Prepositions 跟 (gēn) and 和 (hé) – With, And

Pattern

• Subject + 跟 + Person + 一起 + Verb phrase
• Subject + 和 + Person + Verb phrase

Usage

• Both 跟 (gēn) and 和 (hé) are highly common prepositions translating as “with” or “together with”.
• They serve to introduce the person or party participating in an action alongside the subject.
• The basic pattern is: Subject + 跟/和 + Companion + Verb phrase.
• For example: 我跟朋友去看电影 ('I go to watch a movie with a friend').
• While 跟 and 和 are largely interchangeable as prepositions, subtle stylistic distinctions exist: 跟 is distinctly conversational, colloquial, and intimate, whereas

Examples

1. 1

   我跟朋友一起去公园。

   Wǒ gēn péngyou yìqǐ qù gōngyuán.

   I go to the park together with my friend.

2. 2

   他和我都是学生。

   Tā hé wǒ dōu shì xuésheng.

   He and I are both students.

3. 3

   我想跟你说话。

   Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ shuōhuà.

   I want to speak with you.

4. 4

   妈妈和爸爸都很忙。