<p>一起/ 在一起 means 'together'(adv)</p>
<p>In English, it goes after the verb; In Chinese, it goes before the verb</p>
<p>Example:</p>
<p>[一起]看電視 - watch TV. [together]</p>
<p>[一起]洗澡 - bath [together]</p>
<p>[在一起]看電視 - watching TV. [together]</p>
<p>[在一起]洗澡 - bathing [together]</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我們在一起合作很多年了</p>
</blockquote>
<p>在一起 = together</p>
<p>合作 = work together</p>
<p>'<em>together</em>' in 'We have worked together for many years <em>together</em>' sounds redundant</p>
<p>It is better not to use the adverb 在一起 (together) in this context:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我們合作了很多年了 - We have worked together for many years</p>
</blockquote>
<p>or change 合作 to 工作(work)</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我們在一起工作很多年了 - We have been working together for many years</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T19:29:58.230Z
thank you for a comprehensive answer.  Re. redundancy, I agree, but it is an example sentence from an online Chinese course, so I thought it was normal (a bit like doubling up certain words, e.g. 好好休息).  I am glad that you clarified this point.
Laban007
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-11T02:01:17.160Z
Agree. 在一起合作 is wordy.
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T18:10:28.560Z
2022-08-10T18:19:27.367Z
2022-08-10T18:19:27.367Z
Tang Ho
<p>According to Chinese logic, it can be simply and rudely understood as
because， only &quot;together&quot; then  &quot;work together&quot;
So &quot;together&quot; first, then &quot;together&quot;</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T18:43:47.403Z
According to logic, if you are working together, you are together already
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T18:34:26.817Z
2022-08-10T18:34:26.817Z
AdorableParker
<p>Both sentences are acceptable.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>我們 在一起合作 很多年了 - We together have cooperated for many years.</p>
</li>
<li><p>我們 合作在一起 很多年了 - We cooperated together for many years. (<strong>Edit</strong>: While this sentence is acceptable, it can be objectionable, see comment below.)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Similar to:</p>
<ul>
<li>我們 在一起生活 很多年了 = 我們 生活在一起 很多年了</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-12T03:01:36.503Z
Are you sure you can move 在一起 to after 合作？ I just asked a couple of people, who both said no. I did find this sentence: 愿我们永远合作在一起！
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-12T03:32:44.840Z
Positively yes. There is a very slight difference, "我們在一起" = "Together, we", here "together" emphasizes "we"; "合作在一起" = "corporate together", here "together" emphasizes "corporate". Overall, the reverse in position does not make much difference.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-16T11:12:47.287Z
@pedroski Agreed with you; I would also say no. r13 is likely not a native speaker. I've seen him often committing to mistakes no native speakers will.
ALife
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-16T13:43:25.057Z
@ALife Not all, or only, Chinese spoke perfect "Chinese/mandarin".
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-16T15:40:34.073Z
As @Teng Ho pointed out in the comment to the answer AdorablePaker, "合作在一起"  can be objectionable because 合作 already implies working together, and "在一起" unnecessarily repeats the implication.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-20T03:10:37.743Z
if you omit 在 in the sentence  我們生活一起很多年了 is obviously wrong, and we can agree 我們一起生活(了)很多年了 is grammatically correct
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T21:34:02.013Z
2022-08-16T15:43:26.427Z
2022-08-16T15:43:26.427Z
r13
<p>I am learning Chinese on my own and I find myself getting the word order wrong on some sentences.</p>
<p>For example:
我們在一起合作很多年了
I sometimes mistakenly use this word order:
我們合作在一起很過年了</p>
<p>I realize this is a very basic question, but could somebody explain why 在一起 must come before 合作 in this sentence?</p>
<p>Also, what is the grammatical rule called, if I want to read up on this?  In other words, what do I search for in order to find the grammar rule that applies?</p>

<grammar><word-order>
Word order question (在一起 and 合作)
# Word order question (在一起 and 合作)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-08-10)

I am learning Chinese on my own and I find myself getting the word order wrong on some sentences.

For example:
我們在一起合作很多年了
I sometimes mistakenly use this word order:
我們合作在一起很過年了

I realize this is a very basic question, but could somebody explain why 在一起 must come before 合作 in this sentence?

Also, what is the grammatical rule called, if I want to read up on this? In other words, what do I search for in order to find the grammar rule that applies?

**Tags:** grammar, word-order


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-08-10. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

一起/ 在一起 means 'together'(adv)

In English, it goes after the verb; In Chinese, it goes before the verb

Example:

[一起]看電視 - watch TV. [together]

[一起]洗澡 - bath [together]

[在一起]看電視 - watching TV. [together]

[在一起]洗澡 - bathing [together]

> 我們在一起合作很多年了

在一起 = together

合作 = work together

'*together*' in 'We have worked together for many years *together*' sounds redundant

It is better not to use the adverb 在一起 (together) in this context:

> 我們合作了很多年了 - We have worked together for many years

or change 合作 to 工作(work)

> 我們在一起工作很多年了 - We have been working together for many years

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: thank you for a comprehensive answer.  Re. redundancy, I agree, but it is an example sentence from an online Chinese course, so I thought it was normal (a bit like doubling up certain words, e.g. 好好休息).  I am glad that you clarified this point.  
> **username_2**: Agree. 在一起合作 is wordy.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-08-10. Score: 0

According to Chinese logic, it can be simply and rudely understood as
because， only "together" then "work together"
So "together" first, then "together"

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: According to logic, if you are working together, you are together already  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2022-08-10. Score: 0

Both sentences are acceptable.

* 我們 在一起合作 很多年了 - We together have cooperated for many years.
* 我們 合作在一起 很多年了 - We cooperated together for many years. (**Edit**: While this sentence is acceptable, it can be objectionable, see comment below.)

Similar to:

* 我們 在一起生活 很多年了 = 我們 生活在一起 很多年了

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Are you sure you can move 在一起 to after 合作？ I just asked a couple of people, who both said no. I did find this sentence: 愿我们永远合作在一起！  
> **username_4**: Positively yes. There is a very slight difference, "我們在一起" = "Together, we", here "together" emphasizes "we"; "合作在一起" = "corporate together", here "together" emphasizes "corporate". Overall, the reverse in position does not make much difference.  
> **username_6**: @username_5 Agreed with you; I would also say no. r13 is likely not a native speaker. I've seen him often committing to mistakes no native speakers will.  
> **username_4**: @username_6 Not all, or only, Chinese spoke perfect "Chinese/mandarin".  
> **username_4**: As @Teng Ho pointed out in the comment to the answer AdorablePaker, "合作在一起"  can be objectionable because 合作 already implies working together, and "在一起" unnecessarily repeats the implication.  
> **username_1**: if you omit 在 in the sentence  我們生活一起很多年了 is obviously wrong, and we can agree 我們一起生活(了)很多年了 is grammatically correct  

---

