Expressing close possession without "de"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
Sometimes you don't need 的 (de) to indicate certain especially close relationships.
Structure
Normally possession is expressed with the particle 的. However, in some cases you can omit 的. This happens when the possession is about:
- A close personal relationship (family, close friends, boyfriends/girlfriends)
- An institutional or organizational relationship (school, work)
In these cases 的 should be omitted (that is, it doesn't sound as natural if you leave it in).
Examples
- 这 是 我 家。This is my home.
- 这 是 我 女朋友。 This is my girlfriend.
- 我 妈妈 每天 都 做饭。My mom cooks every day.
- 我们 学校 很 大。Our school is big.
- 我们 公司 在 西安。Our company is in Xi'an.
- 他 爸爸 是 我们 公司 的 老板。His dad is the boss of our company.
- 你 姐姐 很 难看 。Your older sister is ugly.
- 我 家 有 一 只 狗 。I have a dog in my home.
- 他们 儿子 很 有名。Their son is really famous.
- 我 女儿 会 说 英语。My daughter can speak English.
If 的 was used in the above examples, it would create a sense of distance between the two, and possibly even imply that the relationship is not particularly close.
