rokuro o tsukau.

direct object particle

Breakdown of rokuro o tsukau.

• 使つかう: to use
• ろくろ: a potter's wheel

Questions & Answers about rokuro o tsukau.

What does を do in ろくろを使う?

を marks the direct object of the verb. In other words, it shows what is being used.

So in ろくろを使う:

• ろくろ = the thing being used
• 使う = to use
• を = marks ろくろ as the object

This is a very common pattern in Japanese:

• スマホを使う = use a smartphone
• 道具を使う = use a tool
• ろくろを使う = use a pottery wheel / lathe / etc. depending on context

Why is the verb 使う at the end?

Japanese sentences usually put the verb at the end.

A basic sentence pattern is:

object + を + verb

So:

• ろくろ = object
• を = object marker
• 使う = verb

That makes ろくろを使う a very normal Japanese word order.

Why is 使う in this form? Does it mean use, uses, or will use?