Language/Japanese/Grammar/Particles-へ-and-を

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Japanese Grammar → Particles and Conjunctions → Particles へ and を

In this lesson, we will learn how to use and differentiate the particles へ and を in Japanese sentences, and express direction and object.

Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Particles も and しか & Plural 複数.

Particles へ and を

In Japanese, particles convey the grammatical functions of words in a sentence. The particle へ (e) and を (o) are two of the most important particles in the language as they express direction and object respectively.

The particle へ (e) expresses the direction of movement toward a specific destination or goal. It is equivalent to the English preposition "to". In most cases, it is used to indicate physical movement, but it can also be used to indicate a direction of thought or purpose. Here are some examples:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
東京へ	Tōkyō e	To Tokyo (direction of movement)
家へ	Ie e	To home (direction of movement)
目的地へ	Mokutekichi e	Towards the destination (direction of movement and goal)

On the other hand, the particle を (o) indicates the direct object of a transitive verb, which receives the action of the verb. It is equivalent to the English preposition "of". Here are some examples:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
りんごを食べる	Ringo o taberu	Eat an apple (object of the verb "eat")
映画を見る	Eiga o miru	Watch a movie (object of the verb "watch")
宿題をする	Shukudai o suru	Do homework (object of the verb "do")

Note that when a verb does not take an object, the particle を (o) is not used. Instead, the particle が (ga) can be used to mark the subject of the sentence.

It is important to differentiate the particle へ (e) and を (o) in order to accurately convey the intended meaning of a sentence.

Particle へ (e)

As mentioned earlier, the particle へ (e) indicates the direction of movement towards a specific destination or goal. Here are some common uses of the particle へ (e):

• To indicate movement towards a location:

 * バスで公園へ行きます。 (Basu de kōen e ikimasu.) - I'm going to the park by bus.

 * 駅への道を教えてください。 (Eki e no michi o oshiete kudasai.) - Please show me the way to the station.

• To indicate a direction of thought or purpose:

 * 頑張って勉強して、医者になります。 (Ganbatte benkyō shite, isha ni narimasu.) - I will study hard and become a doctor.

 * 自分の夢へ向かって、努力しなければなりません。 (Jibun no yume e mukatte, doryoku shinakereba narimasen.) - I must make an effort towards achieving my dream.

• To indicate a general movement or trend:

 * 一般的に、人口は都市へ移動しています。 (Ippanteki ni, jinkō wa toshi e idō shite imasu.) - Generally, the population is moving towards cities.

 * この市では、物価が上がっています。 (Kono shi de wa, bukka ga agatte imasu.) - In this city, prices are rising.

Note that the particle へ (e) can also be used interchangeably with the particle に (ni) in certain cases. For instance, both particles can be used to indicate the direction of movement towards a location:

• バスで公園へ行きます。 (Basu de kōen e ikimasu.)

• バスで公園に行きます。 (Basu de kōen ni ikimasu.)

In general, the use of particle に (ni) is more common when expressing non-physical movement or the arrival at a location without specifying a starting point, while the particle へ (e) is more commonly used to express physical motion.

Particle を (o)

As mentioned earlier, the particle を (o) indicates the direct object of a transitive verb, which receives the action of the verb. Here are some common uses of the particle を (o):

• To indicate what is being eaten, seen, or done:

 * パンを食べます。 (Pan o tabemasu.) - I eat bread.

 * 映画を見ます。 (Eiga o mimasu.) - I watch a movie.

 * 宿題をします。 (Shukudai o shimasu.) - I do homework.

• To indicate what is being bought:

 * 果物を買います。 (Kudamono o kaimasu.) - I buy fruit.

• To indicate what is being learned:

 * 日本語を勉強します。 (Nihongo o benkyō shimasu.) - I study Japanese.

• To indicate what is being cleaned:

 * 部屋を掃除します。 (Heya o sōji shimasu.) - I clean the room.

Note that when a verb does not take an object, the particle を (o) is not used. For instance, the verb "to sleep" (寝る, neru) is an intransitive verb and does not take an object:

• 寝ます。 (Nemasu.) - I sleep.

In such cases, the particle が (ga) is used to mark the subject of the sentence.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have learned how to use and differentiate the particles へ (e) and を (o) in Japanese sentences, and express direction and object. It is important to pay close attention to the use of these particles in order to convey accurate meaning and avoid confusion in conversation.

Sources

• A Simple Guide to Common Japanese Particles | OptiLingo
• Japanese Grammar – Particles | NIHONGO ICHIBAN
• Japanese Particles Guide: Wa, Ni, No, Ga - JapanesePod101.com

With this lesson finished, you may want to explore these additional pages: Verb Conjugation & Adjectives.

Table of Contents - Japanese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Hiragana Basics

• Hiragana Reading and Writing Practice
• Introduction to Japanese Sentence Structure
• Particle は and が
• Verb Conjugation
• Noun and Adjective Modification
• Question Words and Phrases

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Greetings
• Introducing Yourself and Others
• Describing People
• Counting Numbers and Time
• Basic Food and Drink Terminology
• Daily Activities and Hobbies
• Basic Directions and Transportation

  ---

Geography and History

• Introduction to Japanese Geography
• Brief History of Japan
• Traditional Arts and Customs
• Popular Culture and Entertainment

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Conjugation
• Adjective Types and Usage
• Adverb Types and Usage
• Comparison and Superlative
• Adjective and Adverbial Modification

  ---

Family and Social Relations

• Family Members and Titles
• Social Etiquette and Expressions
• Basic Workplace and Business Terminology
• Shopping and Consumer Culture

  ---

Religion and Philosophy

• Shinto and Buddhism
• Zen and Samurai Culture
• Contemporary Spiritual Movements

  ---

Particles and Conjunctions

• Particles に and で
• Particles へ and を
• Particles も and しか
• Conjunctions and Compound Sentences
• Conditional and Hypothetical Sentences

  ---

Travel and Tourism

• Basic Travel and Tourism Vocabulary
• Famous Tourist Attractions and Landmarks
• Japanese Hospitality and Service Culture

  ---

Education and Science

• Educational System and Vocabulary
• Traditional and Modern Science and Technology
• Natural Disasters and Risk Prevention

  ---

Prepositions and Interjections

• Prepositions and Postpositions
• Emphasis and Intensification
• Exclamation and Impression Expressions

  ---

Arts and Media

• Film and Theater Terminology
• Music and Dance Terminology
• Art and Literature Terminology

  ---

Politics and Society

• Basic Political Vocabulary
• Social Issues and Controversies
• Japanese Business and Work Culture

Other Lessons

• Negation
• Introduction to Japanese Sentence Structure
• How to Use Have
• Particle は and が
• Adverbs 副詞
• Give your Opinion
• Adjective Types and Usage
• Adjectives (形容詞)
• Noun and Adjective Modification
• Questions

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