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Would you please tell me if there is any difference in meaning between go along with someone and come along with someone? For example:

You can go along with me to the movies tomorrow if you want.

You can come along with me to the movies tomorrow if you want.

Dictionaries such as Longman Dictionary say that they mean the same thing, but do they mean exactly the same thing? Is there a nuance of difference between them?

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  • Longman doesn't exactly say that they mean the same, just that along can be used with either go or come. If the invitation is to an outing 'with me', I would use come.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Nov 17, 2022 at 14:09
  • @Kate Bunting: Thanks you for the commen. I'd like you to clarify something. So if I say "you can go along with," that means you can come to the same place but not with me, right?
    – Dmytro O'Hope
    Commented Nov 17, 2022 at 17:49
  • "You can go along with Mary" means that you can accompany Mary to some place (probably without me).
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Nov 17, 2022 at 17:52

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It's the same difference as "go" and "come" generally, which is "come" indicates accompaniment with or getting closer to the speaker.

"Go" can indicate everything, including these meanings of "come", but "come" is preferred in those contexts.

So in this context, where it's an invitation to do something together, "come" is strongly preferred, though "go" isn't wrong.

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  • Also be aware that in AmE go along with can be used casually to express agreement with an idea or concept. They said it would cost more and what could we do other than go along with that? macmillandictionary.com/us/dictionary/american/…
    – EllieK
    Commented Nov 17, 2022 at 18:18

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