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Korean grammar

Marking the object

을 / 를

A0 · Starter Building the sentence Questions 10

The rule

What the verb acts on takes 을 after a consonant and 를 after a vowel: 밥을 먹어요, 커피를 마셔요. A few verbs that English builds with a preposition take it too — 친구를 만나요, 버스를 타요 — and getting those right is what makes a sentence sound Korean rather than translated.

Pattern

받침 O + 을 · 받침 X + 를

Examples

  1. 밥을 먹어요.

    I eat.

  2. 커피를 마셔요.

    I drink coffee.

  3. 친구를 만나요.

    I meet a friend.

Keep in mind

  • 밥을

    consonant → 을

  • 커피를

    vowel → 를

  • 버스를 타요

    not 버스에 타요

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    Which particle?

    밥_____ 먹어요.

    1. 이
    2. 에
    3. 를
    4. 을
    Show answer

    Answer: D 을

    밥 ends in ㅂ.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    Which particle?

    커피_____ 마셔요.

    1. 가
    2. 를
    3. 로
    4. 을
    Show answer

    Answer: B 를

    커피 ends in a vowel.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    Which particle?

    친구_____ 만나요.

    1. 가
    2. 하고
    3. 에게
    4. 를
    Show answer

    Answer: D 를

    만나다 takes the object particle.

  4. 4Choose the correct sentence.

    Which particle?

    버스_____ 타요.

    1. 에
    2. 에서
    3. 로
    4. 를
    Show answer

    Answer: D 를

    타다 takes 을/를, not 에.

  5. 5Choose the correct sentence.

    Which particle?

    한국어_____ 배워요.

    1. 을
    2. 를
    3. 이
    4. 에서
    Show answer

    Answer: B 를

    한국어 ends in a vowel.

  6. 6Choose the correct sentence.

    Which particle?

    책_____ 읽어요.

    1. 을
    2. 를
    3. 이
    4. 에
    Show answer

    Answer: A 을

    책 ends in ㄱ.

  7. 7This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is correct?

    —

    1. 영화을 봐요.
    2. 영화를 봐요.
    3. 영화에 봐요.
    4. 영화가 봐요.
    Show answer

    Answer: B 영화를 봐요.

    영화 ends in a vowel.

  8. 8This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is correct?

    —

    1. 지하철로 타요.
    2. 지하철을 타요.
    3. 지하철에 타요.
    4. 지하철를 타요.
    Show answer

    Answer: B 지하철을 타요.

    철 ends in ㄹ, and 타다 takes 을/를.

  9. 9Fill in the gap.

    Which particle?

    음악_____ 들어요.

    1. 이
    2. 에
    3. 을
    4. 를
    Show answer

    Answer: C 음악을 들어요.

    음악 ends in ㄱ.

  10. 10Fill in the gap.

    Which particle?

    사진_____ 좋아해요.

    1. 을
    2. 이
    3. 를
    4. 가
    Show answer

    Answer: A 사진을 좋아해요.

    사진 ends in ㄴ, and 좋아하다 takes 을/를.

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