付き合う

• Reading: つきあう
• Romaji: tsukiau
• Kanji breakdown: 付 (attach/accompany) + き (okurigana) + 合 (mutual/together) + う (verb ending) → to be together, to go out with someone
• Pronunciation: /tsu.ki.a.u/

Meaning

To go out with someone — to officially start dating or be in a romantic relationship.

付き合う is the standard word for 'dating' in Japanese, specifically referring to an official romantic relationship. Unlike casual dating in Western culture, 付き合う implies exclusivity from the start and usually begins after a formal 告白. The phrase 付き合ってください (please go out with me) is the classic confession response request.

Examples

1. 付き合って3ヶ月記念にディナー行ってきた。 We went out for dinner to celebrate our three-month anniversary.
2. 告白されて、付き合うことにしたんだ。 Someone confessed to me, and I decided to start dating them.
3. 好きな人がいるけど、付き合うまでの勇気がない。 There's someone I like, but I don't have the courage to take things to the dating stage.

Usage Guide

Context: friends, dating, general conversation

Tone: matter-of-fact, romantic

Do Say

• 私たち付き合ってるんだ。 (We're going out / We're dating.)
• 付き合ってください。 (Please go out with me.)

Don't Say

• 「付き合う」は友達の付き合いにも使うので、恋愛の文脈を明確に (Since 付き合う also means 'to hang out with' in non-romantic contexts, make sure the romantic meaning is clear)

Common Mistakes

• Not realizing that 付き合う implies exclusivity in Japan — it's not 'casually dating,' it's an official relationship from the start

Origin & History

From 付き (attach) + 合う (mutual/together). Originally meaning 'to associate with' or 'to keep company,' the romantic meaning of exclusive dating became dominant in modern usage.

Cultural Context

Era: Standard Japanese, long-established

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. The core term for being in a romantic relationship.