跟 — Marks the person spoken to: subject says or tells something to that listener.

grammar → 跟

TSUMUGU · TBCL 2 (est.) · 語法

跟 grammar point · tier 1 · addressee 跟 (say something to someone)

· gēn

Marks the person spoken to: subject says or tells something to that listener.

Hook inherited from 跟.

Marks the person spoken to

框 · Frame

[subj] 跟 [person] 說/講/談 [what is said]

觸 · Trigger

You want to name who the words are aimed at before you give the verb of speaking.

序 · The move

1Name the listener after 跟, before the speaking verb.Is this the one being spoken to, not a place or a thing handed over?

2Put the verb of speech and what is said after the listener.Does a 說/講/談-type verb follow? 跟2 needs a speaking verb.

例 · Examples

1他跟to (the one spoken to)我me — the listener說said, told了一個很有意思的故事。

He told me a very interesting story.

界 · Boundary

向

跟2 sets the listener beside the speaker; the words go to a companion. 向 aims the words at a target the speaker faces.

跟

Plain 跟 walks alongside someone through any action. 跟2 needs a speaking verb after the person; the person is who hears, not who joins in.

✗ 他說了我一個故事。 → ✓ 他跟我說了一個故事。

✗ 我跟他高興。 → ✓ 我跟他說我很高興。

✗ 他跟我一本書。 → ✓ 他給我一本書。

English folds the listener into the verb ("tell me", "ask you"). Mandarin marks the listener with 跟 before the speaking verb; the bare verb cannot carry it.