V / Adj + 得 + clause: 气得说不出话
【五37】补语 / complements
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
After 得 you can put not only an adjective (跑得快) but a whole clause that paints the result of the state or action. English says “so… that…” or “to the point of”.
Three forms are common:
• a verb phrase: 担心得吃不下饭 (so worried he can't eat), 疼得睡不着觉;
• a new subject + predicate: 饿得肚子都叫了, 气得脸都红了;
• a set phrase: 高兴得又唱又跳.
It is the vivid, narrative form of 得 + adjective (说得好, 跑得快), in speech and in writing. The negation stays inside the clause (说不出话, 没吃饭), never before 得, and you add no 很 between 得 and the clause.
Examples
他累得睡着了。
Tā lèi de shuìzháo le.He was so tired that he fell asleep.
他气得脸都红了。
Tā qì de liǎn dōu hóng le.He was so angry that his face went red.
他饿得肚子都叫了。
Tā è de dùzi dōu jiào le.He was so hungry that his stomach was rumbling.
我疼得一晚上没睡着。
Wǒ téng de yì wǎnshang méi shuìzháo.It hurt so much that I didn't sleep all night.
她担心得连饭都吃不下。
Tā dānxīn de lián fàn dōu chī bu xià.She is so worried that she can't even eat.
听到这个好消息，大家高兴得又唱又跳。
Tīngdào zhège hǎo xiāoxi, dàjiā gāoxìng de yòu chàng yòu tiào.On hearing the good news, everyone was so happy they sang and jumped about.
Common mistakes
✗ 她哭得很眼睛红了 → ✓ 她哭得眼睛都红了 (no 很 between 得 and the clause).
✗ 他累不得睡着了 → ✓ 他累得睡着了 (you do not negate 得; the negation lives inside the clause: 累得连饭都没吃).