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64 votes
3 answers
26k views

The difference between が and を with the potential form of a verb

When using the potential form of a verb, I was taught that the particle を becomes が. However, in real life this seems to not always be the case. I've even heard Japanese people use を instead of が ...
phirru's user avatar
  • 6,858
34 votes
2 answers
8k views

Usage of ~を好き outside of embedded clauses

日本語文法の初心者です :D In general, を is not used with 好き because 好き is a na-adjective: 彼は猫が好きです。 — correct 彼は猫を好きです。 — incorrect If this part is "embedded" as a clause, を is also ...
naruto's user avatar
  • 337k
30 votes
5 answers
16k views

Why is it 日本語がわかります instead of 日本語をわかります?

From what I understand, は is the topic marker, が is the subject marker, and を is the object marker. One of the first sentences I learned doesn't seem to fit the rules I described above. The sentence ...
Alan C's user avatar
  • 1,701
26 votes
3 answers
4k views

Making sense of transitive usage of 行く and 来る - 「を行く」 and 「を来る」

I think it's known that some intransitive verbs can take を particle and be used as transitive verbs such as for example 「私のことを分かってくれない」. While using 分かる transitively would require specific scenarios ...
Lukman's user avatar
  • 20k
25 votes
2 answers
18k views

Does the particle "を" (wo) have a special use when at the end of a sentence?

I thought the character "を" (wo) was only used for the particle whose only job was to indicate the direct object of a verb. But today I saw it at the end of an exclamation on a sign I think on a shop:...
hippietrail's user avatar
  • 15.5k
22 votes
1 answer
2k views

Two を in a single sentence - how to understand it?

In the book I'm reading (「キッチン」 by 吉本{よしもと}ばなな) I have found the following sentence: うしろで雄一がぞうきんを手に床をふいてくれていた。 I guess it can be translated to something like (sorry for a quite literal translation)...
Szymon's user avatar
  • 3,747
21 votes
1 answer
2k views

Passive form - The exact difference between を and が

I've seen this question asked before, but i feel the answer didn't quite answer all my questions, so here goes. Now, I am rather sure that this: ケーキが食べられた Means: The cake was eaten. (by ...
Daniel Safari's user avatar
18 votes
5 answers
49k views

What's the difference between -ga and -o when they are used to designate a direct object?

During the past month I've been addicted to Japanese. I've listened to about 10 online tutorial video courses and read about as much printed lessons. I am determined to learn Japanese, but I am really ...
Armen Tsirunyan's user avatar
17 votes
3 answers
6k views

を vs が with use against 好き?

The difference between が and を with the potential form of a verb. and Is it true that all nouns must be able to accept a が particle and a を particle? are noted as possible duplicates; however, I haven'...
Wolfpack'08's user avatar
16 votes
2 answers
2k views

この道をまっすぐ行ってください。 Why を and not で?

In a quiz, I got a question where one had to complete with に、を、で or が the following sentence: この道(?)まっすぐ行ってください。 The correct answer being: この道をまっすぐ行ってください。 It always seems more natural to me ...
Thomas Moulard's user avatar
14 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is the difference between using を and と with the verb 言う?

I apologize if this is a basic question, but it's something I've never been entirely clear on. When using the verb 言う (to say), I can never figure out whether to use the particle -と or the particle -...
rurouniwallace's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
25k views

Nominalization with のが、のを

I've just learned to nominalize verbs with のを but as I was looking for more info on the web I saw that this is also done with のが and こと. The question "What is the difference between the nominalizers ...
Julian's user avatar
  • 969
13 votes
2 answers
1k views

Do "direct object を" and "directional を" occupy the same slot?

A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar (ADoBJG) lists more than one を particle. In particular: On page 347, it lists o1, a particle which marks a direct object. On page 349, it lists o2, a particle ...
user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
2k views

How does the particle を relate to the verb 行く in the structure「A を + B に行く」?

I came across this sentence in my japanese practicing material (the point is I didn't make up the sentence so I assume it's correct or at least commonly used) 日本についてのアンケートを中国人100人に行った。 and It doesn'...
jarmanso7's user avatar
  • 7,092
12 votes
2 answers
724 views

Using 何を with intransitive verbs (eg 何をにやついているの?)

貴様、何をにやついておるのだ…? What are you grinning at, you bastard? This sentence (asked in this question) seemed fairly natural and simple to me...until I realized にやつく is an intransitive verb. [×]彼は私をにやついた ...
naruto's user avatar
  • 337k
11 votes
3 answers
2k views

Is を used in real Japanese?

One of the first things people learn in Japanese class is the old 私はケーキを食べます。 Once you begin to get more experienced with Japanese you soon learn that the initial watashi wa is not good form and is ...
Jim's user avatar
  • 111
11 votes
2 answers
830 views

Why is the を particle used twice here

I came across this sentence in the basic kanji book くつを一足とくつ下を四足買いました The sentence has two を particles even though I thought the を particles can only be used once in a sentence. I thought since ...
Hamzeh's user avatar
  • 375
11 votes
2 answers
559 views

Use of に and を with 触れる

The verb 触れる challenges my concept of what を does; to mark a direct object. Consider these uses of 触れる: (人)の頬に指を触れる (Touch a finger to someone's cheek) (人)の頬に手を触れる (Touch someone's cheek with your ...
Flaw's user avatar
  • 20.1k
10 votes
4 answers
7k views

Can you use multiple を in one sentence?

I was listening to lastfm.jp the other day, and happened across this line in an artist bio: 14歳の頃にギターを、17歳で作曲を始める。 I've often read here on JLU that a phrase particle should only appear once per ...
jkerian's user avatar
  • 4,936
10 votes
1 answer
3k views

Is 感じる {かんじる} transitive or intransitive? Which particle to use?

Please consider 一段 {いちだん} verb 感じる {かんじる}. Sometimes I see particle に applied and sometimes particole を. In the Jisho.org vocabulary it is not specified if this verb is 他動詞 {たどうし} (transitive) or 自動詞 {...
Andry's user avatar
  • 1,209
10 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why are we allowed to use を particle with na-adjectives?

Can someone explain the usage of a na-adjective with the を particle? I cannot understand why we can say ほうれん草を嫌いな人もいる。 because I'd thought that it had to be a が or の particle instead of an を. ...
Pacerier's user avatar
  • 12k
10 votes
2 answers
2k views

Is を頑張る standard Japanese?

This question came up on chat. In this phrase: TOEIC、頑張ってください Can the comma be replaced by を? If not, is there a better particle? 頑張る is listed as a 自動詞 in both of my dictionaries (岩波 and 集英社)....
user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
4k views

に vs. を in "to pass a test"

Every time I'm feeling confident about the correct usage of に, を, and で, I get thrown for a loop. Could someone please explain to me the use of に in this sentence: I will study a lot and pass the ...
イ リ ニ's user avatar
9 votes
4 answers
7k views

How do you pronounce を after a subject?

For example :日本語を勉強します. Do you pronounce ni hon go wo or ni hon go---
Michael's user avatar
  • 99
9 votes
2 answers
504 views

Use of the particle を to mean where something is going?

A little while back I was working my way through the Book "Japanese Sentence Patterns for Effective Communication" When I got to page 156 it explains the topic of the section which is "The te form of ...
Colin Wheeler's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
374 views

Was "乎" the man'yōgana spelling of the accusative/object particle "を"?

In the English Wiktionary entry for "を" there is a quote or example sentence using the character "乎" with no explanation seemingly where the particle "を" would normally occur. Now I couldn't find ...
hippietrail's user avatar
  • 15.5k
9 votes
2 answers
437 views

Logic behind "が" preferrence when using a "-たい" form

I have learned that when using a "-たい" form, when the sentence would normally require "を", you can use either "を" or "が", but "が" was actually preferred, "を" sounding unnatural. I searched about the ...
Cristol.GdM's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
3k views

Structure: thing を numeral (or numeral and counter) ください

My first question is, are counters always required when counting things? Can't I just slap a number in front of the noun? For example,「いちりんご」for one apple? Secondly, in Lesson 5 of the Japanese For ...
Apple Mango's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
2k views

〜がほしがっています vs 〜をほしがっています

I was wondering if the following two sentences have the same meaning. I'm seeing both をほしい and がほしい on my Anki deck and I was just wondering if they were interchangeable or if I just made a mistake ...
John's user avatar
  • 239
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

How does one analyze "N + を前に + V", where N is not an object of V

Note: This contains 3 parts but I think they are about 3 aspects of the same construct, hence I'm asking all 3 here instead of splitting into 3 questions. I guess this construct is quite common in ...
3 to 5 business days's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
1k views

が vs を in sentences of desire (-たい)

According to Genki, expressions of desire ( -たい sentences such as in the examples below) which use the particle を can also use the particle が interchangeably, and besides stating that, they give no ...
mattb's user avatar
  • 1,764
7 votes
2 answers
799 views

Can を used with だ/です? 君沢さんを犯人だと思い込む

I came across the following passage in a mystery manga. The main character is explaining that the as of yet unknown criminal intentionally made the listener think that Kimisawa was the criminal (...
G-Cam's user avatar
  • 3,113
7 votes
3 answers
7k views

Why does 出る accept を although it is an intransitive verb?

The JLPT N5 textbook and the Tangorin online dictionary say 出る is intransitive and, as far as I know, should be used with が, but the Genki I textbook says it accepts を when it means "to exit". So, ...
Daniel's user avatar
  • 1,879
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

~色がする or ~色をする?

I came across the following sentence in an exercise, with the following propositions: 森さんが飼っている魚は、とてもきれいな色_____している。 A. に B. を C. で D. が I learnt that する is used with が when talking about something ...
Right leg's user avatar
  • 1,096
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

をも: Is this sentence grammatically correct?

日本で英語を教えたい。彼も教えたい。 I want to teach English in Japan. He also wants to teach. But if I were referring to myself in both sentences and talking about two different activities that I want to do: ...
BJ Dela Cruz's user avatar
  • 1,239
7 votes
2 answers
1k views

How acceptable is 英語を上手になりたい?

英語が上手になりたい is the correct way to say it, and I have always considered 英語を上手になりたい incorrect. I occasionally see/hear the を version from native speakers, but it didn't bother me that much, thinking that ...
Eddie Kal's user avatar
  • 11.6k
7 votes
2 answers
515 views

を降りる or から降りる ? Which one is correct

For example which one is more correct? 彼は車から降りた。 彼は車を降りた。 Which version is the proper, textbook style Japanese? Which one is the more common, everyday Japanese? Please explain why! Thanks !
Ken's user avatar
  • 75
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

Why is this で wrong, and を preferable? 「信号を左です」

日本語 知り合いに道案内していた時に、 次の信号で、左です と言ったら、 次の信号を、左です という言い方のほうがいいと言われました。 「です」は本物の動詞ではありませんし、「を」と繋がっているのは間違いではないのでしょうか。省略された動詞があるという分析のほうがいいのですか?そして、どうして「で」はだめなのですか? English While giving an acquaintance ...
WeirdlyCheezy's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
290 views

How to use the verb "数える" properly?

While studying yesterday, I came across the following sentence: "バスの中で お客さんの数を 数えました" (the spaces are included in the exercise). The meaning is simple enough, but when I asked my teacher ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 83
6 votes
4 answers
893 views

Does indirect passive allow for the を in "四方を海に囲まれる"

My textbook has this example: 四方を海に囲まれる。 Is it the indirect passive that allows for the を direct object marker to be used in that passive voice example? This sentence matches my understanding of ...
kairua's user avatar
  • 409
6 votes
3 answers
2k views

It seems that 渡る is categorized as 自動詞 (intransitive verb), yet it is frequently used with を. Why?

Jisho says 渡る is an intransitive verb, and ALC says it is sometimes 自動 and sometimes 他動. In either case, the particle を can be used. What's going on here?
joey joe joe's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
617 views

Causative Form - Difference between 子供に本を読ませる and 子供を本を読ませる

What is the difference between these two examples? 子供に本を読ませる 子供を本を読ませる Please give me some other example to illustrate the difference.
Rubinoff's user avatar
  • 103
6 votes
1 answer
753 views

Why can は and を sometimes be used interchangeably?

For example: 肉は食べますが、すしを食べません。
O.O's user avatar
  • 163
6 votes
2 answers
4k views

Multiple "wo"s in a sentence?

I had always been told this never happened. I was a little skeptical, but since I never saw a sentence with two of the particle, I gradually came to accept that it was probably true. Well ironically, ...
NinKenDo's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
384 views

Can ご存じです function as a transitive verb?

I recently got an automated email from Twitter with the following subject (except with real user names): username さん、username さん、username さんをご存じですか? My question is about を paired with ご存じですか. As ...
user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
2k views

Sentence ending のを(だ)

I do not understand the meaning of のを: a. 彼は家を買った。 しかも大きい庭付きのを(だ)。 (だ is indicated as optional) Is it different from: b. 彼は家を買った。 しかも大きい庭付きだ。 (I'm not sure if this is grammatical) c. 彼は家を買った。 ...
Flaw's user avatar
  • 20.1k
6 votes
3 answers
1k views

What happened to the を sound?

Unlike ゑ and ゐ, を actually still exists. However, I've never heard of this letter actually being pronounced fully as 'wo'. It's kind of weird that there aren't any words with that letter, isn't it? ...
strawberry jam's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
636 views

What's the difference between に and を in these phrases?

I found these two phrases: 彼らは熊を[触]{さわ}る。 彼らは熊に触る。 I don't see the difference between them, since both mean "touching a bear."
Jaume's user avatar
  • 521
5 votes
2 answers
863 views

Is it a right interpretation of the line of this Japanese song?

First of all, sorry if something about my English grammar is wrong. English is not my native language and, even if I can understand it very well, writing and expressing myself is something I still ...
Alana123's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
816 views

Usage of の vs を for the direction of a place

I learnt that in Japanese, the の preposition is used to describe the direction of a place (up, down, right, left, next to, etc. For example: 部屋の中 (heya no naka): Inside the room. テーブルの上 (te-buru no ...
Khanh Tran's user avatar

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