～ごとに

How to form it

• Noun + ごとに
• Verb (dictionary form) + ごとに

Register: Neutral

Explanation

Says that something happens at regular intervals, or that it differs for each item.

With time nouns it means 'every N hours/days'. With other nouns it means 'for each'.

Examples

1. 一年ごとに、メンバーが入れ替わる。

   いちねんごとに、メンバーがいれかわる。

   The members change every year.

2. 駅ごとに、停まる電車が違う。

   えきごとに、とまるでんしゃがちがう。

   The trains that stop differ from station to station.

3. 三日ごとに、水を替えてください。

   みっかごとに、みずをかえてください。

   Please change the water every three days.

Compare with

• ～たびに: たびに means each time something occurs; ごとに means at each interval or for each item.

Common mistakes

• Mixing it up with ずつ, which means 'by amount'.