JLPT N5 grammar

〜をmeaning and usage

Meaning

Marks a transitive verb’s object, a route or area traversed, or a place left behind. With an emotion verb, it can mark the object or trigger of the feeling.

How to form it

  • nounをverb

How it is used

Mainly marks the object of a transitive verb. With verbs like 「出る」 it marks the place left, and with 「歩く」 or 「渡る」 the route taken. 「好き」, 「欲しい」 and 「分かる」 take 「が」, not 「を」.

Examples

  1. 小川を歩いて渡った。

    I crossed the small stream on foot.

  2. 毎朝新聞を読みます。

    I read the newspaper every morning.

  3. 八時に家を出ます。

    I leave home at eight.

About the example In 小川を歩いて渡った, を marks the stream as the area crossed, and 歩いて specifies that the crossing was made on foot.