Verb + 得 + Complement of Degree
Reach for this when you want to grade how someone performs an action — well, badly, fast, slowly, beautifully, clearly. '他说得很好' (He speaks well). The verb does the action, 得 hooks on a descriptor that judges the quality. This is how Chinese handles 'speaks well' or 'runs fast' — the manner sits AFTER the verb, not before like English adverbs.
Structure
[SUBJECT] [VERB] 得 [ADJECTIVE / DEGREE PHRASE]
[VERB] de [COMPLEMENT]
How to Think About It
Think of 得 as a hyphen that says 'and here's how it went.' The verb names the action; the bit after 得 grades it. Crucially, if the verb has an object, you have to either drop the object or repeat the verb: '他说汉语说得很好' (He speaks Chinese — and he does it well). One verb can't carry both an object and a degree complement in the same slot. The 得 here is never 的 or 地 — three different particles, same sound.
Examples
他跑得很快。
Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.
He runs fast.
妈妈做的菜做得很好吃。
Māma zuò de cài zuò de hěn hǎochī.
The dishes mom makes taste really good.
你今天来得太早了。
Nǐ jīntiān lái de tài zǎo le.
You came too early today.
Common Mistake
Learners try to put the degree word before the verb in English order ('他很好说汉语'), or they keep the object after the verb without repeating it. Chinese parks the degree phrase AFTER 得, and a verb-with-object needs the verb repeated.
他说汉语得很好。
他汉语说得很好。
Don't Confuse With
Adverb + Verb (地)
Use Adv + 地 + Verb BEFORE the action when you're describing how someone is going to do something ('慢慢地走' — walks slowly). Verb + 得 evaluates after the fact ('走得很慢' — walks slowly, as performed).
Adjective + 的 + Noun
的 attaches an adjective to a noun ('好的学生'); 得 attaches a degree to a verb. Same pinyin de, three different particles — pay attention to the character.
Verb + 得 + Result Complement
Same 得 frame, but the tail describes the result of the action (累得走不动 — so tired I can't walk) rather than evaluating quality. Degree judges; result reports a consequence.
Practice
他唱歌唱 ___ 非常好听。
Show answer
得
我写汉字写得 ___ 慢。
Show answer
很
Put in order: [说 / 他 / 流利 / 得 / 英语 / 很]
Show answer
他英语说得很流利。
Translate to Chinese: 'She sings beautifully.'
Show answer
她唱得很好听。
Describe how you or someone you know does an everyday action.
Show answer
Example answer: 我爸爸开车开得很稳。 (My dad drives very steadily.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: