Structure
Verb + ごとに
Noun + ごとに
Details
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Standard
使用域
一般
About ごとに
ごとに is an combination of the noun ごと, and the particle に. Together, they are used adverbially to express that something happens 'every (A)', or 'at intervals of (A)'. ごとに may be used after any verb (usually in non-past form), or noun.
(A) ごとに = During every (A), (B).
(A) おきに = After every space of (A), (B).
- 私は彼に会うごとに、「何を食べたい?」と聞かれます。Every time I see him, he asks me 'What do you want to eat?'
- 私は3時間ごとにお菓子を食べます。I eat snacks every 3 hours.
Caution
ごと is the 訓読み (Japanese reading) of the kanji 毎, which means 'every'. This fact will be important when trying to remember the difference between ごとに and おきに, a similar grammar point which can also mean 'every', but focuses more on 'interval' or 'gap' of a specific time or distance. Due to おきに focusing on the space between 'each (A)', there are sentences where おきに and ごとに will have different meanings.- 私は一週間ごとに実家に帰ります。I go to my parents' home every week. (Every single one)
- 私は一週間おきに実家に帰ります。I go to my parents' home every other week. (With 'spaces' or 'gaps' of 1 week)
(A) ごとに = During every (A), (B).
(A) おきに = After every space of (A), (B).
Fun Fact
Many native speakers make mistakes with the difference between おきに and ごとに, so there are quite a large number of people (especially in the younger generation) that will consider them completely interchangeable.Synonyms
に (Frequency)
Times (In each time period), Every, Frequency of
Not studied yet
まい~のように
Almost every ~, Nearly every ~, On a ~ basis
Not studied yet
たびに
Each time, Every time, Whenever
Not studied yet
おきに
Repeated at intervals, Every other, Every, At intervals of
Not studied yet
につけ
Whenever, Every time something happens
Not studied yet
Examples
彼女は運転中、赤信号ごとに、携帯を見る。
She looks at her phone at every red light while driving.
出かけるごとに忘れ物をする。
Every time I go out I forget something.
夏ごとにアメリカに帰ります。
Every summer I go back to America.
生徒ごとに紙を渡した。
I gave a paper to every student. (Each)
二日ごとに友達とサッカーをする。
I play soccer with my friend every two days.
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毎(まい) vs. 毎(ごと)に
Imabi
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[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 128
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ごとに – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (8 in total)
wmwmw
timestamped
bokudake
Same, I was asked to expand my answer on a review, but forgot about the existence of ごとに.
Still, i don’t know what the difference is between these two grammar points.gutocbs
Hi guys!
In this sentence, what is the interval?
生徒毎に紙を渡した。I though this grammar would work only with intervals, like time for example, but I can’t see why it is used here.
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