GRAMMAR DETAIL
で
Follows a noun referring to several people to indicate that the members act together as a group.
Examples
家族で夕食を作った。
The family made dinner together.
Words used
友達二人で夕食を作った。
Two friends made dinner together.
Words used
兄弟三人で母の誕生日を祝いました。
The three siblings celebrated their mother's birthday together.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure: Add
でafter a group or a number of participants. - Basic usage:
家族で夕食を作った。means the family made dinner as a group.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Including the speaker in the count
二人で行くgives two participants in the trip. If the speaker participates, the two include the speaker;友達二人と行くseparately identifies two friends as companions.
- Acting alone
一人で作るmeans making something alone. This use ofでto specify a group or participant count does not always require several people.