All Questions
Tagged with or particle-を particle-を
327 questions
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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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:...
- 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)...
- 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 ...
- 2,448
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 ...
- 819
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'...
- 557
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 ...
- 425
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 -...
- 4,377
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 ...
- 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 ...
user1478
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'...
- 7,082
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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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♦
- 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 ...
- 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 {...
- 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.
...
- 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)....
user1478
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 ...
- 131
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---
- 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 ...
- 193
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 ...
- 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 ...
- 193
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 ...
- 323
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 ...
- 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 ...
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 ...
- 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 (...
- 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, ...
- 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 ...
- 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:
...
- 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 ...
- 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 !
- 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 ...
- 1,419
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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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?
- 81
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.
- 103
6
votes
1
answer
753
views
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, ...
- 63
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 ...
user1478
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♦
- 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? ...
- 1,863
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."
- 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 ...
- 53
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 ...
- 305