得de

Degree and State Complement with 得 (de)

Meaning: Structural particle connecting verb to degree complement

Pattern

The degree complement introduced by 得 (de) is a cornerstone of Chinese grammar at HSK 3.
It serves to describe, assess, or elaborate upon the manner, quality, or extent of an action or state.
The structural particle 得 is placed directly after the verb or adjective, followed by an adjective (e.g., 得很快, 得很流利), an adverbial phrase, or an intensifier like 得很 (very much) or 得不得了 (extraordinarily).
A crucial syntactic requirement occurs when the verb carries an object: the verb must be repeated before 得 (Subject + Verb + Object + Verb + 得 + Complement), as in 他说汉语说得很流利 ('He speaks Chinese very fluently').
Alternatively, the object can be fronted as the topic: 汉语他说得很流利.

1
他跑得很快。
Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.
He runs very fast.
2
她说汉语说得很流利。
Tā shuō Hànyǔ shuō de hěn liúlì.
She speaks Chinese very fluently.
3
今天的菜做得不太好。
Jīntiān de cài zuò de bú tài hǎo.
Today's dishes were not prepared very well.

•When a verb has an object, repeat the verb before 得; place negation 不 before the complement.

⚠️ Common Mistakes:

•Incorrect: 他说汉语得很好。 → Correct: 他说汉语说得很好。 (verb must be repeated)

•Do not confuse the structural particle 得 (de) with 的 (de) or 地 (de).

Combine Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading Practice, Listening, Hanzi Writing, and Mock Exams at HSK 3 to master all skills together.