Expressing "together" with "yiqi"
If you want to express that you are doing something together with someone else, 一起 (yīqǐ) is your word! 一起 (yīqǐ) is used when you are describing an action you did, or are going to do with another person. It is a helpful word and structure to know, everyone loves some company after all, right?
Note: The pinyin for 一起 is written "yīqǐ" but pronounced "yìqǐ" due to a tone change rule.
Structure
一起 (yīqǐ) is the easiest way to express an action being done together with other people.
[Plural subj.] + 一起 + Verb + Obj.
The subject must be plural - a plural noun or two or more nouns linked with a conjunction. You can't do things together on your own, after all.
Examples
- 我们 一起 吃 晚饭 吧。 Let's eat dinner together.
- 早上 我 和 老公 一起 去 上班。 In the morning, I go to work together with my husband.
- 周末 我们 一起 去 看电影，好 吗？ Let's go to the movies this weekwend, shall we?
- 这 两 个 公司 一起 做 这个 产品。 These two businesses made this product together.
- 下班 以后，你们 一起 来 我 家 吧。 After work, why don't you all come to my home together?
- 下 个 月 我 和 妈妈 一起 去 旅行。 Next month I'll go on a trip together with mom.
- 你们 有没有 一起 玩 过 这 个 游戏？ Have you all ever played this game together?
- 他 想 和 他太太 一起 学 中文。 He wants to study Chinese together with his wife.
- 结婚以后，你 和 父母 会 一起 住 吗？ Will you live together with your parents after you get married?
- 今天 晚上 老板 要 和 我们 一起 加班。 Tonight the boss is going to to work overtime together with us.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (p. 84, p88)→buy
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 74-5) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 14-5) →buy
