Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 2: 14/17

(ごと)Each, Every

Structure

Verb + ごとに
Noun + ごとに

Details

  • Standard

About ごとに

ごとに is a combination of the noun ごと, and the particle . Together, they are used adverbially to express that something happens 'every (A)', or 'at intervals of (A)'. ごとに may be used after any verb (usually in non-past form), or noun.

Although ごとに may be used after verbs, the most common use is with nouns, or phrases that finish with nouns.

Caution

ごと is the 訓読(くんよ)み (Japanese reading) of the kanji (まい), which means 'every'. This fact will be important when trying to remember the difference between ごとに and おきに, a similar grammar point which can also mean 'every', but focuses more on 'interval' or 'gap' of a specific time or distance. Due to おきに focusing on the space between 'each (A)', there are sentences where おきに and ごとに will have different meanings.

Here, we can see that ごとに will mean 'every week', while おきに will mean 'every second week', due to there being a 'one week interval' when おきに is used. To make things easier, these two expressions can be remembered in the following way.

(A) ごとに = During every (A), (B).

(A) おきに = After every space of (A), (B).

Fun Fact

Many native speakers make mistakes with the difference between おきに and ごとに, so there are quite a large number of people (especially in the younger generation) that will consider them completely interchangeable.



Examples

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  • あのチームは、試合(しあい)をする(ごと)(つよ)くなっている。

    That team is getting stronger with every match.

  • (なつ)(ごと)アメリカに(かえ)ます

    Every summer I go back to America.

  • 生徒(せいと)(ごと)(かみ)(わた)した

    I gave a paper to every student. (Each)

  • 二日(ふつか)(ごと)友達(ともだち)サッカーする

    I play soccer with my friend every two days. (at two day intervals)

  • あの(ひと)()(ひと)(ごと)笑顔(えがお)握手(あくしゅ)します

    That person greets every person they meet with a smile and a handshake.

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ごとに – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (11 in total)

  • Fuga

    Fuga

    Hey @gutocbs !

    Sorry for the late reply!

    ごとに could also be used to express that something happens ‘every (A)’ and not only as ‘at intervals of (A)’. When it is used like it is in the example you provided, it has the nuance of ‘each’. This means that this sentence has the nuance of ‘to each student, I gave a paper’.

  • gutocbs

    gutocbs

    I see! Thank you!

  • Affratus

    Affratus

    why does this review question has 毎に as the answer?:

    日本で日本語納能力試験が1年__2回行われます。

    shouldn’t it use に instead because the construct is (A) times per (B)? the related section of 毎に and に says the difference between the two is in the sentence construct.

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