<p>You should take 老得 separately in this case. </p>

<p>老: <em>always; constantly</em></p>

<p>得(dei3): <em>need; have to</em></p>

<p>我老得麻烦同事 means <em>I have to bother colleagues constantly.</em> </p>

<p>In 我老得不能养猫了(I'm too old to have a cat), 得 is pronounced as <em>de</em> and 老 means <em>old</em>.</p>

<p>It relies on context to determine whether 得 is pronounced de or dei3, which reflects different meanings. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-22T03:19:01.793Z
2019-11-22T03:24:33.283Z
2019-11-22T03:24:33.283Z
dan
<blockquote>
  <p>我老得麻烦同事。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>What does 老得 means in here? Does it mean</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I'm too old and have to bother colleagues constantly.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I find an <a href="http://ting.eudic.net/webting/desktopplay?id=844fcdfc-2028-11e8-b7f2-000c29ffef9b&amp;st=00:05:17.85" rel="noreferrer">example</a>,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我老得不能养猫了。</p>
  
  <p>I'm too old to have a cat.</p>
</blockquote>

<meaning-in-context>
What does 老得 mean?
# What does 老得 mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-22)

> 我老得麻烦同事。

What does 老得 means in here? Does it mean

> I'm too old and have to bother colleagues constantly.

I find an [example](http://ting.eudic.net/webting/desktopplay?id=844fcdfc-2028-11e8-b7f2-000c29ffef9b&st=00:05:17.85),

> 我老得不能养猫了。
>
> I'm too old to have a cat.

**Tags:** meaning-in-context


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-11-22. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

You should take 老得 separately in this case.

老: *always; constantly*

得(dei3): *need; have to*

我老得麻烦同事 means *I have to bother colleagues constantly.*

In 我老得不能养猫了(I'm too old to have a cat), 得 is pronounced as *de* and 老 means *old*.

It relies on context to determine whether 得 is pronounced de or dei3, which reflects different meanings.


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