随着 vs 跟着: what is the difference?
随着 links two changes, as in 随着年龄增长. 跟着 means to follow someone or something physically, as in 跟着老师读。
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 随着 | suí zhe | A preposition meaning 'as' or 'along with' that names a change which the result clause follows. | 随着 + change phrase, + result |
| 跟着 | gēn zhe | Means to follow someone or something, on foot or in step. | 跟着 + Person / Thing + Verb |
随着 (suí zhe)
A preposition meaning 'as' or 'along with' that names a change which the result clause follows.
Structure: 随着 + change phrase, + result
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 随着天气变暖，公园里的人多起来了。 | Suí zhe tiān qì biàn nuǎn, gōng yuán lǐ de rén duō qǐ lái le. | As the weather warms up, more people come to the park. |
| 随着城市的发展，这里的路越来越宽。 | Suí zhe chéng shì de fā zhǎn, zhè lǐ de lù yuè lái yuè kuān. | As the city develops, the roads here get wider and wider. |
| 随着孩子长大，父母也慢慢老了。 | Suí zhe hái zi zhǎng dà, fù mǔ yě màn màn lǎo le. | As the children grow up, the parents slowly grow old. |
Not: 随着我昨天去商店，买了很多东西。 随着 needs a change or process, not a single finished action.
跟着 (gēn zhe)
Means to follow someone or something, on foot or in step.
Structure: 跟着 + Person / Thing + Verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 孩子们跟着老师唱歌。 | Hái zi men gēn zhe lǎo shī chàng gē. | The children sing along with the teacher. |
| 同学们跟着音乐一起跳舞。 | Tóng xué men gēn zhe yīn yuè yì qǐ tiào wǔ. | The classmates dance together to the music. |
| 小猫一直跟着我走到家门口。 | Xiǎo māo yì zhí gēn zhe wǒ zǒu dào jiā mén kǒu. | The kitten followed me all the way to my door. |
Not: 跟着年龄增长，他越来越稳重。 Two changes that go together take 随着: 随着年龄增长，他越来越稳重。
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of 随着: along with / as…progresses (HSK 4) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 按照 vs 根据 · 不敢 vs 不能 · 及时 vs 立刻 · 记住 vs 记得 · 渐渐 vs 逐渐 · 将近 vs 大约 · 竟然 vs 居然 · 既然 vs 因为 · 看不懂 vs 没看懂 · 了 vs 过 · 连…都 vs 连…也 · 没有 vs 不如 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 随着 and 跟着?
随着 links two changes, as in 随着年龄增长. 跟着 means to follow someone or something physically, as in 跟着老师读。
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