The degree complement and the three Chinese de

In Chinese, there are three structural particles with the same sound: 的, 地 and 得. The pronunciation of all these three particles is de, but their functions are different. The first, as mentioned in the lesson Determiner and determined, suggests possession and links the determined to its determiner.

我的小狗狗很可爱。
wǒ de xiǎo gǒu gǒu hěn kě’ài
[I ST little dog INT cute]
My little dog is very cute.

这件红色的毛衣很适合你。
zhè jiàn hóngsè de máoyī hěn shìhé nǐ
[this QU red ST sweater INT to-suit you]
This red sweater suits you very well.

地, on the contrary, is placed between the verbal determiner and the following verb. It answers to the question: “how, in which way?” and it indicates the way in which the action is done. Hence, the adjective followed by this particle becomes an adverb.

她平平安安地回家了。
tā píngpíng ān’ān de huí jiāle
[she safe-and-sound ST to-come-home MOD]
She came back home safe and sound.

小孩子认真地做功课了。
xiǎo hái zǐ rènzhēn de zuò gōngkèle
[child earnestly ST to-do homework MOD]
The child did his homework earnestly.

得, contrary to 地, is always placed after the verb to which it refers. This is the so called degree complement and it specifies the intensity and the degree of an action. This particle and the verb are strictly related to each other and they cannot be separated. Therefore, in case of a verb requiring an object, the verb is repeated: first it is followed by its object and then by the degree complement. In negative sentences, the negation is placed in the degree complement.

我妈唱得很好。
wǒ mā chàng de hěn hǎo
[I mum to-sing ST INT well]
My mum sings very well.

我老师说汉语说得很流利。
wǒ lǎoshī shuō hànyǔ shuō de hěn liúlì
[I teacher to-speak Chinese to-speak ST INT fluent]
My teacher speaks Chinese fluently.

我姐去海边的时候，她玩得很不高兴。
wǒ jiě qù hǎibiān de shíhòu, tā wán de hěn bù gāoxìng
[I elder-sister to-go seaside ST time she to-have-fun ST not happy]
My sister didn’t enjoy herself at all when she went to the seaside.

得, when placed after an adjective and followed by the intesifier 很 (hěn) means “very”.

他做菜好得很。
tā zuò cài hǎo de hěn
[he to-cook well ST INT]
He cooks very well.

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