Difference between revisions of "Expressing close possession without "de""

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* <em>我们 学校</em> 很 大 。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Wǒmen xuéxiào</em> hěn dà.</span><span class="trans">Our school is big.</span>
 
* <em>我们 学校</em> 很 大 。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Wǒmen xuéxiào</em> hěn dà.</span><span class="trans">Our school is big.</span>
 
* <em>他们 公司</em> 在 北京。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Tāmen gōngsī</em> zài Běijīng.</span><span class="trans">Their company is in Bejing.</span>
 
* <em>他们 公司</em> 在 北京。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Tāmen gōngsī</em> zài Běijīng.</span><span class="trans">Their company is in Bejing.</span>
* <em>你 男朋友</em> 很 帅。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Nǐ nán péngyou</em> hěn shuài.</span><span class="trans">Your boyfriend is very handsome.</span>
+
* <em>你 男朋友</em> 很 帅。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Nǐ nánpéngyou</em> hěn shuài.</span><span class="trans">Your boyfriend is very handsome.</span>
 
* <em>他 儿子</em> 很 有名。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Tā érzi</em> hěn yǒumíng.</span><span class="trans">His son is really famous.</span>
 
* <em>他 儿子</em> 很 有名。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Tā érzi</em> hěn yǒumíng.</span><span class="trans">His son is really famous.</span>
 
* <em>我 女儿</em> 会 说 英语。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Wǒ nǚ'ér</em> huì shuō Yīngyǔ.</span><span class="trans">My daughter can speak English.</span>
 
* <em>我 女儿</em> 会 说 英语。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Wǒ nǚ'ér</em> huì shuō Yīngyǔ.</span><span class="trans">My daughter can speak English.</span>

Revision as of 08:32, 4 January 2017

Expressing possession in Chinese is accomplished with the particle (de). But sometimes when certain (especially close) relationships are involved, it's more natural to drop the 的 (de).

Structure

Pronoun + Noun

Normally possession is expressed with the particle 的 (de). However, you can omit 的 (de) in these cases:

  • A close personal relationship (family, close friends, boyfriends/girlfriends) is involved
  • An institutional or organizational relationship (school, work) is involved

In these cases 的 (de) should be omitted. It doesn't sound as natural if you leave it in.

Examples

  • 我 家 很 大。Wǒ jiā hěn dà.My house is very big.
  • 你 哥哥 很 高 。 Nǐ gēge hěn gāo.Your big brother is very tall.
  • 这 是 我 女朋友Zhè shì wǒ nǚpéngyou.This is my girlfriend.
  • 她 妈妈 很 漂亮。Tā māma hěn piàoliang.Her mom is very pretty.
  • 我们 学校 很 大 。Wǒmen xuéxiào hěn dà.Our school is big.
  • 他们 公司 在 北京。Tāmen gōngsī zài Běijīng.Their company is in Bejing.
  • 你 男朋友 很 帅。Nǐ nánpéngyou hěn shuài.Your boyfriend is very handsome.
  • 他 儿子 很 有名。Tā érzi hěn yǒumíng.His son is really famous.
  • 我 女儿 会 说 英语。Wǒ nǚ'ér huì shuō Yīngyǔ.My daughter can speak English.
  • 他 爸爸我们 公司 的 老板。Tā bàba shì wǒmen gōngsī de lǎobǎn.His dad is the boss of our company.

If 的 (de) was used in the above examples, it would create an unnatural sense of distance between the two.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books