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HSK 2 Verb-Complement Phrases 1 (动补短语1): Describing Action Degree with 得
A verb-complement phrase places extra information after a verb. This lesson practises descriptive complements introduced by 得, such as 跑得快 and 说得很好. They can describe a habit, a particular event, or a desired future performance; they are not limited to actions already completed.
他跑得很快。
Basic affirmative verb-complement phrase: 跑 (run) is linked by 得 to the descriptive phrase 很快 (very fast).
× 她说汉语得很好。
Incorrect: a noun object (汉语) cannot sit directly between the verb (说) and the particle 得. Replace with 她说汉语说得很好 or 她汉语说得很好.
Corrected example: 她说汉语说得很好。
Read the full explanation and examples
What Is a Basic Verb-Complement Phrase with 得?
动补短语1 is a basic phrase-structure item in the supplied outline, not a word class of particles. One useful type connects a verb to a descriptive complement with 得. Other verb-complement phrases attach result or directional words without this 得. This lesson focuses on the descriptive pattern.
In English, adverbs like well, fast, or early follow the verb directly. In Mandarin, to describe or evaluate how an action is generally performed, or to state the observable degree of an already realized action, the verb comes first, followed immediately by 得 (pronounced in the neutral tone de), and then an adjective phrase.
他跑得很快。
Basic affirmative verb-complement phrase: 跑 (run) is linked by 得 to the descriptive phrase 很快 (very fast).
弟弟睡得很晚。
Describes a habitual pattern using 睡 (sleep) + 得 + 很晚 (late).
How to Handle Verbs with Objects
The structural rule that causes the most trouble for English speakers is that the particle 得 must attach directly to the verb. You cannot put a noun object between the verb and 得. This also applies to verb-object compounds (separable verbs) such as 唱歌 (chànggē, to sing songs) or 跳舞 (tiàowǔ, to dance), where the second character is grammatically an object.
When the verb has an object, the textbook pattern is to state the verb and object first, and then repeat the verb immediately before 得.
她说汉语说得很好。
Correct replacement for the learner error: because 说 (speak) has the object 汉语 (Chinese), the verb 说 is repeated immediately before 得.
In natural conversation, speakers frequently omit the first verb, placing the object before the verb so that the verb and 得 remain right next to each other.
她汉语说得很好。
Natural alternative: the first 说 is omitted so the object 汉语 stands before the verb + 得 phrase.
Negation and Questions
A vital characteristic of 得 degree complements is where negation and question markers go. Because the sentence is evaluating the quality or degree of the action rather than denying that the action occurred, the negative word 不 (bù) is placed after 得, right before the adjective, replacing the degree adverb 很.
我写得不好。
Negation goes inside the complement after 得 (不好), not before the main verb 写.
For an A-not-A question, form 快不快 after 得. Another option is 走得快吗？ An open question can use 怎么样, as in 他写得怎么样呢？ Do not treat 呢 as a universal substitute for 吗 after any statement.
奶奶走得快不快？
The affirmative-negative question 快不快 is formed after 得.
Useful Contrasts and Learner Mistakes
The single most frequent learner error with 动补短语1 is translating English word order word-for-word and leaving the object between the verb and 得. Remember that 得 cannot attach to a noun.
× 她说汉语得很好。
Incorrect: a noun object (汉语) cannot sit directly between the verb (说) and the particle 得. Replace with 她说汉语说得很好 or 她汉语说得很好.
Corrected example: 她说汉语说得很好。
You should also distinguish this post-verbal 得 phrase from pre-verbal manner descriptions and from the modal meaning of another pronunciation of the same character.
- Time and sentence purpose: 得 complements can describe a habit or event, but also a desired future manner. 你走得快一点儿 is a request to walk a bit faster; 我明天要起得很早 is a future plan. Pre-verbal 地 and post-verbal 得 differ in structure and focus, not simply past evaluation versus future intention.
- Particle de vs. Modal děi: When 得 directly follows a verb, it is the neutral-tone structural particle de. When 得 appears before a verb (often in spoken Chinese), it is usually pronounced děi and means must or have to, which is a modal verb rather than a verb-complement particle.
- Simple result vs. Degree evaluation: Some verb-complement phrases attach a single result word directly to the verb without 得 (such as 听懂 tīngdǒng, to listen and understand), whereas the 得 pattern covered here specifically links the verb to a descriptive assessment or state.
Frequently asked questions
Is 动补短语 itself a kind of particle?
No. It is a phrase structure made of a verb and a complement. 得 is a structural particle used in one descriptive pattern; other complements, such as 听懂, do not require this 得. The basic-structure entry should not be read as a claim that the whole phrase is a particle.
Do I always need 很 after 得?
No. 跑得快 and 跑得很快 both work. Use degree words according to the meaning. Negative and question patterns can also vary: 跑得不快, 跑得快不快？, and 跑得快吗？ are all useful patterns.
Why can I not put 不 before the main verb in this structure?
To say the writing is not good, use 写得不好: 不 is inside the evaluation. 不写 instead denies willingness or the habit of writing, and 没写 denies its occurrence in the relevant context. Larger constructions can negate a whole phrase, so this is a meaning contrast, not a ban on all 不 before any 得 phrase.
