Free · 32 sentences
How to use 的 (de)
的 is the most common character in Chinese, and it joins words: it is “’s”, it joins a description to a noun, it stands for “the one”, and it ends a sentence you’re sure of. Here are its uses, each answering a question learners ask about it, in sentences with pinyin and sound.
的 for “’s”
After a person or a thing, 的 is “’s”: 妈妈的手机, Mum’s phone; 我的书, my book; 谁的, whose. Before family and the places you belong to it is usually left out: 我妈妈, 我们学校.
这是我的书。
This is my book.
妈妈的手机在桌子上。
Mum’s phone is on the table.
这是谁的包？
Whose bag is this?
我妈妈是老师。
My mum is a teacher.
的 before a noun: what it’s like
Whatever comes before 的 describes the noun after it, from one word to a whole phrase: 红色的衣服, red clothes; 我昨天买的书, the book I bought yesterday. English puts a long description after the noun; Chinese puts it first.
我想买一件红色的衣服。
I want to buy something red to wear.
这是我昨天买的书。
This is the book I bought yesterday.
穿白衬衫的那个人是我哥哥。
The man in the white shirt is my brother.
他是一个很好的人。
He’s a really good person.
的 for “the one”
When it’s clear what you mean, leave the noun out and keep 的: 红的, the red one; 我的, mine; 吃的, something to eat; 开车的, the one driving.
我不要这个，我要红的。
I don’t want this one, I want the red one.
这本书是我的。
This book is mine.
你有吃的吗？
Do you have anything to eat?
开车的是我爸爸。
The one driving is my dad.
是…的: when, where and how it happened
For something that already happened, 是…的 picks out a detail: when, where, how or who. 是 goes before the detail and 的 at the end: 我是坐飞机来的, I came by plane. 是 can be left out, but not after 不.
你是什么时候到的？
When did you get here?
我是坐飞机来的。
I came by plane.
他们不是在网上认识的。
They didn’t meet online.
谁告诉你的？
Who told you?
的 at the end: I’m sure
At the end of a sentence, often with 会, 的 says you’re sure of it: 我会去的, I’ll be there, don’t worry. Without it, the sentence is plainer.
别担心，我会去的。
Don’t worry, I’ll be there.
你可以的！
You can do it!
他不会生气的。
He won’t be angry, I’m sure.
我跟你说过的，你忘了？
I told you before. Did you forget?
的, 地 or 得?
All three are said de. 的 goes before a noun (最好的朋友), 地 before a verb, like “-ly” (认真地听), and 得 after a verb, saying how it went (说得对). Chinese teachers have a rhyme for it: 动前“土”，名前“白”，动形中间“双人”来, before a verb the one with 土, before a noun the one with 白, after a verb the one with 彳.
他是我最好的朋友。
He’s my best friend.
她认真地听老师说话。
She listened carefully to the teacher.
你说得对。
You’re right.
他高兴得跳了起来。
He jumped for joy.
How is 的 said?
Joining words, it is de: light and toneless. In a few words it keeps a full sound: dí in 的确, indeed; dì in 目的, purpose; and dī in 的士, a taxi. Singers often sing the particle di, the fuller sound that de is a light form of.
他说的的确是真的。
What he said really is true.
这次旅行的目的地是西安。
This trip’s destination is Xi’an.
我们坐的士去吧。
Let’s take a taxi.
的 in everyday words
Some words hold 的 for good: 的确 is “indeed”, 目的 a purpose, and 的话 ends an “if”.
这个菜的确很好吃。
This dish really is good.
的确 · indeed; really
你学中文的目的是什么？
Why are you learning Chinese?
目的 · purpose; aim; goal
你不舒服的话，就早点回家吧。
If you don’t feel well, go home early.
的话 · if (at the end of an “if” part)
你还要别的吗？
Do you want anything else?
别的 · other; else
有的人喜欢喝茶，有的人喜欢喝咖啡。
Some people like tea, and some like coffee.
有的 · some (of them)
Now read them in a real story
What does 的 (de) mean?
的 is the most common character in Chinese text, and it has no meaning of its own: it joins words. Most often it is “’s” (妈妈的, Mum’s) or joins a description to a noun (红色的衣服, red clothes; 我买的书, the book I bought). With the noun left out it is “the one” (红的, the red one), and at the end of a sentence it makes you sound sure (我会去的).
What’s the difference between 的, 地 and 得?
的 goes before a noun (我的书, my book), 地 before a verb, like “-ly” (慢慢地走, walk slowly), and 得 after a verb, saying how it went (她说得很好, she speaks well). All three are said de.
Why is 的 sometimes pronounced di?
的 is de when it joins words. It keeps a full sound in some words: dí in 的确 (indeed), dì in 目的 (purpose) and dī in 的士 (taxi). In songs it is often sung di, the fuller sound that de is a light form of.
Why is there a 的 at the end of a sentence?
With 会 or 能 before it, 的 says you’re sure: 我会去的, I’ll be there. After something that already happened, it ends a 是…的 sentence, which picks out when, where or how: 我是昨天到的, I got here yesterday.
When do you leave out 的?
Before family, close friends and the places you belong to: 我妈妈, 我女朋友, 我们学校. And in pairs that name a kind of thing, like 好人, a good person, or 中文老师, a Chinese teacher.
In what order do describing words go before a noun?
Whose comes first, then this or that with a number and measure word, then the descriptions: longer ones, with 的, farther out, and short ones without 的 next to the noun. 我那两件白色长衬衫 is those two long white shirts of mine, and 一条漂亮的红围巾 a beautiful red scarf. What kind of thing it is goes right before it: 中文小说, a Chinese novel.
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Answers and sentences ours, checked against the Chinese Grammar Wiki and the top answers on Chinese Stack Exchange; meanings from our own dictionary; pinyin from our own reader.