Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 7: 5/17

(あい)まってCombined with, Coupled with, Together with

sometimes written as 相俟って!

Structure

Noun + (1) + (あい)まって

(1)

Details

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    Formal

About 相まって

(あい)まって is a structure used for showing that (A) and (B) are things that will perform some sort of synergistic task in order to achieve the result of (C). In many cases, either (A) or (B) alone could achieve (C), but their combined action will bring about a better result. This structure is a combination of (あい), 'mutual', or 'reciprocal', and the て-form of the う-Verb ()つ 'to wait on'.

In this pattern, both (A) and (B) will often come before (あい)まって, with either of the case-marking particles と or が being used after the nouns. Common translations include '(A) combined with (B) will (C)', or 'coupled together with (A), (B) will (C)'. As for a literal translation, 'mutually depending on each other, (C)' is fairly close to the exact nuance. See the fun-fact for more about this.

Fun Fact

Although ()つ 'to wait on' and ()つ 'to wait for' are very similar, they have a primary difference in their focus. ()つ indicates waiting in the sense of 'waiting for (A) to come', while ()つ indicates 'waiting for (A) to go'. What this means is that with (あい)まって and other uses of ()つ, the important thing happens after (A) and (B) come together. This gives the nuance of (A) and (B) having some kind of reliance on each other in order to do (C). Due to ()つ being far less common in modern Japanese, it will often be written in hiragana.

Examples

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    感動的(かんどうてき)なシーンとBGMが(あい)まって()かずにはいられませんでした。

    The moving scene coupled with the background music made it impossible not to cry.

      腹痛(ふくつう)頭痛(ずつう)(あい)まって、まるで()きている心地(ここち)がしませんでした。

      Stomach pain combined with a headache made it completely uncomfortable just to live.

        小説(しょうせつ):「夕暮(ゆうぐ)れが(にじ)(あい)まって(そら)をある(しゅ)のキャンディーのように()せた。」

        Novel: 'Twilight combined with a rainbow made the sky look like some sort of candy.'

        気温(きおん)(たか)さと湿度(しつど)(たか)さが(あい)まって日本(にほん)(なつ)地獄(じごく)みたいです。

        The air temperature combined with the humidity in Japan makes summer like hell.

          値段(ねだん)(やす)さと(しつ)()さが(あい)まって、この商品(しょうひん)()れに()れている。

          The cheap price together with the good quality of this product is making it sell one after the other.

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