Table of Contents
Use 地 before an action and 得 after it: 认真地听, but 说得很好.
Both 得 and 地 are pronounced with a neutral de in these grammar patterns, so they sound identical. The difference becomes clear when you look at word order. If the description comes before the action, use 地. If it comes after the action, use 得.
Use 地 Before the Action
认真地听: the description comes before the action.
地 connects a description to the verb that follows. It often tells us the manner or attitude behind an action.
description + 地 + verb
她认真地听老师讲课。
Tā rènzhēn de tīng lǎoshī jiǎngkè.
She listens attentively to the teacher.
请慢慢地说。
Qǐng mànmàn de shuō.
Please speak slowly.
Some short expressions also sound natural without 地, such as 请慢慢说 (Qǐng mànmàn shuō). Do not add 地 after every word that appears before a verb. For example, 他每天都来 (Tā měitiān dōu lái, “He comes every day”) does not need it.
Use 得 After the Action
说得很好: the action comes before the description.
得 follows a verb and introduces a complement: information about how well, quickly or clearly someone does something.
verb + 得 + description
她说得很清楚。
Tā shuō de hěn qīngchu.
She speaks very clearly.
他跑得很快。
Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.
He runs very fast.
To ask about the action, say 你昨晚睡得怎么样？ (Nǐ zuówǎn shuì de zěnmeyàng?: How did you sleep last night?). A negative description also follows 得: 我睡得不好 (Wǒ shuì de bù hǎo: I did not sleep well).
When the verb has an object, a beginner-friendly pattern is to repeat the verb:
她说中文说得很好。
Tā shuō Zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo.
She speaks Chinese very well.
You can also move the object forward: 她中文说得很好。 Avoid 她说中文得很好, because 得 should directly follow the verb in this pattern.
Compare Them Side by Side
Find the verb first, then check which side holds the description.
Compare two natural sentences about the same action:
她认真地听。
Tā rènzhēn de tīng.
She listens attentively.
她听得很认真。
Tā tīng de hěn rènzhēn.
She listens very attentively.
The English translation is similar, but the Chinese structure changes. Find the verb first. A description before it takes 地; a description after it takes 得.
There is a third neutral-tone de: 的. A useful first contrast is 认真的学生 (a conscientious student), 认真地学习 (study conscientiously), and 学得很认真 (study very conscientiously).
Useful Chinese Words and Phrases
- 认真地听listen attentively
- 慢慢地说speak slowly
- 说得很清楚speak very clearly
- 写得很好write very well
A Short Everyday Conversation
A: 你觉得我今天说得怎么样？
Nǐ juéde wǒ jīntiān shuō de zěnmeyàng?
How do you think I spoke today?
B: 你说得很清楚，但是有点儿快。
Nǐ shuō de hěn qīngchu, dànshì yǒudiǎnr kuài.
You spoke very clearly, but a little fast.
A: 好，我再慢慢地说一遍。
Hǎo, wǒ zài mànmàn de shuō yí biàn.
Okay, I’ll say it again slowly.
Final Takeaway
Find the verb first. Use 地 when the description comes before the action, and 得 when the description follows it. Practise 认真地听 and 说得很好 as a pair until the word order feels familiar.