Today’s #Difference post comes on request from @chloesavior ✨
It’s about using 3 types of “glue” – grammar particles that stitch together adjectives and nouns, or adverbs and verbs.
In speech, they all sound the same:
🗣 de
⭐️
The only difference is in writing. So today, let’s look at each ‘de’ separately – with actionable tips 💪
的 de
This ‘de’ is used with nouns, and rarely causes confusion:
🔴 adj + 的 + noun
Examples with 的 de
Use it to link [a description] to a noun:
[my]的🐱
[pretty]的🐱
[black and white]的🐱
[lives next door]的🐱
[lives next door]的[very cheeky]的🐱
❗️You can use more than one 的 in one sentence if you like. Remember that it’s just a tool – to help you organize information🔧
得 de
This one is used with verbs, and always comes AFTER a verb:
🔴 verb + 得 + adverb
Examples with 得 de
Use it to describe someone’s skills or actions:
👍 你做得很好 Nǐ zuò de hěn hǎo – You do it really well (or ‘You’ve done it really well’)
📷 他拍得很好 Tā pāi de zhēnhǎo – He’s really good at taking pictures (Or ‘He took really good pictures)
❗️Notice that it might refer to both the past and the present, depending on the context
❗️Mind that native speakers don’t pay too much attention to this 得 in daily conversations, so you might notice them write 的 instead (‘你做的很好’)
地 de
This last one is used with verbs too, but it comes BEFORE a verb:
🔴 adverb + 地 + verb
In theory, you’re supposed to use it talking about the future – giving orders or recommendations. Eat slowly! Listen carefully!
❗️Remember this for your exams😉
Examples without 地 de
But now, in real life, notice how in common phrases (where 地 is supposed to be), 地 somehow gets lost:
👋 慢走 màn zǒu – Get home safe; Travel safe (not “满地走 màn de zǒu”)
😴 好好儿休息 hǎohǎor xiūxi – Have a good rest (not “好好儿地休息 hǎohǎor de xiūxi”)
Examples with 地 de
Not to make it seem completely useless, here’s one phrase that’d sound good with 地:
不断地 búduàn de – constantly; non-stop
⭐️⭐️⭐️
How would you say:
“The clothes he’s wearing are black”?
“She sings really well”?
“China’s economy is continuously developing”?
@ervina_if: 他穿黑色的衣服 | 她唱得很好听 | 中国的经济不断地发展
@yourmandarin: @ervina_if 非常好🤩🏅
@wiseheartme: Xièxie
@hannah.ytl: @et.carinae it seems part of ur exam😂
@et.carinae: @hannah.ytl yes😂😂😂 it helps
@aznfighting: Thank you! This is something that always confuses me when I see them in videos. Now I understand why 😃
@yourmandarin: @aznfighting These are easier to use once you get them clear😊 (they don’t overlap like modal verbs #ym能 etc😷)
@toribudreau: “my least favorite part of chinese “ @candycaseoxox
@atiquevintage: Pretty good…
@makestheheartgrow: Saving this right now!
@yourmandarin: @makestheheartgrow Yay✔️
@makestheheartgrow: Saving this right now!
@memske01: @bandersnatch_22 follow them!! If you are not already….
@memske01: @bandersnatch_22 我很喜欢这个IG!
@bandersnatch_22: @memske01 好的，谢谢!
@werner.pizarro: 中国的经济不断地进步。
@yourmandarin: @werner.pizarro 🏅
@werner.pizarro: 他唱得挺好的！
@yourmandarin: @werner.pizarro 🏅(drop 的, you don’t need it here😊)
@werner.pizarro: 他穿的衣服很黑色。
@yourmandarin: @werner.pizarro …and add 的 here! In this sentence you need it, because 黑色 = black color vs. 黑色的 = black (You can’t really say ‘The clothes he’s wearing are black color’)
@mitchy_karie1: 得 dei too
@yourmandarin: @mitchy_karie1 This sounds like one more post😄
@qizi_mama: 他穿黑色的衣服，她唱歌唱得真好，中国的经济不断地发展
@yourmandarin: @qizi_mama 非常好👍🏅
@qizi_mama: @yourmandarin 谢谢！😇
@modinah: Very important one!! 😉 we just talked about it in Chinese class the other day
@yourmandarin: @modinah Cool! Was it similar? Any extra tips? 🙂
@esraa.ibrahim119: @ayashalaby17 بصي هنا هتفهمي الفرق
@hally.s: 他的衣服是黑色 or 他的衣服是黑色的? i feel like they both mean the same thing bt is thr a difference if i dont put the 的 at the end 😅
@yourmandarin: @hally.s Yes, your ‘feeling’ is right😄 There is a difference! 黑色 = “black color” and 黑色的 = “black (in color)”. You can’t really say “His clothes are black color”, but you can say “His clothes are black” (他的衣服是黑色的)👍
@yourmandarin: @hally.s (Sorry, deleted the previous answer, it was confusing😂)
@hally.s: hahah its ok.i get wat u mean. thank u fr explaining! 謝謝你!@yourmandarin
@yourmandarin: @hally.s 不客气☀️
@chloesavior: 谢谢你们🙏🤩
@yourmandarin: @chloesavior 不客气☀️ 谢谢你的问题！
@itsonlykae: 他穿黑色的衣服。她唱得很不错。中国的经济不断地发展。
@yourmandarin: @itsonlykae 非常好🏅
@itsonlykae: @yourmandarin 谢谢🙏🏻
@anderlinh_: 他穿的衣服是黑的。他唱歌唱得很好。中国经历在不断的发展。
@yourmandarin: @anderlinh_ 很好👍🏅
@hocine_nourine: @bahrizaissa 好好地学习。哈哈 lik hadi rule mliha😀
@tofudge: Can 得 and 了 be used interchangeably? 你做得好 vs 你做了好？
@yourmandarin: @tofudge Not really! They work differently😉 了 only indicates a change of state of the past tense, so it can’t work as ‘glue’ for adverbs. You can’t say 你做了很好 (You did well, verb+了+adverb), but you can say 你做了很多 (You did a lot, verb+了+object) or 你做了很多工作 (You did a lot of work, verb+了+object again)
@lahyamn: 她唱得很好
@yourmandarin: @lahyamn 🏅
@lahyamn: 他穿着黑色的衣服吗
@yourmandarin: @lahyamn 🏅
@bornoneabril: 他穿的衣服都是黑色。 她唱得很好。 中国的经济不断地发展。
@yourmandarin: @bornoneabril 很好！🏅 (one thing: add 的 at the end of your first sentence😉)
@bornoneabril: @yourmandarin got it. Thanks! 😜
@yourmandarin: @bornoneabril Anytime☀️
@vecember12: 地方？it’s di fang or de fang?
@yourmandarin: @vecember12 👍 Great question! You’ll mostly see 地 in nouns, and in nouns it’s always pronounced as dì: 地方 dìfang (place), 地址 dìzhǐ (address), 地球 dìqiú (Earth)🌍
@vecember12: @yourmandarin ouh thanks！我明白了😊
@ayaujohan: @yourmandarin 打的 dadi
@yourmandarin: @ayaujohan Yeah👍
@soportevy: 他穿的衣服是黑色的。
她唱歌唱得很好听。
中国经济在不断地发展。
@yourmandarin: @soportevy 很好😊🏅
@punj97: 他穿的衣服都是黑色的。 他唱得很好。 中國的經濟不斷地發展
@yourmandarin: @punj97 非常好😎🏅
@anthonychristi: 她唱得了不起。。中国的经济发展不断地增长。。
@yourmandarin: @anthonychristi 🏅
@yourmandarin: @anthonychristi 哈哈 “了不起“是褒义词(it has a negative connotation)，夸别人的时候最好还是用“好” (好听/好看）😉
@anthonychristi: @yourmandarin 是吗？什么时候会用”了不起”。
@yourmandarin: @anthonychristi #ym没什么了不起的 😉
@anthonychristi: @yourmandarin 你知道中国奥运的主题歌”北京欢迎你”吗？在这首歌中有一段歌词”有梦想谁都了不起”，记得吗？看样子没有什么褒义词。
@yourmandarin: @anthonychristi 北京奥运会是十年前举办的☀️ 语言会变得很快！
@anthonychristi: @yourmandarin 哈哈。。就是这样呢。
@yourmandarin: @anthonychristi 嗯，”不断地改变‘😄
@anthonychristi: 他穿的衣服是黑的。
@yourmandarin: @anthonychristi 没错🏅
@lapetitelinguiste: 他穿黑色的衣服
她唱得很好
中国经济不断地进步
@yourmandarin: @lapetitelinguiste 😎🏅
@crzyhmrs: 他穿的衣服是黑色的。她唱得很不错。中国的经济不停地发展。
@yourmandarin: @crzyhmrs 非常好😎🏅
@crzyhmrs: @yourmandarin 么么哒！❤️
@crzyhmrs: @crzyhmrs 我觉得第一要修改一下儿：”他穿的衣服是黑色”。
@yourmandarin: @crzyhmrs No, your first answer was correct! Notice the difference: 他最喜欢的颜色是黑色 (black color) vs. 他穿的衣服是黑色的 (black (in color))
@atiquevintage: @crzyhmrs but that 地 is pronounced di…, Communist party leaders are always using 地 attached to the adverb and pronounce it di…
@yourmandarin: @atiquevintage @crzyhmrs that’s interesting! Also in songs, whenever it’s 的, it’s pronounced as ‘di’ (maybe it sounds more clear/easier to pronounce while singing)
@crzyhmrs: @atiquevintage no idea…
@yellow.sea.heaven: 中国是一个美丽的国家
我得努力学习
你做地真好
老师，我说的对吗？
@yourmandarin: @yellow.sea.heaven 你说得很好😁 (最后一句应该是’你做*得*真好’)
@romanyuknikita: 他穿的衣服是黑色的
她唱得很好听
中国经济在不断地发展中。
@romanyuknikita: @romanyuknikita 对不对？
@yourmandarin: @romanyuknikita 非常非常好👍🏅 (Last sentence: 不断 already includes continuous tense, so you can just say ‘中国经济不断地发展’, no need to add 在…中😉)
@romanyuknikita: @yourmandarin oh, that’s good to know! Thanks!
@luweezy17: This is triggering @_stanimal @jolenahou
@agnescarita: Literally what I’m currently looking for 😍
@agnescarita: 😍😍😍 thank you for sharing thisssssss
@yourmandarin: @agnescarita Always welcome☀️ Happy to help
@queenmarlinn: 他穿黑色的衣服，她唱得很好，
@yourmandarin: @queenmarlinn 👍🏅
@ridingsbrett: @queenmarlinn I was trying to figure out why you were saying that then I saw the caption
