Between dan among memiliki arti di antara. Kita menggunakan between manakala sesuatu berada di antara dua atau lebih benda, orang, negara, dan lain sebagainya dimana kita melihat benda-benda/orang-orang di sekitarnya tersebut secara terpisah dan satu dengan lainnya berbeda. Kita menggunakan among manakala sesuatu berada di antara kerumunan, kelompok, atau kumpulan benda/orang dimana kita melihat benda-benda/orang-orang di sekitarnya tersebut tidak secara terpisah.
Contoh kalimat:
- She was sitting between Prabu and Ratu.
- I saw something lying between the wheels of the train.
- Indonesia lies between Malaysia, Philippines, Australia, and Timor Lorosae.
- She was standing laughing among a crowd of journalists.
- We found a little house hidden among the trees.
Between lebih lazim dipergunakan manakala kita ingin mengatakan bahwa terdapat benda-benda, atau kelompok benda di kedua sisi hal/barang yang dimaksud.
- A little valley between high mountains.
Kata divide (membagi) dan share (berbagi) lazimnya diikuti between manakala kita menggunakan benda tunggal (singular noun); sementara untuk benda jamak (plural noun) kita dapat menggunakan baik between maupun among.
- He shared his property between his wife, his doughther, and his sister.
- I divide my time between teaching, writing, and lecturing.
- He divided his money between/among his five sons.
Jika kita ingin menunjukkan perbedaan di antara satu dengan lainnya, kita menggunakan between.
- What is the difference between a crow and a rook?
Among, selain mengandung arti di antara, dapat pula bermakna satu dari (one of), sebagian dari (some of), dan termasuk (included in).
- Among the first to arrive was the Fantasian ambassador.
- He has a number of criminals among his friends.