Is it possible to use more than one を in a sentence?

Question

I wasn't sure since as far as I know, we cannot repeat は or が　(or am I wrong about this?). I'm quite certain though that we can repeat の and に. But how about を as in this sentence below?

私は封筒にきってをはるのを忘れた?

は or が can repeat themselves too. – user4092 Oct 28 '16 at 23:18 — user4092, Oct 28 '16 at 23:18

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 28 '16 at 08:54

2

Yes, を can be repeated in a sentence.
And your sentence is perfectly correct:
私は封筒に切手を貼るのを忘れた。
I forgot to put a stamp on the envelope.

In this case the sentence is unambiguous because the corresponding verb immediately follows を.

answered Oct 28 '16 at 08:54

hisao m

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In this case, if I change it a bit into this, will it still be correct or wrong? 私は封筒にきってをはる(のは)忘れた – Alice28 Oct 28 '16 at 09:30
1

If you include のは, yes. You are just replacing を for は. – hisao m Oct 28 '16 at 13:00

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:43

Multiple を may appear in one sentence when it's a complex sentence or compound sentence (i.e. has more then one clause).

私は封筒にきってをはるのを忘れた。

This is a typical complex sentence. 封筒に切手【きって】を貼【は】るの forms a noun clause meaning "to put a stamp on the envelope". It serves as the object of the outer main clause, 私は～を忘れた ("I forgot ～").

Similar question: Is saying 「XはYは…」 acceptable?

Is it possible to use more than one を in a sentence?

2 Answers2