Korean direct object markers: 을, 를

YunJong - Wed, 07/15/2020 - 10:30

Korean direct object markers: 을, 를

If you add 을(used after consonants) or 를(used after vowels) after a subject pronoun, the phrase turns into a direct object form.

Subject + Verb + what? or whom? = DIRECT OBJECT

For example: “I eat some food. I eat what? Some food.” “Some food” is the direct object. Another example is: “I meet my friend. I meet whom? My friend.” Therefore, “my friend” is the direct object.

The verb used in each example can be any other verb. The exception is the ‘To Be’ verb and when the verb is an auxiliary.

Exercise 1) Add the direct object maker 을 after the consonant ending subject pronouns, and 를 after the vowel ending subject pronouns in the table below.

Direct Objects	Polite form	Casual form
Me	저	나
You (Singular)	당신	너
Him	그	그
Her	그녀	그녀
It	그것	그것
Us	저희	우리
You (Plural)	당신들	너희
Them	그들	그들

We put direct object markers 을 or를 after subjects to make direct objects.

If the sentence (Subject + Verb) requires more information pertaining to the “what?” or “whom?” object being acted upon by the verb, then during the addition of this object to the sentence, the direct object markers 을 or 를 should be added as a suffix.

If a subject ends with a vowel, we put 를.

ex) 그를, 너희를

If a subject ends with a consonant, we put 을.

ex) 그것을, 그들을, 당신을

Direct object 저를 can be shortened to 절.

Direct object 나를 can be shortened to 날.

Direct object 너를 can be shortened to 널.

Making sentences)

1. He wears clothes. (입다to wear → 입어요, 옷clothes)

그는 옷을 입어요

He clothes wears

The subject usually comes first in the sentence.

Since clothes (옷) is a direct object ending with a consonant, we add 을 after 옷.

The verb always goes at the end of the sentence.

2. She makes a snowman. (눈사람snowman, 만들다to make → 만들어요)

그녀는 눈사람을 만들어요

She snowman makes

The subject usually comes first in the sentence.

눈사람 (snowman) is a direct object , so we add 을 after 눈사람 as 눈사람 ends with a consonant.

The verb always goes at the end of the sentence.

3. I read a book. (읽다to read → 읽어요, 책a book)

저는 책을 읽어요

I book read

The subject usually comes first in the sentence.

A book (책) is a direct object, so we add 을 after 책, as 책 ends with a consonant.

The verb always goes at the end of the sentence.

Exercise 2) Translate them into Korean

1. We eat rice (=meal). (먹다 to eat → 먹어요, 밥rice = meal)

→ .

2. They study English. (공부하다 to study → 공부해요, 영어English)

→ .

3. She likes Korean soap opera. (좋아하다 to like → 좋아해요, 한국 드라마Korean soap opera)

→ .

4. We like Bulgogi. (좋아하다 to like → 좋아해요, 불고기Bulgogi)

→ .

5. Mr. John writes a book. (존 씨Mr. John , 쓰다 to write → 써요, 책a book)

→ .

6. She buys a computer. (사다 to buy → 사요, 컴퓨터a computer )

→ .

7. Tom reads the newspaper. (톰Tom , 신문newspaper , 읽다 to read → 읽어요)

→ .

8. I study Korean. (공부하다 to study → 공부해요, 한국어Korean)

→ .

9. He cooks Italian food. (요리하다 to cook → 요리해요, 이탈리아 음식Italian food)

→ .

10. He loves her. (사랑하다 to love → 사랑해요)

→ .

11. She likes you. (좋아하다 to like → 좋아해요)

→ .

12. He does homework. (하다 to do → 해요, 숙제homework)

→ .

13. They bring umbrellas. (가져오다 to bring → 가져와요, 우산umbrella)

→ .

14. She likes movies. (영화movie)

→ .

15. He likes flowers. (꽃flower)

→ .

16. We watch TV. (보다 to watch → 봐요, 텔레비전TV )

→ .

17. I listen to the radio. (라디오radio, 듣다 to listen → 들어요)

→ .

18. She likes English. (영어English)

→ .

19. They cook Korean food. (요리하다 to cook → 요리해요, 한국 음식Korean food)

→ .

20. He meets them. (만나다 to meet → 만나요)

→ .

21. We drive a car. (운전하다 to drive, car자동차)

→ .

22. I eat Pizza. (Pizza 피자)

→ .

Exercise 3) Translate the Korean sentences into English

1. 만들어요 make (만들다 to make)

저는 종이배를 만들어요. (종이 paper + 배 boat)

→ .

2. 만나요 meet (만나다 to meet)

저는 친구를 만나요. (친구 friend)

→ .

3. 해요 do (하다 to do)

저는 숙제를 해요. (숙제 homework)

→ .

4. 말해요 speak (말하다 to speak)

그는 한국어를 말해요. (한국어 Korean language)

→ .

5. 봐요 see, watch (보다 to see, to watch)

그들은 텔레비전을 봐요. (텔레비전 Television)

→ .

6. 들어요 listen, hear (듣다 to listen, to hear)

그녀는 라디오를 들어요. (라디오 radio)

→ .

7. 공부해요 study (공부하다 to study)

그는 한국어를 공부해요. (한국어 Korean language)

→ .

8. 먹어요 eat (먹다 to eat)

당신은 밥을 먹어요. (밥 rice, meal)

→ .

<Expression: “Want to …” = …고 싶어요>

Replace […] with the stem of the infinitive verb or adjective

Ex)

먹다 (infinitive verb) to eat

먹 (infinitive stem) eat

먹+고 싶어요 (Polite form) want to eat

배우다 (infinitive verb) to learn

배우 (infinitive stem) learn

배우+고 싶어요 (Polite form) want to learn

Making sentences)

1. I want to eat Pizza. (Pizza 피자)

저는 피자를 먹고 싶어요.

I Pizza want to eat

The subject usually comes first in the sentence.

A pizza (피자) is a direct object [I want to eat what?], therefore; we add the direct object marker 를after 피자, as 피자 ends with a vowel.

The verb 먹고 싶어요 goes at the end of the sentence.

2. I want to learn Science. (science 과학)

저는 과학을 배우고 싶어요.

I science want to learn

The subject usually comes first in the sentence.

Science (과학) is a direct object [I want to learn what?], therefore we add the direct object marker 을after 과학, as 과학 ends with a consonant.

The verb 배우고 싶어요 goes at the end of the sentence.

When talking about a third person’s feelings, 하다 is added to the feeling or desire related verbs. For example, when we describe someone else’s desire such as “want to…” “…고 싶어 해요” is used instead of “…고 싶어요”. This is because we don’t know the other person’s desire.

Ex) 그녀는 커피를 마시고 싶어 해요. She wants to drink some coffee.

그는 운동하고 싶어 해요. He wants to exercise.

그들도 먹고 싶어 해요. They want to eat, too. (도 too, also)

Similar expressions with “…고 싶어요”

1) Noun 을/를 원하다 to want Noun

Ex) 그는 그녀를 원해요. He wants her.

Ex) 저는 물을 원해요. I want some water.

2) Noun 이/가 필요하다 to need Noun

Ex) 저는 펜이 필요해요. I need a pen.

Ex) 저는 물이 필요해요. I need some water.

Ex) 저는 동전이 필요해요. I need some coins.

Ex) 저는 핸드폰이 필요해요. I need a cell phone.

*** 이 and 가 are used as direct object markers instead of 을, 를for the following specific words:

있다 to exist, to have, to stay

없다 to not exist, to not have, to not stay

필요하다 to need

되다 to become

많다 to be a lot

Exercise 4) Translate the following sentences into English and vice versa

1. 저는 빵을 먹고 싶어요. (빵 bread, 먹다 to eat)

→ .

2. 저는 친구를 만나고 싶어요. (친구 friend, 만나다 to meet)

→ .

3. 저는 한국어를 말하고 싶어요. (한국어 Korean, 말하다 to speak)

→ .

4. 저는 숙제를 하고 싶어요. (숙제 homework, 하다 to do)

→ .

5. 저는 한국어를 공부하고 싶어요. (한국어 Korean, 공부하다 to study)

→ .

6. I want to play outside. (밖에서 outside, 놀다 to play/hang out)

→ .

7. I want to drink some water. (물 water, 마시다 to drink)

→ .

8. I want to sleep a lot. (많이 a lot, 자다 to sleep)

→ .

9. I want to cook Korean food. (한국 음식 Korean food, 요리하다 to cook)

→ .

10. I want to read some magazines. (잡지 magazines, 읽다 to read)

→ .

Exercise 5) Translate the following sentences into English and vice versa.

1. Q뭐를 사고 싶어요? (사다 to buy)

→ .

A I want to buy milk. (milk 우유)

→ .

2. Q지금 뭐를 하고 싶어요? (하다 to do, 지금 now)

→ .

A1 I want to watch a movie with my friend. (보다 to watch, 영화 movie, 하고 with)

→ .

A2 I want to go shopping. (쇼핑하다 to go shopping)

→ .

A3 I want to read books. (읽다 to read, 책 books)

→ .

A4 I want to sleep at home.

[자다 to sleep, 집 home/house, 에서 in, at (when an action verb is present in the sentence)]

→ .
3. Q어디에 가고 싶어요? (가다 to go)

→ .

A I want to go home. (집home/house)

→ .

4. Q크리스마스에 뭐를 하고 싶어요? (하다 to do)

→ .

A I want to spend time with my family.

(가족 family, Noun하고 with Noun, 시간을 보내다 to spend time)

→ .

5. Q 당신은 뭐가 되고 싶어요? (되다 to become)

* with the verb 되다 (to become), either이or가 is used as the complement marker

→ .

A I want to be a scientist. (과학자 scientist)

→ .

6. Q 어디에 살고 싶어요? (살다 to live)

→ .

A I want to live in Korea. [A에 살다 to live in A (A is a place)]

→ .

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