"Bob and I" vs "I and Bob"

[Inkfish]

i just don't think any conclusions can be drawn.

true that there is nothing about politeness.

but 'i' deos not always come first.

[affix]

Both forms are acceptable, socially and grammatically, to native speakers.

Now if you want to take it up a notch and sound native?

It's always better if you choose the one that is 顺口 （easy to say or pronounce） or 押韵 (rhyme).

That's why they sing “我和你，心连心，相约在北京”。 It does not rhyme the other way around.

If this construct is at the end of a sentence, native speakers tend to put 我 first! “他们没有看到我和鲍伯”。

The opposite sounds a little bit awkward but fine.

If rhyme is not a concern, it is almost always safer to say 我 first : 我和我爸，我和朋友，我和同学。

Notice, when it is two of "你我他" at the end of a sentence, always say follow this order "你我他" unless it does not rhyme.

In summary:

1. make sure it rhymes ( this rule should be given priority)

2. put the longest component last

3. follow the order 你我他

Extended Case:

In spoken Chinese, sometimes 和 means “跟” (with, along with), and is used in 跟's place。

Example: suppose your car won't start and you are talking to a colleague who gets home by bus.

“我的车坏了，不如我和你一起坐公交回家吧?”.

Here you are asking someone to "go home by bus with" the him/her.

If it's colleague's car that is down, luckily, you should say this:

"你的车坏了，不如你和我一起坐公交车回家吧?"

Now, you are inviting someone to "go home by bus" with you!

[jbradfor]

That's why they sing “我和你，心连心，相约在北京”。 It does not rhyme the other way around.

Why does ni3 rhyme better with xin1 and jing1 than does wo3? Sure ni has an 'i' while wo has an 'o', but that doesn't seem very close. In contrast, "in" and "ing" rhymes much better.

[brilight]

I am native. And means 和, not 跟. 跟means following someone.

We usually say "我和bob" 或者 "bob和我" to mean we both do something. If you say 我跟bob, it means bob initiate the process of watching TV and I went to follow his action and watch together.

[chrix]

And means 和, not 跟. 跟means following someone.

My entire collection of Chinese dictionaries would disagree, they all say that 跟 can also mean "and"....