Level 3 · Intermediate
Doing things a certain way: Adj. + 地
Adj. + 地 + Verb
地 (de) turns an adjective into a "how" word for the verb that follows: 他慢慢地走 "he walks slowly", 她认真地听 "she listens carefully". The description + 地 always comes BEFORE the verb.
This is the third of the three "de"s, all pronounced the same: 的 sits before NOUNS (我的书 "my book"), 地 sits before VERBS (慢慢地走 "walk slowly"), and 得 comes AFTER a verb to comment on the result (说得很好 "speaks well"). Position tells you which one to write.
Examples
他慢慢地走回家。
tā màn màn de zǒu huí jiā
He walks home slowly.
请你认真地听老师说话。
請你認真地聽老師說話。
qǐng nǐ rèn zhēn de tīng lǎo shī shuō huà
Please listen carefully to the teacher.
孩子们开心地唱歌。
孩子們開心地唱歌。
hái zi men kāi xīn de chàng gē
The kids sing happily.
他很快地吃完了饭。
他很快地吃完了飯。
tā hěn kuài de chī wán le fàn
He finished his food quickly.
Common mistakes
✗ 他慢慢的走回家。
✓ 他慢慢地走回家。
Before a verb, "de" is written 地 — 的 belongs before nouns.
Related grammar points
See it in a story
Read this pattern in context: The Tortoise and the Hare · Lil Jon Records a Song — free graded stories with tap-to-reveal pinyin and translations.
