Expressing Manner and Degree in Mandarin Chinese
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Expressing manner
Expressing how a certain action is performed, is done by using the particle 得 (de). In english an adverb would be used in such situation.
In sentences without object, 得 (de) appears after the verb and is followed by an adjective.
When there is an object, you need to repeat the verb again after you mentioned the object, and then you can use 得 (de). It is also possible to move the object to the start of the sentence or place it directly after the subject.
- 我吃得快 (wǒ chī de kuài) - Literal: I eat [WAY.P] fast - I eat fast
- 我吃得不快 (wǒ chī de bú kuài) - Literal: I eat [WAY.P] not fast - I don't eat fast
- 我吃得快不快? (wǒ chī de kuài bú kuài?) - Literal: I eat [WAY.P] fast not fast? - Do I eat fast?
- 我吃米吃得快 (wǒ chī m�? chī de kuài) - Literal: I eat rice eat [WAY.P] fast - I eat rice fast
- 米我吃得快 (m�? wǒ chī de kuài) - Literal: rice I eat [WAY.P] fast - I eat rice fast
- 我米吃得快 (wǒ m�? chī de kuài) - Literal: I rice eat [WAY.P] fast - I eat rice fast
Expressing degree
Note that it is also possible to use the word for "very", 很 (hěn) in a construction with 得 (de), in this case 得 (de) is preceded by an adjective instead of a verb.
- 我穷得很 (wǒ qióng de hěn) - Literal: I poor [WAY.P] very - I am very poor
- 我很穷 (wǒ hěn qióng) - Literal: I very poor - I am poor
Expressing degree with subordinate clauses
When you replace the adjective behind 得 (de) with an entire phrase. Then the translation would use a subordinate clause in the form "so....that....":
- 我穷得很,你给我钱�?� (wǒ qióng de hěn, n�? gěi wǒ qían ba) - Literal: I poor [WAY.P] you give me money - I am so poor that you give me money
