Translation guide
The English word 'along' is used in several ways: to indicate movement or position following a line or path, to mean 'together with' someone, or to describe progress. Japanese expresses these ideas with different particles, verbs, and phrases. Direct translation is often unnatural.
Expressing that something moves or is located following the length of something, like a road, river, or wall.
This is the most common and natural way to say 'along' a physical path or line. It follows a noun indicating the path.
川に沿って歩いた。
I walked along the river.
この道に沿ってまっすぐ行ってください。
Please go straight along this road.
Used as a noun modifier to describe something located along a path, like 'a shop along the street'.
通り沿いの店
a shop along the street
A verb meaning 'to go along' or 'to follow' a path, often used in written or literary contexts. Attaches to nouns with を.
Indicating that a person accompanies another, or that something is brought along.
Means 'together' and is the most common way to express doing something along with someone. Often used with verbs like 行く (go) or 来る (come).
一緒に映画を見に行かない？
Do you want to come along to see a movie?
彼女も一緒に来ます。
She's coming along too.
Used when you bring a person (or sometimes a pet) along. 連れて行く means 'take along', 連れて来る means 'bring along'.
友達を連れて行ってもいい？
Can I bring a friend along?
弟を連れて来ました。
I brought my younger brother along.
A formal verb meaning 'to accompany'. Used in official or written contexts.
保護者の同伴が必要です。
A guardian must come along. (lit. accompaniment of a guardian is required)
Describing how something is progressing, often with 'come along' or 'get along'.
The verb 進む means 'to progress' or 'to advance'. Use it to say how a project or task is coming along.
仕事は順調に進んでいます。
Work is coming along well.
計画はあまり進んでいない。
The plan isn't getting along very well.
For 'getting along' with people, meaning to have a good relationship. うまくやっている means 'getting along well'.
彼とはうまくやっています。
I get along with him.
Another way to say 'get along well' with someone, literally 'relationship is good'.
私たちはとても仲がいいです。
We get along very well.
Meaning 'in addition to' or 'together with' something else.
Can also mean 'along with' in the sense of 'together with' non-human things.
書類と一緒に写真も送ってください。
Please send a photo along with the documents.
A more formal way to say 'in addition to' or 'along with'.
給料に加えてボーナスももらった。
Along with my salary, I also got a bonus.
English 'along' has no single Japanese equivalent. Using a dictionary translation like 沿って for 'come along' (as in accompany) will sound unnatural. Always consider the meaning first.
に沿って is the standard way to say 'along a path'. を伝って is more literary and implies moving while touching or following the contour of something, like a wall or a rope.
浜辺に沿って歩きました。
I walked along the beach.
彼女は妹を連れて来た。
She brought her sister along.
プロジェクトはどう進んでいますか？
How is your project coming along?
He walked along the wall.