得 de — particle linking a verb to a comment on how it is done

Meanings

1. 1

   particle linking a verb to a comment on how it is done

   Placed between a verb and a description of the action: 说得很好 "speaks well", 跑得很快 "runs fast". The description behaves like a predicate, so it keeps its 很.

   particle

Example sentences

• 他汉语说得很好。/他漢語說得很好。Tā (first tone, high and level) Hànyǔ (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) hǎo. (third tone, dipping)···

  He speaks Chinese very well.

• 你跑得太快了。Nǐ (third tone, dipping) pǎo (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) tài (fourth tone, falling) kuài (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)···

  You run too fast.

Common mistakes

• Not quite他说的很好。

  Correct他说得很好。

  The two are pronounced the same but do different work: 的 links a modifier to a noun (我的书), while 得 links a verb to a comment on the action.

• Not quite他说汉语得很好。

  Correct他说汉语说得很好。

  When the verb already has an object, the verb is repeated before 得. Say 他汉语说得很好 or 他说汉语说得很好 — never squeeze 得 in after the object.

Similar words