Usage of 付き合う in context


I have heard the word 付き合う used to mean "interact with/hang out with" but I
have heard it more often to mean steadily dating someone. How can you tell the
meaning from context and how could you say that you interact with someone in a
way that's clear you're not dating them?




In general Japanese usage (in most everyday situations), 付き合います used with a
person that is not outright understood to be a relative or superior from a
statement meant for a third party-listener most likely almost immediately
implies some form of romantic relationship with the said person.

> to you: サラさんと付き合ってます。 I'm going out with Sara. (Unless you know that to the
> speaker, Sara is a relative or a mere colleage.)
>
> to you: 客先にサラさんに付き合います。 I'm going to the client's place with Sara. (It's
> explicitly mentioned a work affair.)
>
> to you: 病院まで付き合いますよ。 I'll go with you until the hospital.

In the first place, the speaker will unlikely make such statement unless there
is some level of familiarity with the listener.

[This](http://ejje.weblio.jp/content/%E4%BB%98%E3%81%8D%E5%90%88%E3%81%86)
should help.




I think the context is drawn from other components of the sentence. Think how
in English it is possible to say "I'm seeing Sara" and "I'm seeing Sara at the
park in 20 minutes" and also "I'm seeing Sara over there all by herself" and
suddenly "seeing Sara" means three different things.

The thing you want to focus on is the emphasis and word choice for the
sentence that accompanies 付き合う as 付き合う definitely means "to get together, hang
out, interact" but in a specific context and word choice the implication is
that you're "getting together, hanging out, interacting" (exclusively) with a
specific person. Consider the following:

> 映画館の前で友達と **付き合います** 。  
>  I'm getting together with my friends in front of the movie theater.
>
> 今 **付き合ってる** 人はいません。  
>  Right now I'm not dating anybody.

