Expressing "with" with "gen"

Using 跟 (gēn) to express "with" is so simple, after studying it briefly, it will always be with you!

Structure

The preposition 跟 (gēn) is commonly used to express "with." Just remember that the "with" phrase comes before the verb.

Subject + 跟 + Person + Verb + Object

The word 一起 () is used a lot with 跟 (gēn), expressing the idea of "doing something together with somebody." It may seem kind of redundant, but it's totally normally in Chinese to use both.

Subject + 跟 + Person + 一起 + Verb + Object

Certain Chinese verbs use 跟 (gēn) a lot, so be on the lookout for them (examples below)!

Examples

• 你 要 跟 我 一起 去 吗？Do you want to go with me?
• 我 跟 两 个 同事 去 北京。I'm going with two co-workers to Beijing.
• 我 跟 我 朋友 喝 啤酒。I drink beer with my friend.
• 他 跟 他 家人 一起 吃饭。He eats with his family.
• 不要 跟 我 说话！Don't talk with me!
• 中秋节 你 想 跟 我 回 老家 吗 ？During Mid-Autumn Festival do you want to go back to my hometown with me?
• 下 个 月 你 要 跟 你 的 男朋友 去 欧洲 吗？Are you going to go to Europe with your boyfriend next month?
• 他 想 跟 他 的 女朋友 结婚 吗？(This is one of those verbs that often appears with 跟)Does he want to marry his girlfriend?
• 你 的 老师 喜欢 跟 你 聊天 吗？(This is one of those verbs that often appears with 跟)Does your teacher like to talk with you?
• 你 想 跟 他 的 家人 见面 吗 ？(This is one of those verbs that often appears with 跟) Do you want to meet his family?

Note: One of the most common beginner mistakes is to fail to use 跟 (gēn) with 见面 (jiànmiàn), "to meet." It might help to think of 见面 (jiànmiàn) as "to meet with (somebody)," the "with" cluing you into the fact that you need a 跟 (gēn) in there.

Check out the examples below:

• 我 要 见面 你 。
• 我 要 跟 你 见面 。I want to meet (with) you.
• 我 昨天 见面 他 了 。
• 我 昨天 跟 他 见面 了 。I met with him yesterday.
• 你 什么时候 见面 她 ？
• 你 什么时候 跟 她 见面 ？When are you going to meet (with) her?

Later on you'll learn more about why this is the case, but for now just memorize the correct pattern.

See also

• Expressing "together" with "yiqi"
• Verbs with "gei"
• Using "dui"
• Expressing "and" with "he"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (p.84, p.88)→buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (pp.166-167) →buy