[Learn basic Chinese with grammar] How to use 跟 and 和 for “with” and “and”

跟 and 和 can both mean “and”

In Chinese, 跟 ♬ and 和 ♬ can both connect nouns, similar to “and” in English.

Word	Basic meaning	Common feeling
跟 ♬	and; with	common in speech
和 ♬	and; with	neutral or slightly more written

For beginners, both are useful. 跟 is very common in everyday speech, while 和 is common in both speech and writing.

Use 跟 ♬ or 和 ♬ to connect two nouns or noun phrases.

Pattern	Meaning
Noun A + 跟 / 和 + Noun B	A and B

Chinese	English
鉛筆跟橡皮擦在盒子裡。 ♬	The pencil and eraser are in the box.
耳機和充電線在包包裡。 ♬	The earphones and charging cable are in the bag.

In this use, 跟 and 和 simply connect two things.

跟 ♬ and 和 ♬ can also show that someone does something together with another person.

Pattern	Meaning
Subject + 跟 / 和 + Person + Verb	Subject does something with someone

Chinese	English
我跟鄰居聊天。 ♬	I chat with my neighbor.
她和同學討論作業。 ♬	She discusses homework with her classmate.

When the meaning is “together with someone,” 跟 is especially common in daily conversation.

With verbs like 說 ♬, 聊天 ♬, and 討論 ♬, 跟 is very natural because communication involves another person.

Chinese	English
我跟櫃員說明情況。 ♬	I explain the situation to the bank clerk.
他跟房東討論租金。 ♬	He discusses the rent with the landlord.

Here, 跟 points to the person involved in the conversation.

English “with” can mean many things. When “with” means using a tool, Chinese often does not use 跟.

Not natural	Natural Chinese
我跟刷子清理鞋子。	我用刷子清理鞋子。 ♬

Use 用 ♬ when you mean “use a tool.” The not-natural example is only for comparison, so it does not need audio.

和 ♬ is often used in lists, labels, or slightly more written Chinese.

Chinese	English
表格裡有姓名、電話和地址。 ♬	The form has name, phone number, and address.
活動包含導覽和問答。 ♬	The event includes a guided tour and Q&A.

In a list, 和 often feels clear and neutral.