を - the direct object marker

Xを + verb

Meaning

Marks X as the thing the verb directly acts on.

Explanation

を (pronounced "o") marks the direct object of an action verb - the thing being eaten, read, bought, and so on. It almost never appears anywhere except right before the verb it belongs to.

Formation

Noun + を + Verb

Examples

パンを食べます。
パンをたべます。
I eat bread.
新聞を読みます。
しんぶんをよみます。
I read the newspaper.

Grammar explanations and example sentences written for NihongoTech.