HSK 2 grammar · new HSK syllabus
得: how well something is done
Verb + 得 + description says how something is done: 他说得很快.
Structure
- Verb + 得 + (很) + adjective
- Verb + object + verb + 得 + adjective
How it works
得 comes after a verb to describe how the action is done: 她唱得很好 = she sings well; 你来得太晚了 = you came too late.
If the verb has an object, repeat the verb: 他说汉语说得很好. In speech, the first verb is often dropped: 他汉语说得很好.
The negative goes on the description, not the verb: 他说得不好, not 他不说得好.
Examples
-
她唱得非常好听。
Tā chàng de fēicháng hǎotīng.
She sings beautifully.
-
他汉语说得很好。
Tā Hànyǔ shuō de hěn hǎo.
He speaks Chinese well.
-
你今天来得很早。
Nǐ jīntiān lái de hěn zǎo.
You came early today.
-
我昨天睡得不好。
Wǒ zuótiān shuì de bù hǎo.
I didn’t sleep well last night.
-
他跑得比我快。
Tā pǎo de bǐ wǒ kuài.
He runs faster than me.
Words in these examples (21)
| 她 | tā | she; her | HSK 1 |
| 唱 | chàng | to sing | HSK 1 |
| 得 | de | (particle after a verb before a description of how it is done, as in 说得很好) | HSK 2 |
| 非常 | fēicháng | very; extremely | HSK 1 |
| 好听 | hǎotīng | nice to listen to | HSK 1 |
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 汉语 | Hànyǔ | Chinese (language) | HSK 1 |
| 说 | shuō | to say; to speak | HSK 1 |
| 很 | hěn | very | HSK 1 |
| 好 | hǎo | good; well | HSK 1 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 今天 | jīntiān | today | HSK 1 |
| 来 | lái | to come | HSK 1 |
| 早 | zǎo | early; good morning | HSK 1 |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 昨天 | zuótiān | yesterday | HSK 1 |
| 睡 | shuì | to sleep | HSK 1 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 跑 | pǎo | to run | HSK 2 |
| 比 | bǐ | to compare; (in comparisons) than | HSK 2 |
| 快 | kuài | fast; quick; soon | HSK 2 |
Common mistakes
-
✗他说汉语得很好。
✓他汉语说得很好。
得 must follow a verb directly.
-
✗他不说得好。
✓他说得不好。
Negate the description after 得.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 你写 很漂亮。
2. 他汉语说得 好。
3. 我妈妈做饭做 很好吃。