得How to Use 得 (de) to Describe How Someone Does Something

The pattern

Subject + verb + 得 + 很 + adjective.

Put 得 directly after the verb, then the adjective that describes the action. As with adjectives on their own, the adjective usually takes 很 or another word such as 非常 or 太……了. Without one it can sound like a comparison: 他跑得快 suggests he runs faster than someone else. 得 is pronounced with a light, neutral tone.

1. 他说得很好。Tā shuō de hěn hǎo.He speaks very well.
2. 她跑得很快。Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.She runs fast.
3. 你今天来得很早。Nǐ jīntiān lái de hěn zǎo.You're early today.
4. 我昨天睡得很晚。Wǒ zuótiān shuì de hěn wǎn.I went to bed late last night.

With an object: say the verb twice

得 must come right after the verb, so there is no room for an object between them. The most common learner mistake is 他说汉语得很好. There are two correct ways to say it: repeat the verb (verb + object + verb + 得 + adjective), or put the object before the verb and drop the first verb.

Both 他说汉语说得很好 and 他汉语说得很好 are correct and very common.

1. 他说汉语说得很好。Tā shuō Hànyǔ shuō de hěn hǎo.He speaks Chinese very well.
2. 他汉语说得很好。Tā Hànyǔ shuō de hěn hǎo.His Chinese is very good.
3. 我妈妈做饭做得非常好吃。Wǒ māma zuò fàn zuò de fēicháng hǎochī.My mum is a really good cook.
4. 她字写得很漂亮。Tā zì xiě de hěn piàoliang.She has beautiful handwriting.

Negatives and questions

To say someone doesn't do something well, put 不 after 得, before the adjective: 我唱得不好. Putting 不 before the verb (我不唱得好) is wrong.

To ask, add 吗 at the end, use adjective + 不 + adjective after 得, or ask 怎么样 (how well?).

1. 我唱得不好。Wǒ chàng de bù hǎo.I'm not a good singer.
2. 他跑得不快。Tā pǎo de bú kuài.He doesn't run fast.
3. 你睡得好吗？Nǐ shuì de hǎo ma?Did you sleep well?
4. 她说得快不快？Tā shuō de kuài bu kuài?Does she speak fast?
5. 他游泳游得怎么样？Tā yóuyǒng yóu de zěnmeyàng?How good is he at swimming?

得 or 的?

得 and 的 sound the same, but they do different jobs. 的 comes before a noun and describes the thing or person. 得 comes after a verb and describes the action. Compare 一个很好的老师 (a very good teacher) with 教得很好 (teaches very well).

1. 她是一个很好的老师。Tā shì yí ge hěn hǎo de lǎoshī.She is a very good teacher.
2. 她教得很好。Tā jiāo de hěn hǎo.She teaches very well.

Printable worksheet

Practise this grammar point on paper: 19 exercises using only HSK 2 words, with an answer key on a separate page. Free to print and copy for your class.

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