GRAMMAR DETAIL
を
Follows a place noun with a verb of departure or separation to mark the place being left.
Examples
七時に家を出て駅へ向かった。
I left home at seven and headed for the station.
Words used
大学を出てから駅へ向かいます。
After leaving the university, I will head for the station.
Words used
毎朝八時に家を出ます。
I leave home at eight every morning.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure: Put
をafter the place being left and use it with a departure verb such as出る. The particleをis pronouncedお. - Basic usage: It identifies the place from which someone departs.
- In
家を出て駅へ向かう, home is the place being left and the station is the destination being approached.
- In
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- を does not always mark a transitive verb
- In
家を出る,出るis intransitive. Home is the place being left rather than an object being acted on, so the particle alone does not determine the verb's class.
- In
- から and starting points
家から歩くidentifies where the walk starts.家を出るfocuses on leaving the inside of the home, so the type of movement expressed by the verb also matters.