JLPT N4EverydaySchedules and instructions

おきに・ごとにevery; every other; for each

Both say how often something comes around. ごとに counts the whole cycle: 二日ふつかごとに is every two days. おきに counts what is skipped in between: 一いち日にちおきに is every other day.

every

この薬くすりは八はち時じ間かんごとに飲のんでください。

Take this medicine every eight hours.

every other

この薬くすりは一いち日にちおきに使つかってください。

Please use this medicine every other day.

for each

クラスごとに代だい表ひょうを一人ひとり選えらびます。

We choose one representative from each class.

おきに

Number + counter + おきに

Only after an amount: 一いち日にちおきに, 十じゅっ分ぷんおきに, 五ごメートルおきに.

ごとに

Number + counter + ごとに・ Noun + ごとに

三みっ日かごとに, クラスごとに. No の after the noun.

Two ways of counting

花はなには二日ふつかごとに水みずをやります。

I water the flowers every two days.

One watering in every two days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

花はなには一いち日にちおきに水みずをやります。

I water the flowers every other day.

One day skipped each time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

The same days, counted two ways.

Days, weeks, seats and lines are counted whole: skip one and you land on the one after it. That is why "one" with おきに is "every other".

会かい場じょうでは一いっ席せきおきに座すわってください。

At the venue, please sit in every other seat.

一いち行ぎょうおきに書かいてください。

Please write on every other line.

一いっ週しゅう間かんおきに病びょう院いんに通かよっています。

I go to the hospital every other week.

A plain "every day" or "every week" needs neither of them: 毎まい日にち, 毎まい週しゅう.

With minutes, hours and meters they match

A minute or a meter is just a length. The gap and the cycle are the same size, so here both words mean "every".

駅えき前まえから十じゅっ分ぷんおきにバスが出でます。

Buses leave from in front of the station every ten minutes.

十じゅっ分ぷんごとに says the same.

このバスは十じゅう五ご分ふんごとに出でます。

This bus leaves every fifteen minutes.

この通とおりには五ご十じゅうメートルおきに街がい灯とうがあります。

There is a streetlight every fifty meters along this street.

二日ふつかおきに: every second day or every third?

By the same counting, 二日ふつかおきに skips two days, so it is every third day: Monday, Thursday, Sunday. That is the standard reading, but some people use it for every second day. When it matters, people name the days or say 三みっ日かに一いっ回かい, once every three days.

植しょく物ぶつの成せい長ちょうを月げつ曜よう日びから二日ふつかおきに記き録ろくします。記き録ろく日びは月げつ曜よう日び、木もく曜よう日び、日にち曜よう日びです。

From Monday we will record the plant's growth every third day. The recording days are Monday, Thursday and Sunday.

三みっ日かに一いっ回かい、花はなに水みずをやります。

I water the flowers once every three days.

ごとに is also "for each"

After a noun, ごとに takes things one group at a time. おきに can't do this.

チームごとに作さく戦せんが違ちがいます。

Each team has a different strategy.

注ちゅう文もんごとに番ばん号ごうを付つけてください。

Please give each order a number.

Close neighbours

たびにN3

Every time something happens. ごとに can follow a verb this way too, but たびに is the more usual word.

この曲きょくを聞きくたびに、学がく生せい時じ代だいを思おもい出だす。

Whenever I hear this song, I remember my student days.

ずつN3

The same amount for each one, or a little at a time.

一人ひとり二ふたつずつ取とってください。

Please take two each.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

私わたしは一いち日にちおきに洗せん濯たくをします。

Choose an answer to see why.

2You take the first dose on Monday. When is the next one?

月げつ曜よう日びから三みっ日かごとに薬くすりを飲のみます。

Choose an answer to see why.

3Which one fits?

グループ（　　）意い見けんを発はっ表ぴょうしてください。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

ごとに after a verb

After a dictionary form it is "every time", often with something that grows a little each time.

この曲きょくは聞きくごとに好すきになります。

I like this song more every time I hear it.

ごと without に

皮かわごと is "skin and all". That is a different word.

りんごを皮かわごと煮にます。

I simmer the apple with the skin on.

More sentences

苗なえを一いちメートルおきに植うえました。

We planted the seedlings one meter apart.

マラソンコースには五ごキロおきに給きゅう水すい所じょがあります。

There is a water station every five kilometers along the marathon course.

システムは六ろく時じ間かんおきにデータを保ほ存ぞんします。

The system saves the data every six hours.

三さんページごとに写しゃ真しんがあります。

There is a photograph every three pages.

三さん十じゅうメートルごとに案あん内ない板ばんが立たっています。

There is a sign every thirty meters.

季き節せつが変かわるごとに、庭にわの色いろも変かわります。

Every time the season changes, the colors in the garden change too.