跟 for Doing Something Together in Chinese
跟
跟 introduces the person who joins the subject in an action. Put 跟 plus the companion before the verb phrase: 我跟朋友一起吃饭. 一起 is optional when the shared action is already clear. Do not insert 一起 inside the 跟 phrase or move the companion phrase after the action.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Subject + 跟 + Companion + (一起) + Verb Phrase
Read the structure
跟 introduces the person who joins the subject in an action. Put 跟 plus the companion before the verb phrase: 我跟朋友一起吃饭. 一起 is optional when the shared action is already clear. Do not insert 一起 inside the 跟 phrase or move the companion phrase after the action. Keep the model Subject + 跟 + Companion + (一起) + Verb Phrase visible while you compare each sentence.
我跟朋友一起吃饭。
I eat with my friend.
Choose the right context
Name a companion before a shared action: 我跟朋友吃饭。 Add 一起 after the companion to emphasize doing it together. Use a negative before the 跟 phrase when the joint action did not happen: 我没跟他去。
她跟弟弟去公园。
She goes to the park with her younger brother.
Respect the boundary
Do not place 一起 between 跟 and the companion noun phrase. Do not split 跟 from the companion it introduces. Do not put the 跟 companion phrase after the completed verb phrase in this basic pattern.
我跟一起朋友吃饭。
(I eat with my friend.)
Repair the pattern
一起 inserted inside the 跟 companion phrase: 跟 must be followed directly by the companion 朋友. 一起 belongs after the complete 跟朋友 phrase and before the verb. 跟 separated from the companion by the verb: The preposition 跟 must immediately introduce 弟弟. The complete companion phrase 跟弟弟 then precedes 去公园.
我跟朋友一起吃饭。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
我跟朋友一起吃饭。
I eat with my friend.
我
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
跟
跟
This part occupies the 跟 position in the model pattern.
朋友
Companion
This part occupies the Companion position in the model pattern.
一起
(一起)
This part occupies the (一起) position in the model pattern.
吃饭
Verb Phrase
This part occupies the Verb Phrase position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
我跟朋友一起吃饭。
I eat with my friend.
她跟弟弟去公园。
She goes to the park with her younger brother.
我没跟姐姐一起去。
I did not go with my older sister.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Name a companion before a shared action: 我跟朋友吃饭。
- Add 一起 after the companion to emphasize doing it together.
- Use a negative before the 跟 phrase when the joint action did not happen: 我没跟他去。
Do not use it when
- Do not place 一起 between 跟 and the companion noun phrase.
- Do not split 跟 from the companion it introduces.
- Do not put the 跟 companion phrase after the completed verb phrase in this basic pattern.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
我跟一起朋友吃饭。
我跟朋友一起吃饭。
一起 inserted inside the 跟 companion phrase
跟 must be followed directly by the companion 朋友. 一起 belongs after the complete 跟朋友 phrase and before the verb.
她跟去弟弟公园。
她跟弟弟去公园。
跟 separated from the companion by the verb
The preposition 跟 must immediately introduce 弟弟. The complete companion phrase 跟弟弟 then precedes 去公园.
我跟一起朋友吃饭。
跟 must be followed directly by the companion 朋友. 一起 belongs after the complete 跟朋友 phrase and before the verb.
她跟去弟弟公园。
The preposition 跟 must immediately introduce 弟弟. The complete companion phrase 跟弟弟 then precedes 去公园.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 跟.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 跟. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
跟 for Doing Something Together Questions
Where does 跟朋友 go?
Before the shared action: 我跟朋友吃饭. If you use 一起, place it after the companion: 我跟朋友一起吃饭.
Is 一起 required after 跟?
No. 跟朋友去 and 跟朋友一起去 can both describe a joint action. 一起 makes the together meaning more explicit.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: Appendix A, A.1.1.7.2 引出对象, 【一17】跟、和
Supports placement in HSK 1; it does not independently establish the usage explanation.
Official sourceModern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: §14.2.3 and §4.3 (joint-action prepositions and their sentence position)
跟 introduces a companion in a joint action, and the complete prepositional phrase precedes the verb phrase.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
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