between the two of us/between two of us
 

Hi.
What is the difference between with the definite article; the and without it?


You don't have to go to the police.
We can discuss it just between the two of us/ just between two of us.


Google hits both a lot.
I wonder if it is just the preference of each individual, or BE/AE difference, or something else.

Thank you.

I would go with the first one as it sounds more natural, and as for the second I don't think I've ever heard anyone say between two of us without ''the'' in it, but that is just my opinion :)

preposition-THE--

Between the two of us-

Between the two of us:
- there are only two of us
- there are many of us but only the speaker and the person he is speaking to
ex: "Hey Mark, between the two of us we can buy a PS3."

Between two of us:
- any two of the people in a group of more people
ex: (imagine there are 6 people there) "We should be able to cover the bill between two of us." (which two isn't specific)

Oh, I didn't think of the context in which there are 6 persons!
OK, I got it.


Then if there are only two persons, just "I" and "you", the "the" is always necessary, isn't it?
"Just between the two of us"?

correct :)
it may be colloquially omitted but it is grammatically necessary :)

by the way,

"just between the two of us" has a different nuance, it means "don't tell anyone about this" or "it's our secret"

Thank you, for the information.
Then, my example sentences of the initial post have the smell of criminal or illegal, wrong thing....

You don't have to go to the police.
We can discuss it just between the two of us/ just between two of us.

..............................................

Thank you, everyone. :)
You are so helpful.

possibly...
In Canada it's ok to settle accidents between two people without involving insurance companies or the police, but I don't know about other countries.

Like if I hit your car while driving, I can just give you 3000$ and we can call it even, just between us.
just between us = just between the 2/3/4/5+ of us

Thank you.
After hearing from you, I think your scenario is quite possibly and reasonable.

Maybe I was watching TV drama and news too much, in which there were plenty of murderers.
I thought of a Japanese actor, who did illegal drugs with a woman, and she was dead suddenly. He called his secretary at once, and the secretary advised him to call the police at once, but....

My scenario is not probably going to happen in our actual life. At least I hope not.
If possible, I don't hope your scenario going to happen ,neither. :)