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plStructure
Basic form
Preposition gēn 跟 ‘with’ forms a phrase with a noun or a pronoun. This prepositional phrase is placed before the verb.
When expressing a joint performance of an action, the adverb yìqǐ 一起 ‘together’ is often placed before the verb.
Negation
The negation is usually formed by adding negation adverbs bù 不 or méi yǒu 没有/沒有 before the prepositional phrase with gēn 跟 ‘with’.
With adverbs
Adverbs such as dōu 都 ‘all’, yě 也 ‘also’, chángcháng 常常 ‘often’, yòu 又 ‘again’, yǐjīng 已经/已經 ‘already’ usually are placed before the prepositional phrase with gēn 跟 ‘with’.
With modal verbs
Modal verbs are usually placed before the prepositional phrase with gēn 跟 ‘with’.
When there is both a negation adverb and a modal verb, the negation adverb goes before the modal verb.
Functions
1. Expressing doing something together
Preposition gēn 跟 ‘with’ is used when expressing with whom an action is perfomed. In this use, it is typically translated as ‘with’.
To emphasize that an action is done ‘together’ with someone else, the adverb yìqǐ 一起 ‘together’ is often placed before the verb.
2. Expressing the person someone speaks to
Preposition gēn 跟 ‘with’ can also be used to indicate to whom an action is performed. In that sense it is often used along verbs which refer to actions of speaking, for example shuō 说/說 ‘to speak’, shuōmíng 说明/說明 ‘to explain’, jièshào 介绍/介紹 ‘to introduce’, dào qiàn 道歉 ‘to apologize’. In this case, it is often translated as ‘to’.
3. Expressing the source of an action
Preposition gēn 跟 ‘with’ can be used to indicate the source of an action. In this usage, it is often used with verbs xuéxí 学习/學習 ‘to learn’ jiè 借 ‘to borrow’, and it can be translated as ‘from’.
4. Expressing comparisons
Preposition gēn 跟 ‘with’ can be used to express that two things or persons are or are not similar to each other.