *"O"*.

In this article, there are many example sentences with the sound included.

So please listen to them and check the pronunciation of the particle `を (wo / o)`.

## Three functions of the particle を (wo /o)

I will explain the three functions of the particle を (wo / o) below:

```box
- `を (wo / o)` mainly follows the **direct object of an action**

- `を (wo / o)` sometimes follows the **place to perform an action**

- `を (wo / o)` sometimes follows the **starting point of an action**
```

The first one is the main function of the particle **を (wo / o)**.

So the particle **を (wo / o)** is often called an *object marker*.

However, if you remember the second and the third one, you will not be in trouble even if you encounter the special cases.

I'll explain them one by one!


## を (wo / o) mainly follows the direct object of an action

The word in front of **を (wo / o)** becomes the `object of an action`!

**"Object"** means the target of the action of verbs.


```
Please remember the basic structure of a Japanese sentence below:

- **[Subject]** は **[Object]** `を` **[Verb]**。

If you want to know about the particle は (wa), please check the article below:

- [Japanese particle は >>](/articles/japanese-particle-wa)
```

Let's check the examples!

### Example 1

```ex
Dorobo--The_Thieves
5
{K:[10,11],H:[17,18],R:[36,38]}
```

The verb of the sentence is **"つくりました (created)"**.

We can know this because *the main verb of the sentence always comes at the last part of the sentence.*

And in this sentence, **を (wo / o)** follows **"おおきなおとしあな (big pitfall)"**.

It means the big pitfall is the `object` of the verb **"つくりました (created)"**.

So this sentence means "They created a big pitfall."


### Example 2

```ex
Kasa_Jizo
24
{K:[16,17],H:[27,28],R:[51,53]}
```

The main verb of this sentence is **"みました (saw)"**.

We know this because **みました (saw)** is at the last part of the sentence.

In this sentence, the particle **を (wo / o)** follows **"ろくたいのおじぞうさま (six Jizo statues)"**.

It means that the statues are the `object` of the verb **"みました (saw)"**.

The subject of the sentence saw the statues.

Therefore, the meaning of this sentence is "The old man saw the six Jizo statues."


### Example 3

```ex
The_God_of_the_Bathhouse
5
{K:[8,9],H:[16,17],R:[30,32]}
```

The main verb of this sentence is **"うらやましがりました (envied)"**.

The particle **を (wo / o)** follows **"となりのふろや (the bathhouse next door)"**.

`It means the bathhouse is the target of the verb.`

Therefore, the meaning of the sentence is "He envied the bathhouse next door."


## を (wo / o) sometimes follows the place to perform an action

I already explained the main way to use the particle **を (wo / o)**.

Its main role is an *object marker*.

However, there are other ways to use **を (wo / o)**.

For example, *the particle **を (wo / o)** sometimes indicates the **place** where the action is performed*.

It actually depends on the verb which is used in the sentence.

When we use normal verbs, the particle **を (wo / o)** indicates the object of the verb.

However, when we use it with some special verbs, it indicates the `place` to perform the movement.

The special verbs are the ones to describe motion, like below:

```box
- **to walk** (～を あるく)
- **to run** (～を はしる)
- **to fly** (～を とぶ)
- **to cross** (～を わたる、 ～を よこぎる)
- **to go** (～を すすむ、 ～を いく)
- **to turn** (～を まがる)
```

All of the verbs above are not the only ones.

However, you probably can know what kind of verbs are categorized in this.

These verbs are used to describe `motion`.

If we use the particle **を (wo / o)** with the verbs above, the particle indicates `the place where the action is performed`.

Please let me show a few examples.

### Example 4

```ex
The_Flowers_and_The_Mouse
23
{K:[15,16],H:[27,28],R:[55,57],E:[44,46]}
```

This sentence says "a boy was walking."

And the particle **を (wo / o)** follows **"まち (town)"**.

In this case, if you think that "まち (town)" is the target of the verb, perhaps it will cause misunderstanding.

In this case, the boy was walking `in` town.

When the verb describes `motion`, like "walk", please be careful about the meaning of the particle **を (wo / o)**.


### Example 5

```ex
Wakagaeri_no_Izumi--The_Fountain_of_Youth
10
{K:[12,13],H:[21,22],R:[44,46],E:[39,46]}
```

In this sentence, the particle **を (wo / o)** follows **"やまみち (mountain path)"**.

This **を (wo / o)** indicates the `place` to run.

Therefore, the translation is "to run through the mountain".


## を (wo / o) sometimes follows the starting point of an action

If the verb is **start**, **leave**, **exit**, **go out**, or **come out**, perhaps the particle **を (wo / o)** is indicating the *"starting point"*.

Let's see an example!

### Example 6

```ex
Mukade--The_Centipede
7
{K:[10,11],H:[15,16],R:[30,32]}
```

**へやをでていきました** means **"left the room"**.

In this case, the particle **を (wo / o)** indicates the `starting point of the motion`.


## Conclusion

Please remember the three ways to use the particle **を (wo / o)** below:

```box
- **を (wo / o)** mainly follows the `direct object of an action`

- **を (wo / o)** sometimes follows the `place to perform an action`

- **を (wo / o)** sometimes follows the `starting point of an action`
```

I hope this article helps you to study Japanese!

Thank you for reading!


In this article, I will explain about the Japanese particle を (wo / o)! The particle を (wo / o) is called an object marker! Let's check how to use it!

Japanese particle を (wo / o) - particle to indicate the object of an action

Pronunciation of the particle を (wo / o)

Three functions of the particle を (wo /o)

を (wo / o) mainly follows the direct object of an action

を (wo / o) sometimes follows the place to perform an action

を (wo / o) sometimes follows the starting point of an action

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