The object marking particles are 을 or 를 depending on whether the object is a word ending in a vowel or consonant. When the object ends in a vowel you’re going to use 를. Take a look at a sentence like this, 주니가 사과를 사요. 주니 = Juni. 가 = subject marking particle. 사과 = apple. 를 = object marking particle. 사요 = the verb ‘buy’ in the standard polite form. Altogether this sentence means, ‘Juni buys an apple’. The object marking particle 를 was attached to the word 사과 because the word ends in a vowel. The object marking particle marks the object of the sentence. In this case, the object was the apple.

When the object ends in a consonant, you use the 을 particle. For example in a sentence like this, 승미가 집을 사요. 승미 = Seungmi. 가 = subject marking particle. 집 = house. 을 = object marking particle. 사요 = the verb ‘buy’ in standard polite form. In English this sentence would mean, ‘Seungmi buys a house’. 집 ends in a consonant, so the object marking particle 을 is used. For more explanations on the subject marking particles and the standard polite form, scan through the previous posts. To find the previous posts, go to https://blogs.transparent.com/korean, look below this article under ‘posted under’ and click on grammar.

One thing I want to point out is that the 를/을 particle is used quite liberally, and not just for non living objects. For example, take a look at a sentence like this, 헤니가 세미를 사랑해요. 헤니 = Heni. 가 = subject marking particle after a vowel. 세미 = Semi. 를 = object marking particle after a vowel. 사랑해요 = the verb ‘love’ in the standard polite form. In English, this means Heni loves Semi. Semi is a person here, but the object marking particle is still attached to Semi. Therefore object marking particles aren’t necessarily restricted to ‘things’, people count as well.

Ok, so here’s a brief test and summary of what was discussed above. What object marking particle would you use in this sentence? “원주가 한국어_ 잘 알아들어요.” 원주 = Won Ju. 가 = subject marking particle. 한국어 = Korean language. 잘 = well, good. 알아들어요 = verb ‘understand’ in standard polite form. (Won Ju understands Korean well.) Since 한국어 ends in a vowel, you’ll need to use 를. How about this sentence, where and what object marking particle will you need? 지누는 지금 집 나가요. 지누 = Jinu. 지금 = now. 집 = house. 나가요 = verb ‘go out/leaves’ in standard polite form. (Jinu leaves the house now.) Here, the object marking particle is after the word 집 and since it ends in a consonant, 을 will be used.