Posted inN3 Grammar

Mastering 合う (あう): More Than Just Meeting

Posted inN3 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

The verb 合う (あう) is highly versatile with multiple meanings, including “to meet,” “to fit/match,” “to suit,” “to agree,” and when used as a suffix, “to do something together” or “mutually.”

🎯 Primary Function

Acts as both a standalone verb expressing various states of convergence, fitting, or agreement, and as a suffix attached to the masu stem of other verbs to indicate reciprocal or collective action.

📋 Grammar Structure

Standalone verb: Subject が/は X に 会う (Subject meets X); Subject が/は Y に 合う (Y fits/suits Subject); X と Y が 合う (X and Y match/agree). Suffix: [Verb Masu Stem] + 合う (あう)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used appropriately in both formal and informal contexts depending on the specific meaning and attached politeness levels (e.g., 合います vs. 合う). The compound verb forms are common in both.

😊 Informal Situations

Very frequently used in informal conversation for all its meanings.

✍️ Written Language

Common in written language, including literature, news, and academic texts.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Extremely common in everyday spoken Japanese.

💡 Common Applications

Standalone verb: To meet (usually by appointment)
Refers to meeting a person at a specific time or place.
Example: 駅で友達に会います。 (Eki de tomodachi ni aimasu.) – I will meet my friend at the station.
Standalone verb: To fit / To match
Used for things fitting (e.g., clothes, size), or things matching (e.g., colors, opinions).
Example: この靴は私の足にぴったり合います。 (Kono kutsu wa watashi no ashi ni pittari aimasu.) – These shoes fit my feet perfectly.
Standalone verb: To suit / To agree with
Used for food/climate/etc. suiting one’s body/taste, or ideas/opinions agreeing.
Example: この料理は私の口に合わない。 (Kono ryōri wa watashi no kuchi ni awanai.) – This dish doesn’t suit my taste.
📊
Frequency
Very High
🎚️
Difficulty
Medium (due to multiple meanings and uses as a suffix)
Example Sentences
来週、取引先の人と会う予定です。
I am planning to meet with a client next week.
このジャケットの色は、ズボンによく合いますね。
The color of this jacket matches these pants well, doesn’t it?
彼の意見には賛成できません。私とは全く合いません。
I cannot agree with his opinion. It doesn’t match mine at all.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Particle Usage with 会う (to meet)
When meaning “to meet a person,” 会う uses the particle に to indicate the person being met.
Example: 友達 **に** 会います。 (Tomodachi **ni** aimasu.) – I meet my friend.
Particle Usage with 合う (to fit/match/suit/agree)
When meaning “to fit,” “match,” “suit,” or “agree,” it often uses に or と to indicate what something fits/matches/suits/agrees with, or what two things match/agree.
Example: この服はあなた **に** よく似合います。 (Kono fuku wa anata **ni** yoku niaimasu.) – These clothes suit you well. / 彼 **と** 意見が合わない。 (Kare **to** iken ga awanai.) – My opinion doesn’t agree **with** his.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using を instead of に with 会う (to meet)
✅ Use に with 会う (to meet a person).
会う takes に to mark the object of meeting, not を.
❌ Confusing standalone 会う/合う with the suffix -合う
✅ Understand the grammatical structure: verb + 合う (compound) vs. Noun/Subject + 合う (standalone).
The suffix form creates a new compound verb with a reciprocal or collective meaning, distinct from the standalone verb’s various meanings.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: As a verb, it conjugates like any other, using ます/です for politeness. The underlying meanings themselves don’t inherently imply a specific politeness level.
Social Situations: The concept of things “fitting” or people “agreeing” (意見が合う) is significant in a culture that values harmony (和, wa).
Regional Variations: Meanings are generally standard, but nuances in specific regional dialects might exist.

🔍 Subtle Differences

合う vs. ぴったり / ちょうど
合う means “to fit” or “to match” in a general sense. ぴったり emphasizes a perfect fit or match. ちょうど means “exactly” or “just right,” often related to size, time, or quantity.
When to use: Use 合う for general fitting/matching. Use ぴったり when the fit is snug or perfect. Use ちょうど when something is exactly the right size, amount, or time.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

合う (あう) is a regular Godan verb (う-verb). Its ます stem is 会い (あい). Conjugates like 買う (かう). Example: 会います (aimasu), 会わない (awanai), 会った (atta), 会えば (aeba). The compound verb forms (e.g., 話し合う) conjugate based on the final 合う.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced あ・う (a-u). Pay attention to the double vowel sound when pronounced slowly, though it often sounds closer to a single elongated “a” in rapid speech.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of the kanji 会 (かい), which relates to meeting or coming together. This can help you remember the core idea of convergence, which underlies most meanings: people meeting, things coming together and fitting, opinions coming together and agreeing, people doing an action together.

Practice Exercises
この服、私に＿＿いますか？
会って
合って
遭って
あって
会議で皆の意見を＿＿決めた。
言い合って
聞き合って
出し合って
話し合って
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