Learn Hardcore Japanese: douryou ni meeru wo okurimasu.

In Japanese it’s very common to drop the subject when it’s clear from context. Here, the speaker (“I”) is understood without saying 私は. Adding 私は is grammatical but often feels redundant, especially in casual or written statements.

Why is に used after 同僚 rather than を?

The particle に marks the indirect object or the recipient/target of an action. Since you’re sending something to your colleague, 同僚に indicates “to (my) colleague.” In contrast, を marks the direct object (what is being sent), which here is メールを.

Could you use へ instead of に in this sentence?

Yes, you can say 同僚へメールを送ります, and it will still mean “I will send an email to my colleague.”

へ emphasizes direction or movement toward the person, while に focuses more on the recipient role.
に is more common in this context, but へ isn’t wrong.

Why is メール written in katakana?

メール is a loanword from the English “mail.” Katakana is used in Japanese for foreign words, onomatopoeia, and emphasis. That’s why modern terms like “email” appear as メール rather than in hiragana or kanji.

Why is を used after メール?

The particle を marks the direct object of a transitive verb. Here, メール is what you’re sending, so メールを送ります means “send an email.” Without を, the sentence would be ungrammatical or at least very informal.

Why does the verb 送ります come at the end of the sentence?

Japanese follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) word order: subject (often omitted) → object → verb. Placing the verb at the end is standard: 同僚に (to colleague) メールを (email) 送ります (send).

Is 送ります the polite form, and what’s the dictionary form?

Yes. 送ります is the present/future polite form (–ます form) of the verb 送る.

Dictionary (plain) form: 送る
Polite present/future: 送ります
You use 送ります in formal or polite situations. In casual speech you’d say 送る.

How do you read the sentence in hiragana (with the katakana part unchanged)?

It reads as:
どうりょうにメールをおくります
(同僚にメールを送ります)