• MarxGuns [comrade/them]
      ·
      3 years ago

      So whats the difference between 和 and 跟 then (I’m working through HSK2)?

      • ItGoesItGoes [he/him]
        hexagon
        ·
        edit-2
        3 years ago

        They are pretty much interchangeable, they both can mean "with" or "and" depending on the context. 和 tends be used more.

        • MarxGuns [comrade/them]
          ·
          edit-2
          3 years ago

          Zhongwen Popup dictionary (now that I'm on desktop again) tells me that 跟 is more like "to follow along with closely" and "towards". I guess that makes sense for it's usage such as in 《我跟我的同事们一起去公园》or whatnot. But I know 和 has been used for that too.

          • ItGoesItGoes [he/him]
            hexagon
            ·
            edit-2
            3 years ago

            One of the meanings of 跟 is the verb "to follow". Chinese characters tend to have many meanings and usages, but if we wanted to use 跟 as the verb "to follow", the example phrase should be changed to "我跟着我的同事们一起去公园".

            Anyways, the truth is that many Chinese words can't be 100% fully translated into other languages, that's why I recommend people to get/check a Chinese to Chinese dictionary (where there are no English translations, and the detailed explanations are in Chinese only), so that they can understand every detail and small difference between characters/words.

            In the case of 和 and 跟, if we check a Chinese to Chinese dictionary, we can find that their usages match in this context; they can be used interchangeably, and both could probably be translated to "and" or "with".

              • ItGoesItGoes [he/him]
                hexagon
                ·
                edit-2
                3 years ago

                Trust me when I tell you that it's one of the best decisions I made. If you want a free Chinese to Chinese dictionary you can check 百度汉语. There are also paid dictionaries in Pleco (which I highly recommend).

                • MarxGuns [comrade/them]
                  ·
                  3 years ago

                  I already knew about 百度 but i must have forgotten that they had a dictionary!