Together with, along with: 〜とともに
Noun / Verb (dictionary) + とともに
Noun / Verb + とともに: “together with”, “at the same time as”, “as”. Formal register; in speech, と一緒に or につれて.
In short
〜とともに is the formal version of “with”. It has three uses: accompaniment (家族とともに, “together with my family”), simultaneity (卒業とともに, “upon graduating”) and parallel development (年をとるとともに, “as you get older”). It's a word for writing, speeches and the news; in speech, people say と一緒に or につれて instead.
- 家族とともに、京都で新しい生活を始めた。かぞくとともに、きょうとであたらしいせいかつをはじめた。I started a new life in Kyoto together with my family.
- 卒業とともに、国に帰ることにした。そつぎょうとともに、くににかえることにした。I decided to go back to my country as soon as I graduated.
- 年をとるとともに、体力が落ちてきた。としをとるとともに、たいりょくがおちてきた。As I've got older, my stamina has dropped.
The basics
ともに (共に) means “together”. 〜とともに therefore links two things that go together: two people, two simultaneous events, or two developments moving at the same pace. The tone is formal: it's the language of speeches, newspapers and written texts — English “together with”, “along with”.
I started a new life in Kyoto together with my family.
- noun
- grammatical form
- verb
- 仲間とともに、最後まで戦った。なかまとともに、さいごまでたたかった。I fought to the end alongside my comrades.
- ベルが鳴るとともに、子どもたちは外へ走り出した。べるがなるとともに、こどもたちはそとへはしりだした。The moment the bell rang, the children rushed outside.
Three uses
After a noun for a person: “together with”. After an event noun or a one-off verb: “at the same time as, upon”. After a verb of development: “as”, like につれて.
| Use | Construction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| accompaniment | Noun (person) + とともに | 家族とともに暮らす |
| simultaneity | Noun / Verb + とともに | 卒業とともに帰国する |
| parallel development | Verb (dictionary) + とともに | 年をとるとともに |
| “both… and” | Noun + であるとともに | 医者であるとともに作家だ |
- 春が来るとともに、町は観光客でにぎやかになる。はるがくるとともに、まちはかんこうきゃくでにぎやかになる。With the arrival of spring, the town comes alive with tourists.
- 彼は医者であるとともに、作家でもある。かれはいしゃであるとともに、さっかでもある。He's both a doctor and a writer.
とともに, と一緒に, につれて
と一緒に is the everyday “with”. とともに says the same thing in a solemn tone: in a conversation between friends, 友だちとともに映画を見た sounds like a press release. For developments, につれて is more common; とともに has the advantage of also accepting a one-off event (卒業とともに), which につれて doesn't.
| Form | Register | Example |
|---|---|---|
| と一緒に | everyday, spoken | 友だちと一緒に映画を見た |
| とともに | formal, written | 仲間とともに戦った |
| につれて | everyday, development only | 年をとるにつれて |
- 週末、友だちと一緒に映画を見た。しゅうまつ、ともだちといっしょにえいがをみた。At the weekend, I watched a film with some friends.
Common mistakes
- Using it in casual conversation: among friends, と一緒に is far more natural.
- Putting the verb in the て- or た-form before it: it's the dictionary form (年をとるとともに).
- Missing the “both… and” meaning of 〜であるとともに: it isn't “with a doctor”.
7 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N3 point is on the Nara Line (Studies and knowledge) of the Kyoto lines.