<p>Other than serving as a particle indicating the continuation of an action or a state, 着 also serves an important function.</p>
<p>Both 跟 and 跟着 are verbs that mean &quot;follow&quot;, however, 跟 also has the additional meaning of &quot;and, with, to go with&quot;, which will cause ambiguity in a sentence. For example,</p>
<ul>
<li>&quot;她<strong>跟</strong>我&quot; - does it mean &quot;She <strong>and</strong> I or &quot;She <strong>follows</strong> me&quot;? However, the ambiguity/confusion is eliminated by adding the particle &quot;着&quot; - &quot;她<strong>跟着</strong>我&quot; (She <strong>follows</strong> me).</li>
</ul>
<p>The expression &quot;跟着着&quot; is grammatically incorrect because the second &quot;着&quot; serves no function (which has been adequately taken care of by the particle immediately after the verb 跟).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-29T09:16:45.967Z
Depending on context, the second 着 in 跟着着 may be pronounced as *zháo* or *zhuó* and becomes part of the next word, where it makes sense.
iBug
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-29T03:00:44.293Z
2022-08-29T03:00:44.293Z
r13
<p>What is the difference between 跟着 and 跟? All dictionaries say that both can mean the verb &quot;to follow&quot;.</p>
<p>If I want to use the 着 as a &quot;particle indicating the continuation of an action or a state&quot;, should I use it once (跟着) or twice (跟着着)?</p>

<grammar><meaning><vocabulary>
What is the difference between 跟, 跟着 and 跟着着?
# What is the difference between 跟, 跟着 and 跟着着?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-08-28)

What is the difference between 跟着 and 跟? All dictionaries say that both can mean the verb "to follow".

If I want to use the 着 as a "particle indicating the continuation of an action or a state", should I use it once (跟着) or twice (跟着着)?

**Tags:** grammar, meaning, vocabulary


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-08-29. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Other than serving as a particle indicating the continuation of an action or a state, 着 also serves an important function.

Both 跟 and 跟着 are verbs that mean "follow", however, 跟 also has the additional meaning of "and, with, to go with", which will cause ambiguity in a sentence. For example,

* "她**跟**我" - does it mean "She **and** I or "She **follows** me"? However, the ambiguity/confusion is eliminated by adding the particle "着" - "她**跟着**我" (She **follows** me).

The expression "跟着着" is grammatically incorrect because the second "着" serves no function (which has been adequately taken care of by the particle immediately after the verb 跟).

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Depending on context, the second 着 in 跟着着 may be pronounced as *zháo* or *zhuó* and becomes part of the next word, where it makes sense.  

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