What does an Object Marking Particle do in Korean?

What does an Object Marking Particle do in Korean?

In Korean, an Object Marking Particle marks the direct object of a sentence — the person or thing that is directly receiving the action of the verb. The two object particles in Korean are 을 (eul) and 를 (reul).

Here’s how they work:
을 (eul) is used after a noun that ends in a consonant.
를 (reul) is used after a noun that ends in a vowel.

Example Sentences:

책을 읽었어요. (chae-geul il-geo-sseo-yo)
Translation: “I read a book.”
책 (book) is the object, marked by 을 because it ends in a consonant (ㄱ).

사과를 먹어요. (sa-gwa-reul meo-geo-yo)
Translation: “I eat an apple.”
사과 (apple) is the object, marked by 를 because it ends in a vowel (ㅏ).

Object marking particles don’t change based on the subject; their function is solely to show that the noun they follow is the object of the verb.

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