So I'm trying to understand the expression 手を取り (to take hands) in the context
of this lyric from "Suteki Da Ne":

> 二人手をとり 歩けたなら

I know that since 取り is 取る's stem form, it can act like the te-form 取って. As
the lyric involves two people, that make the lyric something like "If the two
of us could take hands and walk." However, 取り合う (to take each other by the
hand) or "hand in hand" would be more grammatically correct, but change the
lyric.
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2022-12-30T15:21:11.903
97865
2023-07-03T13:03:45.543
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question
verbs expressions
Understanding 手を取り
Perhaps, it is to match the melody. I have the impression that only one person
is trying to take the other's hand, but it is not so strange.
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2023-01-04T08:19:22.550
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2023-01-04T08:19:22.550
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97865
answer
The masu stem form of a verb is commonly used to connect multiple verbs
together and indicate the sequence of actions or events. It doesn’t directly
translate to “and” but rather implies that one action follows another.

In the sentence 手を取り歩ける the masu stem form of 取る (which is 取り) is used to
connect the 2 verbs - hold hands and walk. The sentence 二人手をとり 歩けたなら would
translate to “if only the two of us could take hands and (then) walk.”
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2023-06-03T12:37:25.300
99830
2023-06-03T12:37:25.300
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answer