…的【de】

A relative clause – a clause that describes a noun, like English "the book that I bought" – goes in front of the noun, with 的 between them. There is no word for "who", "which" or "that"; 的 does the linking.

Which part is missing

The clause is a sentence with one part taken out, and the noun fills that gap. Take out the subject and the noun is the doer; take out the object and the noun is what was done to.

The gap is left empty. Putting a pronoun back into it is wrong.

• × 我买它的书 → 我买的书

Places and times

The noun can be a place or a time, where English uses "where" and "when".

With 这个 and 那个

A demonstrative and measure word can go on either side of the clause. In front of 那个 the clause picks out which one; after it the clause adds detail. Both are common.

English order

English hangs the clause after the noun and links it with "who" or "which". Carried over, that puts the noun first and a question word in the middle.

• × 人谁昨天来 → 昨天来的人
• × 那个女孩谁穿红衣服 → 穿红衣服的那个女孩

Negation and aspect stay inside the clause: 没去过上海的同学, 刚来的学生.