得【de】

得 after a verb brings in a comment on how the action goes – how fast, how well, how early. The verb comes first, then 得, then the description, usually 很 plus an adjective.

The part after 得 is a degree complement – a complement is a word or phrase after the verb that says how the action turned out. 得 is read de here, the same as 的 and 地, but the three are different words.

A bare adjective after 得 sounds like half of a comparison – 他跑得快，我跑得慢. A plain statement takes 很, 非常 or another degree word.

不 goes after 得

To say something isn't done well, 不 goes after 得, in front of the adjective. 不 before the verb would deny the action itself.

The question puts 吗 at the end, or asks 怎么样 in the adjective's place.

With an object

Nothing can stand between the verb and 得, so an object has to go before it. Say the verb twice – once with the object, once with 得 – or put the object first and drop the first verb.

Mistakes

• × 他说得中文很好 → 他说中文说得很好
• × 他不跑得快 → 他跑得不快
• × 他跑了得很快 → 他跑得很快