How do you use/ differentiate between 的、得、and 地?

的 is a possessive or descriptive particle - this means that it marks out a relationship between two nouns, or between an adjective and a noun. For example, 他姐姐 (his sister); or 快车 (a fast car). 

得 is also known as the complement of degree - this just means that it goes after a verb and links it with an adjective, marking it out as either a customary action, or the manner in which something is done. For example, 她跑很快 (he runs very fast) or 他整齐卧室整齐很清洁 (literally: he tidied [his] bedroom tidied it very clean; meaning, he tidied his bedroom very well or until it was clean). The latter sentence shows that even in a sentence with an object, the verb is repeated again so that the comes right after it, between the verb and the adjective. In this case, the also marks the result of the action, that is, that the room was tidied and became clean.

地 is an adverbial particle - it describes how an action is carried out, by linking an adjective with a verb. For example, 他不很认真学习 (he doesn't study very hard), or 小姑娘大声唱歌 (the little girl sings loudly).

HC
Answered by Harriet C. Mandarin tutor

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