How do you pronounce 을?

을 is pronounced “eul” (revised romanization). You can hear it pronounced with Korean audio on this page.

을 (eul) — The grammatical spotlight that pins down the exact target of

What does 을 mean?

을 (eul) means: The grammatical spotlight that pins down the exact target of an action when a noun ends in a consonant.

Speakers use this particle to indicate the direct object that receives the action of a verb, appearing when the preceding noun ends in a consonant. It frequently attaches to nouns functioning as the direct target of everyday verbs like eating, reading, or buying, as seen in pairs like 빵을 먹는다 and 과일을 샀다. It also marks the target when performing actions toward other people or objects, such as 동생을 먹여라 or 친구들을 보였어요.

Marking a direct object explicitly can draw clear focus to the target of the action, sometimes making the transaction feel concrete and immediate.

Other sides of 을

◆ Focus and Contrast — Speakers use this particle to add emphasis to a specific noun in a sentence. It frequently appears in formal definitions and descriptions when highlighting a particular element or target within an action. It attaches directly to nominal elements to set them apart for special focus.

Can sound deliberate and emphatic, drawing the listener's attention strictly to the marked element as the primary focus of the utterance.

How it's actually used

아침에는 빵을 먹는다.
a-chim-e-neun ppang-eul meong-neun-da.
I eat bread in the morning.
💡 A daily routine involving food as the direct object.
시장에 가서 과일을 샀다.
si-jang-e ga-seo gwa-il-eul sat-da.
I went to the market and bought fruit.
💡 Purchasing an item as the direct target of the action.
지수는 소설책을 읽는다.
ji-su-neun so-seol-chaek-eul ik-neun-da.
Jisoo reads a novel.
💡 An action directed toward a specific reading material.

Related words in Grammar

을 겸 (해서) Eul gyeom (haeseo)을 뿐이다 Eul ppun-ida 을 리가 없다 Eul riga eopda 은 / 는 eun / neun 은/는 vs 이/가 Eun/neun vs I/ga

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을 eul

What does 을 mean?

Other sides of 을

How it's actually used

Related words in Grammar