Translation guide
Expresses accompaniment, addition, or simultaneous action. The best choice depends on whether the focus is on doing something together, adding items, or events happening at the same time.
The speaker performs an action jointly with another person.
The most common and neutral way to say 'together with' for joint actions. N is the person or people you do the action with.
友達といっしょに映画を見た。
I watched a movie together with my friend.
I'm going on a trip together with my family.
More formal and often used in writing or speeches. Can also mean 'along with' in the sense of 'as something happens'.
社長とともに会議に出席した。
I attended the meeting together with the president.
Implies going or appearing together as a pair or group, often used for couples or teams.
二人はそろってパーティーに来た。
The two of them came to the party together.
Including or attaching something along with something else.
Also works for objects. Use when you physically put or send things together.
書類と一緒に写真も送ってください。
Please send the photo together with the documents.
Means 'in addition to N'. More formal and often used in lists or when adding extra items.
日本語に加えて、英語も話せます。
Together with Japanese, I can also speak English.
Literally 'combining with', used when putting things together or totaling amounts.
送料と合わせて5000円になります。
Together with shipping, it comes to 5000 yen.
Two actions or states occur simultaneously.
Used for simultaneous change or occurrence. Often translated as 'as' or 'with'.
年をとるとともに、体力が落ちる。
Together with age, one's physical strength declines.
Literally 'at the same time as N'. Clear and neutral.
地震と同時に火災が発生した。
Together with the earthquake, a fire broke out.
いっしょに is the everyday word for doing things together. ともに is more formal and often used in writing or for simultaneous events. For casual speech, stick to いっしょに.
友達といっしょに勉強した。
I studied together with my friend.
友達とともに研究を発表した。
I presented the research together with my friend. (formal)
In English, 'together with' can sound wordy. In Japanese, using と alone often implies 'with', and adding いっしょに emphasizes the togetherness. If the context is clear, と alone is enough.
彼と行った。
I went with him. (not necessarily 'together with')