Introduction
一起 (yìqǐ) means "together". Like 都 (dōu) and 也 (yě), it is an adverb, so it goes after the subject and before the verb: 我们一起去吧。(Wǒmen yìqǐ qù ba.) — Let's go together. English can leave "together" at the end of the sentence; Chinese cannot.
Overview
Structure: Subj. + 一起 (yìqǐ) + Verb + Obj.
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Subj + 一起 + Verb | 我们一起走吧。(Wǒmen yìqǐ zǒu ba.) | Let's go together. |
| A + 和 + B + 一起 + Verb | 我和朋友一起吃饭。(Wǒ hé péngyou yìqǐ chī fàn.) | I'm eating with a friend. |
| 跟 + Person + 一起 + Verb | 跟我一起来吧。(Gēn wǒ yìqǐ lái ba.) | Come along with me. |
| 一起 + Verb + 吧 | 一起吃饭吧。(Yìqǐ chī fàn ba.) | Let's eat together. |
| 在一起 | 我们在一起。(Wǒmen zài yìqǐ.) | We're together. |
一起 (yìqǐ) and 都 (dōu) sit in the same slot but mean different things:
- 我们都去。(Wǒmen dōu qù.) — We're all going — possibly separately.
- 我们一起去。(Wǒmen yìqǐ qù.) — We're going together, as one group.
- The person you're with goes before 一起: ✓ 我和你一起去 (wǒ hé nǐ yìqǐ qù)，❌ 我一起和你去 (wǒ yìqǐ hé nǐ qù).
- Tone: 起 (qǐ) is 3rd tone, so 一 is read yì — yìqǐ.
Examples
我们一起去吧。
Wǒmen yìqǐ qù ba.
Let's go together.
我和朋友一起吃饭。
Wǒ hé péngyou yìqǐ chī fàn.
I'm having a meal with a friend.
明天我们一起学中文，好吗？
Míngtiān wǒmen yìqǐ xué Zhōngwén, hǎo ma?
Shall we study Chinese together tomorrow?
跟我一起来吧。
Gēn wǒ yìqǐ lái ba.
Come with me.
周末我和家人一起在家。
Zhōumò wǒ hé jiārén yìqǐ zài jiā.
At the weekend I'm at home with my family.
他们在一起工作。
Tāmen zài yìqǐ gōngzuò.
They work together.
Usage Notes
- 和 (hé) and 跟 (gēn) both introduce the other person, and both pair with 一起. 跟 (gēn) is more colloquial, especially in the north.
- The frame is A + 和 (hé) + B + 一起 + Verb. Everything about who comes before the verb; nothing goes after it.
- 一起……吧 (yìqǐ … ba) is the everyday way to propose something: 一起去看电影吧。(Yìqǐ qù kàn diànyǐng ba.) — Let's go and see a film.
- 在一起 (zài yìqǐ) means "to be together" — physically, or as a couple: 他们在一起三年了。(Tāmen zài yìqǐ sān nián le.) — They've been together for three years.
- Don't confuse 一起 (yìqǐ) — together — with 一共 (yígòng) — in total: 一共三十块。(Yígòng sānshí kuài.) — Thirty yuan altogether.