Learn Hardcore Chinese: wǒ hé wǒ de péngyou zài xuéxiào.

Both are possible. 我的朋友 is the default, neutral “my friend.” 我朋友 is more colloquial and is used when the friend is already known in context or you want a tighter, informal feel; with close relationships (e.g., 我妈) dropping 的 is even more common.

What’s the difference between 我和我的朋友 and 我和朋友?

我和我的朋友 clearly means “my friend and I.” 我和朋友 means “I and (a/some) friend(s)”—it doesn’t specify which friend or how many, and sounds more colloquial.

Could I simply say 我们在学校?

Yes. 我们在学校 is often the most natural if you don’t need to specify “friend.” If you mean exactly two people, you can say 我们俩在学校 (also 我俩在学校).

Should I add 们 to 朋友 to show plural?

Usually no. Chinese often leaves number unmarked: 我和朋友在学校 can mean one or more friends. Use a measure word if you want to specify: 我和一个朋友在学校 (one friend), 我和两个朋友在学校 (two friends). 朋友们 is used when addressing a group (“Friends!”) or for rhetorical emphasis.

Why not use 是 for “to be”? Is 我是和我的朋友在学校 correct?

Don’t use 是 to link a subject to a location. Say 我和我的朋友在学校. You might see focus structures like 我们是在学校的 (emphasizing “it’s at school (that…)”), but for a plain location statement, use 在.

How do I negate this sentence properly?

Use 不在 + place for “not at (now)”: 我和我的朋友不在学校. To emphasize both, add 都: 我和我的朋友都不在学校 (neither of us is at school). For a specific time in the past, you’ll often hear 没在: 昨天我们没在学校.

Where should 一起 go if I want to say “together”?

Put 一起 before the main verb: 我跟/和我的朋友一起在学校. Avoid …在学校一起 at the end. If you want to stress the togetherness itself, you can say 我和我的朋友在一起，在学校.

Should I use 和 or 跟 here? Any difference?

Both work: 我和我的朋友在学校 / 我跟我的朋友在学校. 跟 feels a bit more colloquial and often carries a “with” sense; 和 is neutral and common in writing. In this subject phrase, they’re interchangeable.

Do I need 都 when listing people with 和?

Not required, but useful to emphasize “each/all”: 我和我的朋友都在学校. With negatives, 都 removes ambiguity: 都不在 = neither is there; 不都在 = not all are there.

What is the normal word order for time and place with 在?

Subject + Time + 在 + Place. Examples: 我和我的朋友今天在学校; or front the time: 今天我和我的朋友在学校.

What’s the nuance between 在学校 and 在学校里/里面?

在学校 means “at school/on campus” in general. 在学校里/里面 emphasizes “inside the school/within the grounds.” Both are correct; use 里 if “inside” matters.

How should I pronounce 朋友 and 的 here?

朋友 is usually pronounced “péngyou,” with a neutral tone on “you.” 的 is neutral tone “de.”

Is 和 ever pronounced hàn?

In modern speech, use hé. A reading like hàn appears only in certain formal or literary contexts; you can safely stick with hé.

How can I turn this into a yes–no question?

Add 吗: 你和你的朋友在学校吗？ You can also use the plural pronoun: 你们在学校吗？

Is 在 a verb here or a preposition? How is it different from 在 before another verb?

Here 在 is the main verb meaning “to be (located) at.” Before another verb, 在 + place marks location of an action (coverb): 我在学校学习. 在 + verb can also mark the progressive: 我在学习 = “I’m studying.”

How do I say “I am going to school with my friend”?

Use a motion verb: 我和我的朋友去学校 or 我跟我的朋友一起去学校/到学校去. Note: 我在学校 = physically at school now; 我在上学 = I’m attending school (as a student).

Are spaces between words used in real Chinese writing?

No. Write it as: 我和我的朋友在学校。