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得 to show result and as an intensifying complement.
I think I may have misunderstood the use of 得 to show result and as an intensifying complement.
From my books and course at uni, I understood 得 can be used to as an intensifying complement and to show the result. For example 天气冷得谁都不想出去 The weather was so gold no one wants to go out. or 我现在累得什么都不想做了。 Right now, I'm so tired I don't want to do anything.
However a Chinese person has said I can't say 我难过得开始控制不住地哭起来了。I was so upset I started crying uncontrollably. They have said I should say 我难过地开始控制不住地哭起来了。
Why is my sentence wrong? How should I say things like : I was so upset I ran away or I'm so happy I could dance, or even maybe I was so tired I fell over?The weather was so cold, not gold :)
Oct 9, 2015 10:36 AM
Answers · 3
when 得 is used after an adjective, the context that you referred to, it shows a level to which the adjective can get.
我高兴得跳了起来。
The sentence emphasizes the level of my happiness. It means that I was so happy to a level that I couldn't help jumping.
我高兴地跳了起来。
The sentence means that I jumped with happiness, or I happily jumped.
我难过得开始控制不住地哭起来了。
我难过地开始控制不住地哭起来了。
Both sentences are correct in terms of grammar. It depends on what you want to emphasize. However, both sentence sounds a little bit awkward for me. If I were you, ignoring the context, I would like to split the sentence, like 我心里很难过，开始控制不住地哭了起来。
October 9, 2015
yep, your way is wrong regarding the context, for when "地" is used in front of a verb, if is used as an adverb to describ the verb followed; so at this point, your sentence means "I started crying uncontrollably with difficulty", which obviously is way wrong from what you wanna deliver.
I'm so happy I could dance can be: 我高兴得要跳舞了
I was so tired I fell over: 我累得摔了一跤
I was so upset I ran away can be said: 我很难过，所以走开了
BTW, likewise, u can't say 我难过得走开了, for that 得 is misused, and if u say so, ur audience would take it as "地" again, so the whole sentence will be ”I ran away with sadness“
October 9, 2015
A great question. I don't think his/her answer about 得/地 is right.
October 9, 2015
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