How is the と particle used here


My grammar book says I can use the と particle to mean 'and'. It continues to
say that I can use the particle to indicate doing an action with someone else.

> Eg: 友達と話した

The topic particle is not mentioned if it were included. Would it be 友達と私は ?

> 友達と私は話した

I know that order in the sentence doesn't really matter but does it matter in
this case? Like do I treat 友達と私は as one noun?

The book I use is Japanese Grammar Guide by Tae Kim.




I know this was already answered, but I'd like to expand a bit more:

The と particle in this kind of case can be thought of as an appending
particle. When you think of it in this way, 'and' and 'with' are both
appending words in English.

Some examples of both usages and how they correlate. First, as 'and':

> 私{わたし} **と** 友達{ともだち} = My friend **and** I  
>  電車{でんしゃ} **と** 車{くるま} = Trains **and** Cars

Now, as 'with':

> 私{わたし}は友達{ともだち} **と** 会{あ}いました = I met **with** my friend.  
>  友達{ともだち}はお父{とう}さん **と** ケーキ屋{や}に出{で}かけました = My friend went out to a cake
> shop **with** her father.




I know this was already answered, but I'd like to expand a bit more:

The と particle in this kind of case can be thought of as an appending
particle. When you think of it in this way, 'and' and 'with' are both
appending words in English.

Some examples of both usages and how they correlate. First, as 'and':

> 私{わたし} **と** 友達{ともだち} = My friend **and** I  
>  電車{でんしゃ} **と** 車{くるま} = Trains **and** Cars

Now, as 'with':

> 私{わたし}は友達{ともだち} **と** 会{あ}いました = I met **with** my friend.  
>  友達{ともだち}はお父{とう}さん **と** ケーキ屋{や}に出{で}かけました = My friend went out to a cake
> shop **with** her father.

