Rule of thumb

Just remember:

的NOUN

地VERB

Which means:

if the phrase involves a NOUN, use 的：我的书，我写的书

otherwise, if the verb is AFTER de, use 地：快快地说

Everywhere else, just use 得：说得快，做得完，玩得忘了时间，好得多，好得很，好得不得了，好得不行

This can be remembered with a MNEMONIC:

THE WHITE NUN LOVES EARTHY HERB.

White is referring to 的, which has a radical on the left meaning "white". Nun sounds like noun.

Earthy is referring to 地, which also means earth. Herb rhymes with verb.

In more technical terms

With de/de/de, just remember these rules:

Anything + 的 + NOUN：我的书，我写的书

Adjective + 地 + VERB：快快地说

VERB + 得 + Adjective/Result：说得快，做得完，玩得忘了时间

ADJECTIVE + 得 + Degree：好得多，好得很，好得不得了，好得不行

Grammar Points with 的

▶️ Code Structure Structure (Translated) Example Example (Translated) ▶️ 1.04.2 (的) ’s 她是我 (的) 老师。 She is my teacher. ▶️ 1.15.1 是……的 describing the past 你们是怎么来的? How is it that you got here? ▶️ 2.03.1 ……的 that which 这个杯子是昨天买的(杯子)。 This cup is the one (cup) that was bought yesterday. ▶️ 2.11.1 ……的 that which 我​妈​妈​做​的​饭​非​常​好​吃。​ The food that mom makes is very delicious.





Headline text

Grammar Points with 得

▶️ Code Structure Structure (Translated) Example Example (Translated) ▶️ 2.12.1 V+得+A ...ly 我​跑得​很​快。 I run very quickly. ▶️ 3.06.1 V+得+Result (result complement) 我看得见。 I can see. ▶️ 3.16.2 V+得+Fact so… that… 弟弟高兴得忘了时间。 Brother was so happy that he lost track of time. ▶️ 3.10.1 A+得多 much …-er 我比他高得多。 I'm much taller than him.

In HSK 5 you'll also learn 高得很，高得不得了, which work the same way.

Grammar Points with 地

In HSK 3, you learned: