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# [Korean Sentence Pattern #05] N을/를 V-아요/어요 (Korean Object Particles)
- URL: https://www.youngssam-korean.com/korean-sentence-pattern-05-neul-reul-v-ayo-eoyo-korean-object-particles/
- Published: 2026-10-06T05:27:27.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-06T05:27:27.000Z
- Author: YoungSsam

Learn to use 을/를 to say what you eat, drink, read, buy, and enjoy. Practice with everyday examples, then build sentences about your own life.

You drink water after a walk. You read a book before bed. You buy an apple at the store.

Each sentence has an action and something that the action is directed toward. In Korean, 을/를 helps show that connection.

> 물을 마셔요.  
> I drink water.

> 책을 읽어요.  
> I read a book.

> 사과를 사요.  
> I buy an apple.

The pattern is:

**N을/를 + V-아요/어요.**

N means a noun. V means a verb that takes an object, such as 먹다 (to eat), 읽다 (to read), or 사다 (to buy).

Need help making forms like 먹어요, 마셔요, and 사요? Read [V/A -아요/어요: Everyday Polite Korean](https://www.youngssam-korean.com/korean-sentence-pattern-04-v-a-ayo-eoyo-everyday-polite-korean/) for the ending rules. Here, we’ll focus on **을/를** and the noun that comes before it.

## 1\. What does 을/를 do?

Imagine someone asks what you eat for breakfast. You say:

> 저는 빵을 먹어요.  
> I eat bread.

Here are the pieces:

- 저는 = as for me / I
- 빵 = bread
- 을 = an object marker
- 먹어요 = eat

The action is 먹어요. What do you eat? 빵. That makes 빵 the **object** of the action.

을/를 attaches to the noun to mark that role. It doesn’t have a separate English translation.

Try the same question with another sentence:

> 영화를 봐요.  
> I watch a movie.

What do you watch? 영화. That is why 영화 takes 를.

An object can also be a person:

> 친구를 만나요.  
> I meet a friend.

Who do you meet? 친구. Here, 친구 is the object of 만나요.

## 2\. Choose 을 or 를

을 and 를 do the same job. Your choice depends on the **last syllable of the noun**.

If the noun ends in a consonant (받침), use **을**.

| Noun | Meaning       | With 을 |
| ---- | ------------- | ------ |
| 밥    | rice / a meal | 밥을     |
| 물    | water         | 물을     |
| 책    | book          | 책을     |
| 음악   | music         | 음악을    |
| 옷    | clothes       | 옷을     |
| 사진   | photo         | 사진을    |

If the noun ends in a vowel, use **를**.

| Noun | Meaning | With 를 |
| ---- | ------- | ------ |
| 커피   | coffee  | 커피를    |
| 사과   | apple   | 사과를    |
| 영화   | movie   | 영화를    |
| 친구   | friend  | 친구를    |
| 한국어  | Korean  | 한국어를   |
| 편지   | letter  | 편지를    |

Look at the Korean spelling, not the English meaning. 커피 ends in the vowel ㅣ, so it takes 를.

> 물을 마셔요.  
> I drink water.

> 커피를 마셔요.  
> I drink coffee.

The verb stays the same. The noun determines which object marker you use.

## 3\. Put the object before the verb

English usually puts the object after the verb: “I read a book.”

For this Korean pattern, put the object before the verb:

**저는 + 책을 + 읽어요.**

Think of the order as “I + a book + read.”

> 저는 사과를 먹어요.  
> I eat an apple.

> 저는 한국어를 공부해요.  
> I study Korean.

> 저는 친구를 만나요.  
> I meet a friend.

When the conversation already makes it clear who you mean, you can leave out 저는:

> 한국어를 공부해요.  
> I study Korean.

Attach 을/를 directly to the noun, then leave a space before the verb:

> 책을 읽어요. ✓  
> 책 을 읽어요. ✗  
> 책을읽어요. ✗

## 4\. Talk about food and drinks

Start with something you eat or drink often.

| Korean       | English                        |
| ------------ | ------------------------------ |
| 아침에 빵을 먹어요.  | I eat bread in the morning.    |
| 점심에 김밥을 먹어요. | I eat gimbap for lunch.        |
| 저녁에 밥을 먹어요.  | I eat a meal in the evening.   |
| 바나나를 먹어요.    | I eat a banana.                |
| 물을 마셔요.      | I drink water.                 |
| 우유를 마셔요.     | I drink milk.                  |
| 아침에 커피를 마셔요. | I drink coffee in the morning. |
| 집에서 차를 마셔요.  | I drink tea at home.           |

Notice how 먹어요 works with both 빵을 and 바나나를. The marker changes because the noun changes, not because the action changes.

Try changing just the food:

> 빵을 먹어요. → 사과를 먹어요. → 김밥을 먹어요.  
> I eat bread. → I eat an apple. → I eat gimbap.

What do you usually have for breakfast? Make one sentence that is true for you.

## 5\. Talk about studying, hobbies, and errands

을/를 works with many everyday actions.

| Situation          | Korean     | English             |
| ------------------ | ---------- | ------------------- |
| Reading            | 책을 읽어요.    | I read a book.      |
| Reading the news   | 뉴스를 읽어요.   | I read the news.    |
| Studying           | 한국어를 공부해요. | I study Korean.     |
| Doing homework     | 숙제를 해요.    | I do my homework.   |
| Watching something | 드라마를 봐요.   | I watch a drama.    |
| Listening          | 음악을 들어요.   | I listen to music.  |
| Taking pictures    | 사진을 찍어요.   | I take photos.      |
| Shopping           | 옷을 사요.     | I buy clothes.      |
| Choosing a gift    | 선물을 골라요.   | I choose a gift.    |
| Meeting someone    | 친구를 만나요.   | I meet a friend.    |
| Waiting            | 버스를 기다려요.  | I wait for the bus. |
| Opening something  | 문을 열어요.    | I open the door.    |

English uses “to” in “listen to music” and “for” in “wait for the bus.” Korean uses an object marker with these verbs:

> 음악을 들어요.  
> I listen to music.

> 버스를 기다려요.  
> I wait for the bus.

Learn the noun and verb together as a useful phrase. You don’t need to translate each English word into a separate Korean word.

## 6\. Keep the noun, change its role

The same noun can take a different marker when its job in the sentence changes.

Imagine a book on your desk:

> 책이 있어요.  
> There is a book. / I have a book.

Now imagine reading it:

> 책을 읽어요.  
> I read a book.

In the first sentence, 책 is what exists. In the second, 책 is what you read.

Compare a few more:

| Describing what exists or what something is like | Saying what you do with it |
| ------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------- |
| 물이 있어요. — There is water.                        | 물을 마셔요. — I drink water.   |
| 사과가 맛있어요. — The apple is delicious.              | 사과를 먹어요. — I eat an apple. |
| 영화가 재미있어요. — The movie is interesting.           | 영화를 봐요. — I watch a movie. |
| 가방이 예뻐요. — The bag is pretty.                    | 가방을 사요. — I buy a bag.     |

Don’t choose 을/를 just because you see a noun. Ask what that noun is doing in the sentence.

## 7\. Why does this pattern say V, not V/A?

\-아요/어요 can be used with both verbs and adjectives. But **this object pattern needs a verb that takes an object**.

An adjective such as 예뻐요 (is pretty) describes something. In a basic sentence like this, use 이/가 for the thing you’re describing:

> 꽃이 예뻐요. ✓  
> The flowers are pretty.

> 꽃을 예뻐요. ✗

A particularly useful pair is **좋다** and **좋아하다**.

> 커피가 좋아요.  
> I like coffee. / Coffee is good.

> 커피를 좋아해요.  
> I like coffee.

Both can express a preference, but their grammar is different. 좋다 is an adjective; 좋아하다 is a verb that takes an object.

For now, practice these combinations together:

**N이/가 좋아요.**

**N을/를 좋아해요.**

Also, not every action verb needs an object. For the simple meaning “I go to school,” use 학교에 가요. 학교 is your destination, so this sentence uses 에.

## 8\. Use 을/를 in a conversation

To ask what someone eats, reads, or buys, use **뭐를** or its common shortened form, **뭘**.

**At lunchtime**

> A: 점심에 뭘 먹어요?  
> What do you eat for lunch?

> B: 김밥을 먹어요.  
> I eat gimbap.

**Talking about a quiet evening**

> A: 집에서 뭘 해요?  
> What do you do at home?

> B: 책을 읽어요. 음악을 들어요.  
> I read books. I listen to music.

**At a store**

> A: 뭘 사요?  
> What are you buying?

> B: 친구 선물을 사요.  
> I’m buying a gift for a friend.

**Making plans**

> A: 오늘 누구를 만나요?  
> Who are you meeting today?

> B: 친구를 만나요.  
> I’m meeting a friend.

누구 means “who.” Because it ends in a vowel, it takes 를: 누구를.

You may also hear 커피 마셔요 or 뭐 먹어요? in everyday speech. Speakers often leave out 을/를 when the meaning is clear. Keep it in your practice sentences while you learn how the pattern works.

## 9\. Try a quick 을/를 check

Fill in each blank with 을 or 를. Look at the last syllable of the noun.

1. 물\_\_\_ 마셔요. — I drink water.
2. 사과\_\_\_ 먹어요. — I eat an apple.
3. 한국어\_\_\_ 공부해요. — I study Korean.
4. 음악\_\_\_ 들어요. — I listen to music.
5. 사진\_\_\_ 찍어요. — I take photos.
6. 친구\_\_\_ 만나요. — I meet a friend.

Then choose the sentence that means “I like coffee.”

- 커피를 좋아해요.
- 커피를 좋아요.

**Check your answers**

1. 물**을** 마셔요.
2. 사과**를** 먹어요.
3. 한국어**를** 공부해요.
4. 음악**을** 들어요.
5. 사진**을** 찍어요.
6. 친구**를** 만나요.

The correct choice is **커피를 좋아해요.** If you use 좋아요 instead, say **커피가 좋아요.**

Read each complete sentence aloud. Notice the noun and its marker together: 물을, 사과를, 한국어를.

## 10\. Make three sentences about your life

Choose words that fit your day.

1. Something you eat or drink: 저는 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_을/를 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
2. Something you read, watch, or listen to: 저는 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_을/를 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
3. Someone you meet or something you buy: 저는 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_을/를 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.

Here’s one possible set:

> 아침에 커피를 마셔요.  
> I drink coffee in the morning.

> 저녁에 드라마를 봐요.  
> I watch dramas in the evening.

> 주말에 친구를 만나요.  
> I meet friends on weekends.

Say your sentences aloud. Then look away and try saying them again.

To make a new sentence, change just the noun:

> 커피를 마셔요. → 물을 마셔요.  
> I drink coffee. → I drink water.

Check the last syllable each time. A new noun might need a different marker.

What do you eat, read, or enjoy today? Choose a noun, add 을 or 를, and finish with your action.  
![eul-reul-feature.png](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3e/77/3e77e67a-c356-4231-b7c2-8a02146832bb/content/images/2026/10/eul-reul-feature-1.png)

## Keep Building Your Korean

Need another look at the verb endings? Review [V/A -아요/어요: Everyday Polite Korean](https://www.youngssam-korean.com/korean-sentence-pattern-04-v-a-ayo-eoyo-everyday-polite-korean/), then come back and try three new object sentences.