Your learning plan · Continue · Review →
的 — saying whose something is
IntroducidoTu posición guardada permanece en este navegador. Continuar no completa la lección ni responde sus preguntas.
Whose book is this?
- A book is lying on the classroom desk. Your classmate asks whose it is. It is yours.
- this这is是I, me我(modifier / structural particle)的book书。 Zhè shì wǒ de shū. — "This is my book."
Person + (modifier / structural particle)的 + thing
- (modifier / structural particle)的 (de) shows who something belongs to: I, me我(modifier / structural particle)的book书, my book; teacher老师(modifier / structural particle)的telephone电话, the teacher's phone.
- The owner comes first, then (modifier / structural particle)的, then the thing. This is the opposite of English “of”: teacher老师(modifier / structural particle)的book书 = the book of the teacher.
this这is是my我的book书。
Complete: “This is my book.” 这是我____书。
Difficulty 1/5 · 100 coins + a small bonus on first completion today
Owner (我) + 的 + thing (书).
Build: “This is the teacher’s phone.”
Difficulty 3/5 · 200 coins + a small bonus on first completion today
Owner + 的 + thing.
Family and close people: (modifier / structural particle)的 is often dropped
- For family and close relationships, (modifier / structural particle)的 is usually left out: I, me我mum妈妈 wǒ māma, my mum; I, me我friend朋友, my friend; we / us我们school学校, our school.
- For things, keep (modifier / structural particle)的: I, me我(modifier / structural particle)的cup杯子, my cup.
my我mum妈妈is是teacher老师。
How do you usually say “my mum”?
Difficulty 1/5 · 100 coins + a small bonus on first completion today
For family, 的 is usually dropped, and the owner still comes first.
Asking whose: who谁(modifier / structural particle)的
- this这is是who谁(modifier / structural particle)的？ Zhè shì shéi de? — "Whose is this?" Answer: is是I, me我(modifier / structural particle)的, it's mine.
- (modifier / structural particle)的 can end the answer when the thing is clear: this这root本book书is是I, me我(modifier / structural particle)的, this book is mine.
这是谁的？ means “Whose is this?”
Difficulty 1/5 · 100 coins + a small bonus on first completion today
True. 谁的 asks who something belongs to.
Watch out
- The owner comes before (modifier / structural particle)的: I, me我(modifier / structural particle)的book书, not book书(modifier / structural particle)的I, me我.
- Drop (modifier / structural particle)的 for family (I, me我mum妈妈) but keep it for objects (I, me我(modifier / structural particle)的cell phone手机).
Recap
- Owner + (modifier / structural particle)的 + thing = whose: I, me我(modifier / structural particle)的book书, teacher老师(modifier / structural particle)的telephone电话.
- Family words usually drop (modifier / structural particle)的: I, me我mum妈妈. Ask who谁(modifier / structural particle)的?, answer is是I, me我(modifier / structural particle)的.
Point to three things on your desk and say whose they are, including one that belongs to a family member. Close the examples. Say it, then write it in Chinese.
Compare meaning and word order with the model; your sentences need not copy it. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken version to comment on pronunciation.