付き合う

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 付き合う combines 付き, the stem related to 付く, with 合う, mutual action, and is a godan verb read つきあう.
• Basic usage: It can mean maintaining a personal or romantic relationship or accompanying someone in an activity.
  • 彼とは学生の頃から長く付き合っています。 describes a long-standing relationship, while 買い物に付き合う代わりに、荷物を持ってもらいました。 describes going along on a shopping trip.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• と for a person and に for an activity
  • Mark a relationship partner with と, as in 彼と付き合う, and the activity one agrees to join with に, as in 買い物に付き合う.
• Not always romantic
  • 付き合う can mean dating in context, but it also covers social association and accompanying someone on an errand. The supplied translation reads the first example as a romantic relationship.
• 付き合う and 一緒に行く
  • 一緒に行く simply states that people go together. 買い物に付き合う adds the viewpoint of giving one's time to accompany the other person.