Degree Complements: 动词+得+形容词 (runs fast, plays happily)
A degree complement, also called a state complement, comes after 得 (de) and describes how an action is done or how well. Pattern: verb + 得 + adjective, as in 说得很清楚, and HSK 2 adds comparisons such as 得比.
Pattern: Verb + 得 + (很/非常) + Adjective
跑得快 = runs fast. 说得很清楚 = speaks very clearly.
Negation: put 不 before the adjective, NOT before 得: 跑得不快 (NOT 不跑得快).
Question: Verb + 得 + Adjective + 吗？ or Verb + 得 + 怎么样？
Careful: this 得 (de) is different from 的 (de) and 地 (de). It always comes right after the verb, before the description of how it's done.
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 他跑得很快。 | Tā pǎo de hěn kuài. | He runs very fast. | Minimal frame: Verb (跑) + 得 + Adverb (很) + Adjective (快). |
| 她说得不清楚，我听不懂。 | Tā shuō de bù qīngchu, wǒ tīng bu dǒng. | She doesn't speak clearly, so I can't understand. | Negation goes AFTER 得, before the adjective (得不清楚), not before the verb. |
| 你昨天唱得怎么样？——我唱得非常好！ | Nǐ zuótiān chàng de zěnmeyàng? — Wǒ chàng de fēicháng hǎo! | How did you sing yesterday? — I sang extremely well! | Question form with 怎么样; the answer uses a degree adverb (非常) inside the complement. |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
得 (de)
Describes how well, how fast or how much an action is done.
Structure: Verb + 得 + degree word + adj
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 弟弟睡得很晚。 | Dì di shuì de hěn wǎn. | My younger brother sleeps very late. |
| 老师说得很清楚。 | Lǎo shī shuō de hěn qīng chu. | The teacher spoke very clearly. |
| 她画得非常漂亮。 | Tā huà de fēi cháng piào liang. | She draws beautifully. |
Not: 他跑得快很。 The degree word goes before the adjective: 跑得很快.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, particles (结构助词); level 3, verbs (能愿动词).
得 is also explained in: Structural Particle 得: State Complement (HSK 2) · Extended Comparison Patterns: A比B V得Adj (HSK 3) · Potential Complements: V+得/不+V/Adj (HSK 3) · Degree complement: V得+predicate (HSK 4) · 得 (děi): obligation must (HSK 4) · Potential complements: V得/不C (HSK 4) · Degree & State Complements: 不得了、坏了、得+phrase (HSK 5) · Potential Complements: V+得/不得 (HSK 5).
得怎么样 (de zěn me yàng)
Asks how well an action was done.
Structure: Verb + 得 + 怎么样
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他汉语说得怎么样？ | Tā hàn yǔ shuō de zěn me yàng? | How well does he speak Chinese? |
| 昨天晚上你睡得怎么样？ | Zuó tiān wǎn shàng nǐ shuì de zěn me yàng? | How did you sleep last night? |
| 这次考试你考得怎么样？ | Zhè cì kǎo shì nǐ kǎo de zěn me yàng? | How did you do in this exam? |
Not: 你考怎么样得？ 得 sits right after the verb: 你考得怎么样?
得比 (de bǐ)
Compares two people by how they do an action.
Structure: Verb + 得 + 比 + B + adj
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 姐姐唱得比我好听。 | Jiě jie chàng de bǐ wǒ hǎo tīng. | My older sister sings better than I do. |
| 他起得比我早。 | Tā qǐ de bǐ wǒ zǎo. | He gets up earlier than I do. |
| 今天他来得比平时晚。 | Jīn tiān tā lái de bǐ píng shí wǎn. | He came later than usual today. |
Not: 他跑得比我很快。 Nothing like 很 follows 比: 他跑得比我快.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
The same pattern at other levels
- Degree Complements — HSK 3
Questions about Degree Complements
What does 状态补语 (Degree Complements) mean in Chinese?
A degree complement, also called a state complement, comes after 得 (de) and describes how an action is done or how well. Pattern: verb + 得 + adjective, as in 说得很清楚, and HSK 2 adds comparisons such as 得比. It is an HSK 2 grammar point.
How do you use 状态补语 (Degree Complements) in a sentence?
他跑得很快。 — Tā pǎo de hěn kuài. — He runs very fast. Minimal frame: Verb (跑) + 得 + Adverb (很) + Adjective (快).
What do you need to know before 状态补语 (Degree Complements)?
Structural Particle 得 (HSK 2), Degree Adverbs (HSK 1). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
Can I use 很 or 非常 after 得?
Yes. 得 is often followed by 很, 非常 or 特别, as in 她跳得非常好。 To say it negatively, put 不 after 得: 她跳得不好。
How do I ask how well someone did something?
Use 得怎么样 after the verb. For example 你昨天玩得怎么样？ If the verb has an object, repeat it: 你汉语说得怎么样？
Degree Complements is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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