을/를 (eul/reul): The Object Particle

Level: TOPIK 1. A particle is a short ending added to a noun to show its job. 을/를 (eul/reul) is the object particle: it marks the direct object — the thing the action is done to.

The rule

을/를 (eul/reul) attaches to a noun to flag it as the direct object — the noun that directly receives the action of a verb. 물을 마셔요 (Mureul masyeoyo) = “I drink water”, where 물 (mul), “water”, is the thing drunk. The usual order is object + 을/를 (eul/reul) + verb, because Korean puts the verb last.

Which form you use depends only on the sound at the end of the noun:

• After a consonant (a final consonant is called a 받침 (batchim)), use 을 (eul): 밥을 (babeul), “rice (object)”.
• After a vowel, use 를 (reul): 커피를 (keopireul), “coffee (object)”.

Choosing 을 (eul) or 를 (reul)

Pronoun and question-word forms

Example sentences

Each sentence was written for this lesson, with readings.

1. 물을 마셔요.
   Mureul masyeoyo.
   I drink water.
   물 ends in a consonant, so 을
2. 커피를 마셔요.
   Keopireul masyeoyo.
   I drink coffee.
   커피 ends in a vowel, so 를
3. 밥을 먹어요.
   Babeul meogeoyo.
   I eat rice.
4. 책을 읽어요.
   Chaegeul ilgeoyo.
   I read a book.
5. 영화를 봐요.
   Yeonghwareul bwayo.
   I watch a movie.
6. 사과를 샀어요.
   Sagwareul sasseoyo.
   I bought an apple.
7. 한국어를 공부해요.
   Hangugeoreul gongbuhaeyo.
   I study Korean.
8. 음악을 들어요.
   Eumageul deureoyo.
   I listen to music.
9. 편지를 써요.
   Pyeonjireul sseoyo.
   I write a letter.
10. 커피를 좋아해요.
    Keopireul joahaeyo.
    I like coffee.
    좋아하다 is a verb and takes 를
11. 친구를 만나요.
    Chingureul mannayo.
    I meet a friend.
12. 창문을 열어요.
    Changmuneul yeoreoyo.
    I open the window.
13. 숙제를 했어요.
    Sukjereul haesseoyo.
    I did my homework.
14. 텔레비전을 봐요.
    Tellebijeoneul bwayo.
    I watch television.
15. 무엇을 먹어요?
    Mueoseul meogeoyo?
    What do you eat?
16. 사진을 찍어요.
    Sajineul jjigeoyo.
    I take a photo.
17. 저를 도와주세요.
    Jeoreul dowajuseyo.
    Please help me.
    저 + 를
18. 빵을 좋아해요.
    Ppangeul joahaeyo.
    I like bread.

Common mistakes

• ❌ 밥를 먹어요 (bapreul meogeoyo) → ✅ 밥을 먹어요 (Babeul meogeoyo). After a consonant use 을 (eul), not 를 (reul).
• ❌ 커피을 마셔요 (keopieul masyeoyo) → ✅ 커피를 마셔요 (Keopireul masyeoyo). After a vowel use 를 (reul), not 을 (eul).
• ❌ 물이 마셔요 (muri masyeoyo) → ✅ 물을 마셔요 (Mureul masyeoyo). The thing drunk is the object, so it takes 을/를 (eul/reul), not the subject particle 이/가 (i/ga).
• ❌ 커피가 좋아해요 (keopiga joahaeyo) → ✅ 커피를 좋아해요 (Keopireul joahaeyo). The verb 좋아하다 (joahada) takes an object with 을/를 (eul/reul).
• ❌ 저을 도와주세요 (jeoeul dowajuseyo) → ✅ 저를 도와주세요 (Jeoreul dowajuseyo). 저 (jeo) ends in a vowel, so it takes 를 (reul).

A short conversation

— 점심에 무엇을 먹었어요? (Jeomsime mueoseul meogeosseoyo?) — “What did you eat for lunch?” — 밥을 먹고 커피를 마셨어요. (Babeul meokgo keopireul masyeosseoyo.) — “I ate rice and drank coffee.” — 주말에 무엇을 해요? (Jumare mueoseul haeyo?) — “What do you do on the weekend?” — 친구를 만나고 영화를 봐요. (Chingureul mannago yeonghwareul bwayo.) — “I meet a friend and watch a movie.”

Usage notes

• Dropped in casual speech. The object particle is often left out in relaxed conversation: 밥 먹었어? (Bap meogeosseo?) = “Did you eat?” Keep it in writing and in polite or careful speech.
• 뭘 (mwol). 무엇을 (mueoseul), “what (object)”, contracts to 뭘 (mwol) in everyday speech: 뭘 먹어요? (Mwol meogeoyo?) = “What are you eating?”
• Topic can replace it for contrast. To contrast or set a known topic, 은/는 (eun/neun) may appear where an object particle would sit: 밥은 먹었어요 (Babeun meogeosseoyo) = “I did eat the rice (though maybe not other things).” The neutral choice is still 을/를 (eul/reul).
• One object per verb. A clause normally has a single direct object marked with 을/를 (eul/reul); the subject keeps 이/가 (i/ga) or the topic keeps 은/는 (eun/neun).

Compared with…

• 이/가 (i/ga) marks the subject — the doer or the thing described — while 을/를 (eul/reul) marks the object — the thing acted on. In 저는 커피를 마셔요 (Jeoneun keopireul masyeoyo), 저 (jeo) is the topic/subject and 커피 (keopi) is the object with 를 (reul). For a full look at the subject particle, see the 이/가 (i/ga) subject particle lesson.
• A quick test: ask “who or what does it?” (the subject, 이/가 (i/ga)) versus “does what to it?” (the object, 을/를 (eul/reul)).

Quick recap before the quiz.

Practice

Practice

Object particle practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Which particle follows 밥 (bap), which ends in a consonant?

을 (eul) 를 (reul) 이 (i) 가 (ga)

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을 (eul) — A noun ending in a consonant takes 을 (eul): 밥을 (babeul).

2 Type the romanised object particle for 커피 (keopi), which ends in a vowel: 커피____

Check

Hint: Vowel ending.

Show answer

reul — After a vowel use 를, read reul: 커피를 (keopireul).

3 Build: 'I drink water.'

마셔요 (masyeoyo)물을 (mureul)

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Show answer

물을 (mureul) 마셔요 (masyeoyo) — Object 물을 (mureul) + verb 마셔요 (masyeoyo); the verb comes last.

4 Match each noun with its object form.

• 밥 (bap) Match for 밥 (bap) — choose — 밥을 (babeul)사과를 (sagwareul)책을 (chaegeul)커피를 (keopireul)
• 커피 (keopi) Match for 커피 (keopi) — choose — 밥을 (babeul)사과를 (sagwareul)책을 (chaegeul)커피를 (keopireul)
• 책 (chaek) Match for 책 (chaek) — choose — 밥을 (babeul)사과를 (sagwareul)책을 (chaegeul)커피를 (keopireul)
• 사과 (sagwa) Match for 사과 (sagwa) — choose — 밥을 (babeul)사과를 (sagwareul)책을 (chaegeul)커피를 (keopireul)

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• 밥 (bap) → 밥을 (babeul)
• 커피 (keopi) → 커피를 (keopireul)
• 책 (chaek) → 책을 (chaegeul)
• 사과 (sagwa) → 사과를 (sagwareul)

Consonant endings take 을 (eul); vowel endings take 를 (reul).

5 Choose the natural 'I like coffee.'

커피가 좋아해요 (keopiga joahaeyo) 커피를 좋아해요 (keopireul joahaeyo) 커피이 좋아해요 (keopii joahaeyo) 커피는 좋아해요 (keopineun joahaeyo)

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Show answer

커피를 좋아해요 (keopireul joahaeyo) — 좋아하다 (joahada) is a verb and takes the object 를 (reul).

Quiz

Check yourself

Object particle quiz

12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

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1. 1What does 을/를 (eul/reul) mark?

   A The subject B The direct object C The topic D The location
   Show answer

   The direct object — 을/를 (eul/reul) marks the direct object — the thing the action is done to.

2. 2Which form follows a noun ending in a consonant?

   A 를 (reul) B 을 (eul) C 가 (ga) D 는 (neun)
   Show answer

   을 (eul) — A 받침 (batchim), a final consonant, takes 을 (eul).

3. 3Which form follows a noun ending in a vowel?

   A 을 (eul) B 를 (reul) C 이 (i) D 은 (eun)
   Show answer

   를 (reul) — A vowel ending takes 를 (reul): 커피를 (keopireul).

4. 4책___ 읽어요 (Chaek__ ilgeoyo) — which fits?

   A 를 (reul) B 을 (eul) C 가 (ga) D 는 (neun)
   Show answer

   을 (eul) — 책 (chaek) ends in a consonant, so 을 (eul): 책을 (chaegeul).

5. 5영화___ 봐요 (Yeonghwa__ bwayo) — which fits?

   A 을 (eul) B 를 (reul) C 이 (i) D 은 (eun)
   Show answer

   를 (reul) — 영화 (yeonghwa) ends in a vowel, so 를 (reul): 영화를 (yeonghwareul).

6. 6Which is wrong?

   A 밥을 (babeul) B 커피를 (keopireul) C 밥를 (bapreul) D 사과를 (sagwareul)
   Show answer

   밥를 (bapreul) — 밥 (bap) ends in a consonant, so it must take 을 (eul), not 를 (reul).

7. 7'I like coffee' uses which verb and particle?

   A 커피가 좋아요 (keopiga joayo) B 커피를 좋아해요 (keopireul joahaeyo) C 커피를 좋아요 (keopireul joayo) D 커피가 좋아해요 (keopiga joahaeyo)
   Show answer

   커피를 좋아해요 (keopireul joahaeyo) — 좋아하다 (joahada) is a verb and takes the object with 를 (reul).

8. 8Type the romanised particle for the blank: 음악____ 들어요 (Eumak__ deureoyo).
   Check
   Show answer

   eul — 음악 (eumak) ends in a consonant, so 을, read eul.

9. 9The object form of 저 (jeo) is…

   A 저가 (jeoga) B 저를 (jeoreul) C 저을 (jeoeul) D 저는 (jeoneun)
   Show answer

   저를 (jeoreul) — 저 (jeo) ends in a vowel, so it takes 를 (reul): 저를 (jeoreul).

10. 10What is the casual contraction of 무엇을 (mueoseul)?

    A 뭐가 (mwoga) B 뭘 (mwol) C 무가 (muga) D 뭔 (mwon)
    Show answer

    뭘 (mwol) — 무엇을 (mueoseul) contracts to 뭘 (mwol) in speech.

11. 11In 물을 마셔요 (Mureul masyeoyo), 물 (mul) is the…

    A subject that drinks B object that is drunk C location D topic
    Show answer

    object that is drunk — The water is the thing drunk — the object — so it takes 을 (eul).

12. 12When is the object particle often dropped?

    A In writing B In formal speeches C In casual spoken Korean D Never
    Show answer

    In casual spoken Korean — It is commonly dropped in casual speech (밥 먹었어 (Bap meogeosseo)?), but kept in writing and polite speech.

Recap cheat-sheet

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