<p><em><strong>Sentence 1: 马大为给女朋友小燕子的一封信</strong></em></p>
<p>的 is an <strong>adjective marker</strong>. The part that goes before 的 modifies the noun that goes after 的.</p>
<p>The literal, word-for-word translation will yield the following:</p>
<p>&quot;Ma Dawei - give - girlfriend - Xiao Yanzi 的 letter&quot;.</p>
<p>In English, the idiomatic way of expressing this would be using a <strong>relative clause</strong>:</p>
<p>The letter that Ma Dawei gives his girlfriend Xiao Yanzi.</p>
<p>Think of a relative clause (in English) as an <strong>extended adjective</strong>, and you will get the meaning in Chinese - The {Ma-Dawei-gives-girlfriend-Xiao-Yanzi} letter.</p>
<p>English has something similar as well, for examples, a {God-given} talent, a {well-written} essay, etc. But when the description gets longer than a couple of words, a relative clause becomes the preferred way of expressing it.</p>
<p><em><strong>Sentence 3: 你有什么不懂的， 在百度上都可以找到答案.</strong></em></p>
<p>The function of 的 in the third sentence is similar, except here the noun 东西 (thing) is omitted because it is understood.</p>
<p>不懂的(东西)</p>
<p>The {you-do-not-know} thing is expressed as a <strong>relative clause</strong> in English: Things that you do not know.</p>
<p><em><strong>Sentence 2: 奶奶问我，是不是自己来的医院？</strong></em></p>
<p>This sentence is a little different. &quot;自己来的&quot; does not modify the noun &quot;医院&quot;, but rather is more closely related to the (understood and omitted) subject 你.</p>
<p>The question &quot;是不是自己来的医院？&quot; seems like an <strong>inverted sentence</strong> to me.</p>
<p>Perhaps the underlying sentence is</p>
<p>你<strong>是不是</strong>自己来医院<strong>的</strong>？</p>
<p>Did you come to the hospital by yourself?</p>
<p>Compare:</p>
<p>你<strong>是不是</strong>朋友送来医院<strong>的</strong>？</p>
<p>Did a friend bring you to the hospital?</p>
<p>你<strong>是不是</strong>坐公車来医院<strong>的</strong>？</p>
<p>Did you come to the hospital by bus?</p>
<p>The 的 here is part of the 是 ... 的 expression, which gets inverted.</p>
<p><strong>Note</strong>: The 是 ... 的 expression probably deserves a separate discussion on a different day.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-11T13:04:37.567Z
I like your answers, but in this case, I'm curious, really. Are you saying: 自己来 is an adjective for 医院？What would that mean? A self arrived hospital??
奶奶问我，（你）是不是自己来的医院？
Mama asked me, (you) is not is self come 的 medicine courtyard? Maybe you could clarify??
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-11T14:18:58.110Z
@Pedroski I did not include sentence 2 in my answer, exactly for the reason you mentioned. I believe 2 is a little different in its structure, which I have not figured out yet.
monalisa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-12T01:54:44.137Z
Ditto that: I haven't figured it out yet either! I can see why Mohammad was perplexed!
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-12T06:18:23.960Z
I have just edited my answer with more examples, as well as added an explanation for sentence 2.
monalisa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-10T15:25:45.073Z
2022-02-12T06:13:43.460Z
2022-02-12T06:13:43.460Z
monalisa
<ol>
<li><p>小燕子 is just a common nick name for girls.
[马大的信]=[Mada's letter].</p>
</li>
<li><p>This sentence is highly simplified.
The whole sentence should be (如果）你有什么不懂的（东西）,（你）在百度上都可以找到答案。</p>
</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-10T09:47:37.413Z
1. It should be 马大为的信 Ma Dawei's letter.
fefe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-10T08:32:25.307Z
2022-02-10T08:32:25.307Z
Celaeno
<p>The first two &quot;的&quot; are &quot;possessive particle&quot;, the third is &quot;of&quot;.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>马大为给女朋友小燕子的一封信 - 马大为的信 (Ma's letter)</p>
</li>
<li><p>奶奶问我，是不是自己来的医院？- 自己来的 (Came by myself)</p>
</li>
<li><p>你有什么不懂的， 在百度上都可以找到答案. - 不懂的 (Does not understand of)</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>小燕子 (little Martin) is his girlfriend's nickname.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-10T17:09:37.610Z
2022-02-10T17:09:37.610Z
r13
<p>What's the purpose of 的 in these sentences?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>马大为给女朋友小燕子<strong>的</strong>一封信</p>
</li>
<li><p>奶奶问我，是不是自己来<strong>的</strong>医院？</p>
</li>
<li><p>你有什么不懂<strong>的</strong>， 在百度上都可以找到答案.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Also, what does 小燕子 mean in the 1st sentence? Is it a proper noun?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-10T06:15:26.093Z
小燕子 is a person's name (or nickname)
fefe
<grammar>
Different purposes of 的
# Different purposes of 的

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-02-10)

What's the purpose of 的 in these sentences?

1. 马大为给女朋友小燕子**的**一封信
2. 奶奶问我，是不是自己来**的**医院？
3. 你有什么不懂**的**， 在百度上都可以找到答案.

Also, what does 小燕子 mean in the 1st sentence? Is it a proper noun?

**Tags:** grammar

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 小燕子 is a person's name (or nickname)  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-02-10. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

***Sentence 1: 马大为给女朋友小燕子的一封信***

的 is an **adjective marker**. The part that goes before 的 modifies the noun that goes after 的.

The literal, word-for-word translation will yield the following:

"Ma Dawei - give - girlfriend - Xiao Yanzi 的 letter".

In English, the idiomatic way of expressing this would be using a **relative clause**:

The letter that Ma Dawei gives his girlfriend Xiao Yanzi.

Think of a relative clause (in English) as an **extended adjective**, and you will get the meaning in Chinese - The {Ma-Dawei-gives-girlfriend-Xiao-Yanzi} letter.

English has something similar as well, for examples, a {God-given} talent, a {well-written} essay, etc. But when the description gets longer than a couple of words, a relative clause becomes the preferred way of expressing it.

***Sentence 3: 你有什么不懂的， 在百度上都可以找到答案.***

The function of 的 in the third sentence is similar, except here the noun 东西 (thing) is omitted because it is understood.

不懂的(东西)

The {you-do-not-know} thing is expressed as a **relative clause** in English: Things that you do not know.

***Sentence 2: 奶奶问我，是不是自己来的医院？***

This sentence is a little different. "自己来的" does not modify the noun "医院", but rather is more closely related to the (understood and omitted) subject 你.

The question "是不是自己来的医院？" seems like an **inverted sentence** to me.

Perhaps the underlying sentence is

你**是不是**自己来医院**的**？

Did you come to the hospital by yourself?

Compare:

你**是不是**朋友送来医院**的**？

Did a friend bring you to the hospital?

你**是不是**坐公車来医院**的**？

Did you come to the hospital by bus?

The 的 here is part of the 是 ... 的 expression, which gets inverted.

**Note**: The 是 ... 的 expression probably deserves a separate discussion on a different day.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I like your answers, but in this case, I'm curious, really. Are you saying: 自己来 is an adjective for 医院？What would that mean? A self arrived hospital?? 奶奶问我，（你）是不是自己来的医院？ Mama asked me, (you) is not is self come 的 medicine courtyard? Maybe you could clarify??  
> **username_2**: @username_3 I did not include sentence 2 in my answer, exactly for the reason you mentioned. I believe 2 is a little different in its structure, which I have not figured out yet.  
> **username_3**: Ditto that: I haven't figured it out yet either! I can see why username_0 was perplexed!  
> **username_2**: I have just edited my answer with more examples, as well as added an explanation for sentence 2.  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2022-02-10. Score: 1

1. 小燕子 is just a common nick name for girls.
   [马大的信]=[Mada's letter].
2. This sentence is highly simplified.
   The whole sentence should be (如果）你有什么不懂的（东西）,（你）在百度上都可以找到答案。

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 1. It should be 马大为的信 Ma Dawei's letter.  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2022-02-10. Score: 0

The first two "的" are "possessive particle", the third is "of".

1. 马大为给女朋友小燕子的一封信 - 马大为的信 (Ma's letter)
2. 奶奶问我，是不是自己来的医院？- 自己来的 (Came by myself)
3. 你有什么不懂的， 在百度上都可以找到答案. - 不懂的 (Does not understand of)

小燕子 (little Martin) is his girlfriend's nickname.


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