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Many learners of Chinese find themselves puzzled by the three "de's" - "的", "得", and "地" - due to their shared pronunciation and inability to function independently with specific meanings. Today we would like to talk about the differences between them.
Certainly, despite their distinct characters, each "de" serves a unique purpose. Let's explore each one individually. By the end of this passage, we aim for you to grasp a clear understanding of these three characters. Let's begin!
"的" is normally used to modify Nouns. We can mark it as "Attributive modifier + 的+Noun."
Part I
Noun/pronoun 的+ Noun: indicate "Possession"
① wǒ de shū 我的书 My book
② māma de shǒujī 妈妈的手机 Mom’s phone
③ lǎoshī de yīfu 老师的衣服 Teacher’s clothes.
Tips |
If "Noun/pronoun 的 + Noun" indicate family members or other close relationship, the word "的" can be omitted, and an institutional or organizational relationship is implied. For example: |
wǒ de bàba ...= wǒ bàba ... 我的爸爸...= 我爸爸... my dad wǒ de māma ... = wǒ māma ... 我的妈妈... = 我妈妈... My mom wǒ de jiā ...= wǒ jiā ... 我的家...= 我家... My home wǒmen de gōngsī...= wǒmen gōngsī... 我们的公司...=我们公司... Our company |
Part Ⅱ
Word/phrase/clause + 的+ Nouns: Works to tell us more information about Nouns. For example:
1. Adj +的 +Noun:
① piàoliang de dìfāng. 漂亮的地方。A beautiful place.
② báisè de shǒujī. 白色的手机。 A white phone.
| Tips |
| If the modifier is a monosyllable word , 的 can be omitted, for instance: |
hēi de tóufa = hēi tóufa 黑的头发=黑头发 black hair xiǎo de fángjiān = xiǎo fángjiān 小的房间=小房间 small room However, if it has an adverb before the adjective, “的” cannot be omitted, for example: hěn dà de fángjiān→hěn dà fángjiān 。 很大的房间√ → 很大房间。× |
2. phrase/Verb + 的 + Noun
① chànggē de nǚháizi.
唱歌的女孩子。
The girl who is singing.
② wǒ zuótiān mǎi de dàngāo.
我昨天买的蛋糕。
The cake I bought yesterday.
| Tips |
| If you would like to describe or modify a noun in Chinese, you can put all the details before a noun. |
Chuān báisè chènshān de nánhái shì wǒ de dìdi 。 穿白色衬衫的男孩是我的弟弟。 The boy who wears a white T-shirt is my younger brother. Zhèngzài chànggē de nǚrén shì wǒ māma. 正在唱歌的女人是我妈妈。 The woman who is singing a song is my mom. |
“得” is normally used to modify a Verb and is placed after a verb.
Part I
Verb +得+adj: Can be used to ask or tell how well someone does something, which means to give comments on someone doing something. For instance.
①Nǐ xuéshēng de yīngyǔ shuō de zěnmeyàng？
你学生的英语说得怎么样？
How well do your students speak Chinese?
Wǒ xuéshēng de yīngyǔ shuō de hěnhǎo。
我学生的英语说得很好。
He speaks well.
② Nǐ pǎo bù pǎo de zěn me yàng？
你跑步跑得怎么样？
How well do you run?
Wǒ pǎo bù pǎo de hěn màn。
我跑步跑得很慢。
I run very slowly.
Part Ⅱ
Verb+得+Potential complement: to indicate something can happen and whether it is possible to do or not.
① nǐ tīng de dǒng yīngyǔ ma ？
你听得懂英语吗？
Can you understand English?
② wǒ tīng de dǒng .
我听得懂.
I can understand.
In negatives we use 不 to instead of “得” :
① Wǒ tīng bù dǒng 。
我听不懂。
I cannot understand by hearing.
② Nǐ chī de wán shí gè bāo zi ma ？
你吃得完 十个包子吗？
Can you eat all 10 steamed stuffed bun?
③ Chī bù wán 。
吃不完。
No, I cannot finish eating.
Tips |
| If you would like to ask someone if he or she can possibly do something or finish a thing, you can use this structure, and “potential complement” always act as a result of Verb. |
① kàn+wán→kàn de wán /kàn bù wán 。 看+完→看得完/看不完。 ② Wǒ yī gè yuè kàn de wán 10běn shū 。 我一个月看得完10本书。 I can read 10 books in a month. ③ zuò +wán +zuò yè→zuò de wán zuò yè /zuò bù wán zuò yè 。 做+完+作业→做得完作业/做不完作业。 ④ Zuò yè tài duō le ，wǒ zuò bù wán。 作业太多了，我做不完。 It’s too much homework,I can not finish. |
Part Ⅲ
Adj./Verb +得+ complement : Is used to indicate a certain state and always followed by a verb phrase, for example :
① Wǒ hěn lèi。 我很累。 I'm tired.
We can use 得 to form a complement after "累" to indicate a certain state, for example:
① Lèi de bù xiǎng shuō huà。 累得不想说话。 I'm too tired to talk.
② Wǒ yá téng。 我牙疼。 My tooth hurts.
③ Wǒ yá téng de bù xiǎng chī fàn。 我牙疼得 不想吃饭。 My teeth hurt too much to eat anything.
"地" is normally used to modify Verbs and placed before a verb.
Part I
"地" is an adverbial marker, which usually goes after an adverbial phrase and before a verb. 地 always has an adjective before it to describe the way in which the action has been carried out.
① Wǒ zhàn le qǐlái。 我站了起来。 I stand up.
② Wǒ mànman de zhàn le qǐlái。 我慢慢地站了起来。 I stand up slowly.
#Tips: 慢慢地 to describe the way or how I stand up.
Part Ⅱ
...地 +Verb also can be used to indicate an attitude or mood of the subject. For example:
Tā zhèng zài chī dàngāo。
他正在在吃蛋糕。
He is eating a cake.
Without "地" in this sentence and we have no idea about his attitude or mood, so if we say:
Tā zhèng zài gāoxìng de chī dàngāo 。
他正在高兴地吃蛋糕。
#Tips: 高兴地 is used here to tell us he is happy.
Tā huíjiā le。
他回家了。
He went back home.
Without “地” in this sentence and we don’t know about his mood, so if we say:
Tā shēngqì de huí jiā le。
他生气地回家了。
He went home angrily.
#Tips: 生气地 shows us that he went home angrily.
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