<p><a href="http://www.chinesegrammar.info/particles/de-grammar-summary/" rel="nofollow">Chinese Grammar Info</a> provides an excellent write up on the three distinct de particles. See the site for the full article.</p>

<p>The main points are:  </p>

<p><strong>(的) de as the possessor or causing the possessive function:</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我的书</p>
  
  <p>wǒ de shū</p>
  
  <p>my book</p>
  
  <p>这是你的书。</p>
  
  <p>Zhè shì nǐ de shū.</p>
  
  <p>This is your book.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>(地) de/di as the ly suffix</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>慢慢地</p>
  
  <p>mànmande</p>
  
  <p>slowly</p>
  
  <p>他很快地吃饭。</p>
  
  <p>Tā hěn kuài de chīfàn.</p>
  
  <p>He eats quickly.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>(得) de as a potential complement</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>做得到</p>
  
  <p>zuò de dào</p>
  
  <p>can do</p>
  
  <p>我只有戴眼镜的话才看得清楚。</p>
  
  <p>Wǒ zhǐyǒu dài yǎnjìng dehuà cái kàn de qīngchu.</p>
  
  <p>I can only see clearly if I wear my glasses.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>UPDATES (per request in comments):</strong></p>

<p>More on 得. The article further states that this version of de relates to two types of complements: potential complements (which indicate that the attached verb has potential to have the action happen) and degree complements (speaks to the degree/amount that a potential verb may happen).</p>

<p><strong>Potential complement</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>听得懂</p>
  
  <p>tīng de dǒng</p>
  
  <p>can understand (from listening)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>(and conversely)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>听不懂</p>
  
  <p>tīng bu dǒng</p>
  
  <p>can’t understand (from listening)</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>Degree Complement</strong></p>

<p>Note the basic structure where the verb is followed by a description that includes the degree complements; very well, badly, very tall.</p>

<p>(basic structure)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[verb] 得 [description]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>(a few more samples)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>你说得非常好。</p>
  
  <p>Nǐ shuō de fēicháng hǎo.</p>
  
  <p>You said it very well.</p>
  
  <p>他做得不好。</p>
  
  <p>Tā zuò dé bu hǎo.</p>
  
  <p>He did it badly.</p>
  
  <p>她长得很高。</p>
  
  <p>Tā zhǎng de hěn gāo.</p>
  
  <p>She has grown very tall.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>Beyond it's use as a particle, the article states:</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>得 as dé When 得 is pronounced dé in second tone, it’s a verb meaning
  “to get” or “to acquire”.</p>
  
  <p>得 as děi When 得 is pronounced děi in third tone, it’s a modal verb
  meaning “must” or “have to”.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-15T19:48:29.267Z
Yes thanks, that‘s very useful! Could you expand a little bit more on the 得 used as a potetial compliment? That‘s the only vague doubt that I still have...
Chiara
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-15T18:43:52.077Z
2014-09-15T22:03:18.797Z
2014-09-15T22:03:18.797Z
Tommie C.
<p>Can someone explain me exactly when I have to use these two words? 
They are both pronunced "de", but I found some difficulties understanding why should I use 得 (or shouldn‘t) in some senteceses.</p>

<p>地 , to me, seems more like a word used to make another become an adverb, but I‘m not totally sure.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-15T17:40:02.563Z
You might want to elborate further on your usage of these words - both of them have multiple means depends on the usage.  Examples will help.
Alex
<grammar><word-choice><word>
Explanation usage of 得 and 地
# Explanation usage of 得 and 地

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-09-15)

Can someone explain me exactly when I have to use these two words?
They are both pronunced "de", but I found some difficulties understanding why should I use 得 (or shouldn‘t) in some senteceses.

地 , to me, seems more like a word used to make another become an adverb, but I‘m not totally sure.

**Tags:** grammar, word-choice, word

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You might want to elborate further on your usage of these words - both of them have multiple means depends on the usage.  Examples will help.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-09-15. Score: 2

[Chinese Grammar Info](http://www.chinesegrammar.info/particles/de-grammar-summary/) provides an excellent write up on the three distinct de particles. See the site for the full article.

The main points are:

**(的) de as the possessor or causing the possessive function:**

> 我的书
>
> wǒ de shū
>
> my book
>
> 这是你的书。
>
> Zhè shì nǐ de shū.
>
> This is your book.

**(地) de/di as the ly suffix**

> 慢慢地
>
> mànmande
>
> slowly
>
> 他很快地吃饭。
>
> Tā hěn kuài de chīfàn.
>
> He eats quickly.

**(得) de as a potential complement**

> 做得到
>
> zuò de dào
>
> can do
>
> 我只有戴眼镜的话才看得清楚。
>
> Wǒ zhǐyǒu dài yǎnjìng dehuà cái kàn de qīngchu.
>
> I can only see clearly if I wear my glasses.

**UPDATES (per request in comments):**

More on 得. The article further states that this version of de relates to two types of complements: potential complements (which indicate that the attached verb has potential to have the action happen) and degree complements (speaks to the degree/amount that a potential verb may happen).

**Potential complement**

> 听得懂
>
> tīng de dǒng
>
> can understand (from listening)

(and conversely)

> 听不懂
>
> tīng bu dǒng
>
> can’t understand (from listening)

**Degree Complement**

Note the basic structure where the verb is followed by a description that includes the degree complements; very well, badly, very tall.

(basic structure)

> [verb] 得 [description]

(a few more samples)

> 你说得非常好。
>
> Nǐ shuō de fēicháng hǎo.
>
> You said it very well.
>
> 他做得不好。
>
> Tā zuò dé bu hǎo.
>
> He did it badly.
>
> 她长得很高。
>
> Tā zhǎng de hěn gāo.
>
> She has grown very tall.

**Beyond it's use as a particle, the article states:**

> 得 as dé When 得 is pronounced dé in second tone, it’s a verb meaning
> “to get” or “to acquire”.
>
> 得 as děi When 得 is pronounced děi in third tone, it’s a modal verb
> meaning “must” or “have to”.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Yes thanks, that‘s very useful! Could you expand a little bit more on the 得 used as a potetial compliment? That‘s the only vague doubt that I still have...  

---

