<p>Your question should be " when can I omit the <strong>possessive 的</strong> " </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The <strong>adjective suffix 的</strong> cannot be omitted when it is needed. For example: 强大,勇敢<strong>的</strong>人；身形高大<strong>的</strong>人; Adjectives that do not need adjective suffix can directly apply to the object. For example 好(good) in  好女儿(good daughter)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The <strong>possessive 的</strong> in 这是我<strong>的</strong>太太; 他是我<strong>的</strong>女儿；陈先生是我<strong>的</strong>上司 can be omitted to 这是我太太; 他是我女儿；陈先生是我上司 when there's a verb to act on the object, for example 是 is the verb and 我(的)女儿 is the object.</p>

<p>You cannot omit the <strong>possessive 的</strong> when there's no verb to act on the object . That's why you have to say 再见了, 我<strong>的</strong>朋友 but not 再见了, 我朋友.</p>

<p>Unless you also omit the <strong>subject</strong>. In this case, <strong>我</strong>. Then you can omit the <strong>possessive 的</strong> along with the subject and write 再见了, 朋友.</p>

<p>More examples:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>In 你打了我的女儿 - 打 is the verb and 我(的)女儿 is the object, therefore, you can omit 的 and write 你打了我女儿</p></li>
<li><p>In 你好吗？我的好女儿，there's no verb to act on the object 我的好女儿, therefore, you cannot omit the sentence to 你好吗？我好女儿</p></li>
<li><p>In 我(的)上司是陈先生 - 我(的)上司 is the subject, 的 can be omitted'</p></li>
<li><p>In 我(的)女儿打了人 - 我(的)女儿 is the subject, 的 can be omitted</p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-02T05:31:39.163Z
answer seems to mention only one case when "there is no verb acting on the object" ,namely that of the Q, in which it occurs as a form of address, are there other cases?
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-02T05:50:34.987Z
You meant other cases that possessive 的 cannot be omitted? Most likely when it is actually adjective suffix 的, For example: 你好吗？我勇敢的女儿
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-02T06:34:06.983Z
other cases when  "there is no verb acting on the object" , the new example is again as in Q, 我勇敢的女儿 addresses a second person
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-02T06:55:00.330Z
It is in my answer-  in the sentence 我(的)女儿打了人, 女儿 is a third person.  Since there's no verb acting on 女儿,  according to my answer, the possessive 的 should not  be omitted. However, 我(的)女儿 in this sentence is the subject, not the of object. Therefore, the possessive 的 can still be omitted.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-02T08:39:31.243Z
有某些用户只不过重复其以前说的话而这样做，就避免回答评论所提出的问题 some users evade issues raised in comments by  repeating points made earlier
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-02T11:05:32.620Z
"No verb act on an object" would make an incomplete sentence. "addresses a second person" is one. May be I over complicated the answer. I could simply state " All possessive 的 can be omitted in a complete sentence, and a complete sentence must have a verb and object.  An address to a second person is not a complete sentence, therefore, we cannot omit  the possessive 的
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-01T12:22:02.297Z
2016-11-02T03:19:42.700Z
2016-11-02T03:19:42.700Z
Tang Ho
<p>When I learned the word 太太, I was also told that you would not say "这是我的太太", because using 的 with people would sound too possessive.</p>

<p>Now, the other day I was saying goodbye to a native Chinese chat partner, I wrote "再见，我朋友". And he didn't understand. When I wrote it in English again, he said that it should be "再见，我的朋友". I asked him why and what I had learned, but I wasn't able to really understand his answer. </p>

<p>So, can someone please explain to me when to use 的 with people and when not to?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-01T12:14:12.127Z
it may be a difference between form of address (with 的,second person）and reference to third person
user6065
<word-choice>
Using ＂的＂ with people
# Using ＂的＂ with people

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-11-01)

When I learned the word 太太, I was also told that you would not say "这是我的太太", because using 的 with people would sound too possessive.

Now, the other day I was saying goodbye to a native Chinese chat partner, I wrote "再见，我朋友". And he didn't understand. When I wrote it in English again, he said that it should be "再见，我的朋友". I asked him why and what I had learned, but I wasn't able to really understand his answer.

So, can someone please explain to me when to use 的 with people and when not to?

**Tags:** word-choice

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: it may be a difference between form of address (with 的,second person）and reference to third person  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-11-01. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Your question should be " when can I omit the **possessive 的** "

> The **adjective suffix 的** cannot be omitted when it is needed. For example: 强大,勇敢**的**人；身形高大**的**人; Adjectives that do not need adjective suffix can directly apply to the object. For example 好(good) in 好女儿(good daughter)

The **possessive 的** in 这是我**的**太太; 他是我**的**女儿；陈先生是我**的**上司 can be omitted to 这是我太太; 他是我女儿；陈先生是我上司 when there's a verb to act on the object, for example 是 is the verb and 我(的)女儿 is the object.

You cannot omit the **possessive 的** when there's no verb to act on the object . That's why you have to say 再见了, 我**的**朋友 but not 再见了, 我朋友.

Unless you also omit the **subject**. In this case, **我**. Then you can omit the **possessive 的** along with the subject and write 再见了, 朋友.

More examples:

* In 你打了我的女儿 - 打 is the verb and 我(的)女儿 is the object, therefore, you can omit 的 and write 你打了我女儿
* In 你好吗？我的好女儿，there's no verb to act on the object 我的好女儿, therefore, you cannot omit the sentence to 你好吗？我好女儿
* In 我(的)上司是陈先生 - 我(的)上司 is the subject, 的 can be omitted'
* In 我(的)女儿打了人 - 我(的)女儿 is the subject, 的 can be omitted

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: answer seems to mention only one case when "there is no verb acting on the object" ,namely that of the Q, in which it occurs as a form of address, are there other cases?  
> **username_2**: You meant other cases that possessive 的 cannot be omitted? Most likely when it is actually adjective suffix 的, For example: 你好吗？我勇敢的女儿  
> **username_1**: other cases when  "there is no verb acting on the object" , the new example is again as in Q, 我勇敢的女儿 addresses a second person  
> **username_2**: It is in my answer-  in the sentence 我(的)女儿打了人, 女儿 is a third person.  Since there's no verb acting on 女儿,  according to my answer, the possessive 的 should not  be omitted. However, 我(的)女儿 in this sentence is the subject, not the of object. Therefore, the possessive 的 can still be omitted.  
> **username_1**: 有某些用户只不过重复其以前说的话而这样做，就避免回答评论所提出的问题 some users evade issues raised in comments by  repeating points made earlier  
> **username_2**: "No verb act on an object" would make an incomplete sentence. "addresses a second person" is one. May be I over complicated the answer. I could simply state " All possessive 的 can be omitted in a complete sentence, and a complete sentence must have a verb and object.  An address to a second person is not a complete sentence, therefore, we cannot omit  the possessive 的  

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