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.
- 我 不想 跟 老板 一起 喝 酒 。 I don't want to drink alcohol together with my boss.
- 你 要 跟 我们 一起 去 酒吧 吗？ Do you want to go to the bar together with us?
- 这 两 个 公司 一起 做 这个 产品 。 These two businesses made this product together.
- 你 和 你老公 下班 以后 一起 来 我 家 吧 。 You and your husband can come to my home together.
- 下 个 月 我 会 带 妈妈 一起 去 旅行。 Next month I'll take mom together with me on a trip.
- 他 和 他太太 想 一起 学 中文。 He and his wife want to study Chinese together.
- 我 不 想 跟 父母 一起 住 。 I don't want to live together with my parents.
- 他 的 同事 不 喜欢 和 他 一起 工作 。 His co-worker doesn't like to work together with him.
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
