的: Noun Modifier de - Linking Verb Phrase and Noun

We talked about the possessive and descriptive particle 的 in the previous blog. In this blog, we are going to learn how to use 的 (de) to link a whole phrase to a noun to enhance our understanding about the noun modifier de. 

Besides attaching adjectives to nouns, 的 (de) can be used to attach whole phrases to nouns: [verb Phrase] + 的 + Noun. In English, if you want to say "This is the book that I bought yesterday.", you can use "that" to form an adjective clause "that I bought yesterday" to combine "this is a book" and "I brought the book yesterday" together.  How do we achieve this in Chinese? 

Here is an example:

• Sentence 1: 北京烤鸭很好吃。Peking Roasted duck is delicious.
• Sentence 2: 他买北京烤鸭。He bought Peking Roasted duck.

We can combine these two sentences together by using  S+V+的 + Noun structure but the first thing you need to figure out is which noun you want to modify. You can easily find "北京烤鸭" in both sentences, so it is the noun that you can modify. You can cross the "北京烤鸭" in the second sentence and put 的 at the end. Then, insert “他买的” before the "北京烤鸭" in the first sentence. 

Hence, "the Peking Roasted duck which he bought" in Mandarin is “他买的北京烤鸭”. Note that we put 他买的 (that he bought) before the noun 北京烤鸭, which is different from English.  In a nut shell, "The Peking Roasted duck which he bought tasted very delicious." in Chinese is "他买的北京烤鸭很好吃。" 

Here are another two examples:

Example 1:

• Sentence 1: 这是新课。This is a new lesson.
• Sentence 2: 我们要学新课。We are going to learn a new lesson.

We can combine these two sentences together by using  S+V+的 + Noun structure. First, we need to find the noun that we are going to modify. As you see, there are two 新课 in both sentences, so that's the object that we are going to modify. Then, cross the 新课 in the second sentence and add 的 after it. Then, put 我们要学的 before the 新课 in the first sentence. 

           So, 这是我们要学的新课。This is the new lesson that we are going to learn.  

           Here, we use to "我们要学的" to modify the noun "新课", and "这是新课。" was the main clause. 

         

Example 2: 

• Sentence 1: 请尝尝红烧排骨吧。Please try these braised pork ribs.
• Sentence 2: 我做红烧排骨。I made these braised pork ribs.

To use S+V+的 + Noun structure, you need to find the noun you want to modify first. You can find 红烧排骨 in both of the sentences.  So, you can insert "我做的" before "红烧排骨" in the first sentence: 请尝尝我做的红烧排骨吧。Please try these braised pork ribs which I made.

Here are more examples:

• 我说的是真的！The things that I said were true! / What I said was true! (The original sentence should be 我说的事情是真的 but it sounds redundant to keep 事情 here so we just use 的 de structure without a noun directly.) 

• 这个手机是我昨天丢的。This phone is the one that I lost yesterday. (The original sentence should be “这个手机是我昨天丢的手机。” but it sounds redundant to keep the second “手机”， here so we just use 的 de structure without the noun.) 
• 他教的是中国学生。Those who he taught are Chinese students. (Whom he taught are Chiense students. The original sentence should be “他教的学生是中国学生。”  and we can just use 的 de structure without the noun as a subject.)

We may also use (Time + Place ) + V+的 to modify the noun without a subject in the verb phrase, if the noun is the subject of the verb phrase. For example: 

• Sentence 1: 他是一个外国人。He is a foreigner.
• Sentence 2: 他在中国生活。He lives in China. 

In the second sentence, 他 is the subject. We can delete it and put 的 at the end. Then, we move 在中国生活的 before 外国人 in the first sentence. 

So,  他是一个在中国生活的外国人。He is a foreigner who lives in China. Did you get it right?

You can try to separate the following sentences into two independent sentences: 

• 她是一个在我们公司工作的实习生。She is an intern who works in our company. 
• 她是一个实习生。She is an intern.
• 她在我们公司工作。She works in our company. 
• 他是一个在美国长大的中国人。He is a Chinese who grew up in America.
• 他是一个中国人。He is a Chinese.
• 他在美国长大。He grew up in America.
• 她是一个十年前到中国的美国人。She's an American who went to China ten years ago. 
• 她是一个美国人。She is an American.
• 她十年前到中国。She went to China 10 years ago.

Please choose the correct translation:

1) This is a question he asked yesterday.

     A: 这是一个问题他问的昨天。

     B: 这是一个问题他昨天问的。

     C: 这是他问的昨天一个问题。

     D: 这是一个他昨天问的问题。

2）The places he visited are famous. 

    A: 地方他去有名。

    B: 他去的地方有名。

    C: 他去的地方是有名。

    D: 他去的地方很有名。

3）He is a person who has been to lots of countries.

    A: 他是一个人去过很多国家。

    B: 他是一个人谁去过很多国家。

    C: 他是一个去过很多国家的人。

    D: 他是去过很多国家一个人。

     

4) She is a person who loves to read since she was young.

    A: 她是一个人爱看书从小。

    B: 她是一个人从小爱看书。

    C: 她是一个爱看书从小的人。

    D: 她是一个从小爱看书的人。

Please combine the two sentences together:

1)   Sentence 1: 她是一个美国学生。  Sentence 2: 她在北京大学学习。

2）Sentence 1: 这个男孩子是美国人。  Sentence 2: 他出生在中国。

3）Sentence 1: 这个手机坏了。  Sentence 2: 我去年买这个手机。

4）Sentence 1: 《朋友》很好听。  Sentence 2: 周华健唱《朋友》。

5）Sentence 1: 三明治真好吃。  Sentence 2: 妈妈做三明治。

Please fill in the blanks by using the words given. 
1) 这是一个________________笔记本电脑。（买， 昨天，我，的）
2) 《我爱我家》是一部________________电视剧。（王家明，的，最喜欢）
3）他是一个________________老师。（工作，在我们学校，的）
4）宫保鸡丁是一道________________菜。（受欢迎 popular，在美国，很，的）
5)  《拔萝卜》是一首________________儿歌。（喜欢，小朋友们，的，都，很）

Please translate the following sentences into Chinese: 

1) He's a student who study at UB.

2) The Chinese characters you write look great.

3) This is the song she likes. 

4) This is the flight that goes to China. 

5) The question she asked is very interesting. 


Please rearrange the words and form sentences:
1) 说     的     王家明       中文       是

2）大卫      的      学     西班牙语     是     

3）这些       是      汉字    写     的       我  

4）男朋友      她       是      的     卖     的    手机  



Please listen to the song 你不知道的事 (The Things You Never Knew), by Leehom Wang.


references:
http://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Main_Page