记得 (jìde) vs 得 (de): lexicalized vs structural complement particle
记得 (jìde) is a fixed verb meaning “remember,” where 得 is fused into the word. 得 (de) as a structural particle introduces a complement of possibility or degree after another verb. Learners confuse them because the same 得 character appears, but only in 记得 is it part of the verb itself; elsewhere it marks a separate grammatical structure.
The character 得 appears in two distinct roles that often confuse learners. In 记得 (jìde, “remember”), 得 is inseparable from the verb—it is a fixed lexical item. In contrast, 得 (de) as a grammatical particle attaches after a verb (or adjective) to form a complement of possibility (e.g., 吃得完 “can finish eating”) or degree (e.g., 跑得快 “run fast”). The key is recognizing that 记得 is one word, while structural 得 follows a separate verb and carries its own grammatical meaning. Note that 记不得 (jì bu de) is a valid potential complement form meaning “cannot remember,” distinct from 不记得 (bù jìde) “do not remember.”
When to use each
Use 记得 as a single verb meaning “to remember” or “to recall.” It is a fixed compound where 得 is part of the word, not a separate complement. For example: 我记得他的电话 (I remember his phone number). Its negative is 不记得 (bù jìde) “to not remember.” For the meaning “cannot remember” (ability), use the potential complement 记不得 (jì bu de).
记得 can also be used with a potential complement to emphasize ability: 记得住 (able to remember) and 记不住 (unable to remember) are common, contrasting with 记不得 (cannot recall). These are not interchangeable: 记不住 focuses on failure to memorize, while 记不得 is about failure to retrieve a memory.
Use 得 (de) after a verb or adjective to introduce a complement expressing possibility (potential complement) or degree. In potential complements, 得 appears between the verb and a result/direction complement: 看得见 (can see), 做得完 (can finish doing). In degree complements, 得 connects the verb to an adjective or phrase describing manner/degree: 跑得快 (run fast), 说得很清楚 (speak very clearly). The negative potential uses 不 instead of 得: 看不见 (cannot see).
The structural 得 is always unstressed and attaches phonetically to the preceding verb. Do not confuse it with the verb 得 (děi) meaning “must” or the verb 得 (dé) meaning “to obtain.”
At a glance
| 记得 | 得 | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | Fixed verb (lexical item) | Grammatical particle (complement marker) |
| Meaning | “Remember” – one semantic unit | Indicates possibility or degree – no inherent meaning |
| Position in sentence | Can stand as main verb (e.g., 记得他) | Attached after another verb (e.g., 跑得快) |
| Negative form | 不记得 (bù jìde) – “do not remember”; 记不得 (jì bu de) – “cannot remember” (potential) | Replaced by 不 in potential complements: 吃不饱 (not can eat full) |
| Can it be separated? | No – 得 is inseparable; 记得 is one word | Yes – 得 appears between verb and complement (e.g., 看得见) |
| Special formations | 记得住/记不住 (can/cannot memorize); 记不得 (cannot recall) | 吃得完, 跑得快, 说得很流利 |
Examples
- 记得我记得她的名字。Wǒ jìde tā de míngzi.I remember her name.Uses 记得 as a fixed verb. Negative: 我不记得她的名字。
- 记得这件事我记不得了。Zhè jiàn shì wǒ jì bu de le.I cannot remember this matter.记不得 is a valid potential complement meaning ‘cannot remember,’ different from 不记得.
- 得他跑得很快。Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.He runs very fast.得 introduces a degree complement describing manner.
- 得这些作业我做得完。Zhèxiē zuòyè wǒ zuò de wán.I can finish this homework.得 marks a potential complement; the verb is 做, complement is 完.
- 记得你记得他的生日吗？Nǐ jìde tā de shēngrì ma?Do you remember his birthday?Questions with 记得 are formed with 吗 or wh-words.
- 得她说得很清楚。Tā shuō de hěn qīngchu.She speaks very clearly.The degree complement 很清楚 is introduced by 得.
Common mistakes
- Treating 记得 as verb + complement 得 and trying to separate it (e.g., *记不得 for 'cannot remember' is actually fine, but some learners think it's wrong; the real error is thinking 记得 always behaves like a regular verb + 得, which it doesn't for the negative 不记得).
- Using 得 after 记得 as a degree complement: *记得得 (redundant). Correct: use a separate construction like 记得很清楚 (remember very clearly) — note 记得 is the verb, 很 is the degree adverb, no extra 得.
- Using 得 instead of 地 for adverbial modification: *他高兴得说 (should be 高兴地说 'say happily'). 得 is for complements, 地 for adverbs.
- Negating a potential complement incorrectly: *他跑得不快 (means 'he doesn't run fast' but is degree, not potential; for possibility use 跑不快 'cannot run fast').
- Confusing 记得 (remember) with 觉得 (feel/think) because both have 得. Though etymologically similar, they are distinct fixed verbs.
FAQ
- When do I use 记得 vs 得 (complement particle)?
- Use 记得 when you mean 'remember' as a single verb. Use 得 when you need to connect a verb to a complement of possibility or degree, like 跑得快 (run fast) or 吃得完 (can finish). If 得 is part of a fixed verb (记得, 觉得, 认得), it cannot be separated or treated as a complement marker.
- Is 记不得 correct? I've heard it's wrong.
- 记不得 (jì bu de) is a correct and common potential complement meaning 'cannot remember'. It contrasts with 不记得 (bù jìde) 'do not remember'—the former focuses on inability to recall, the latter on a state of not remembering. Both are acceptable but not interchangeable.
- Can I use 得 after 记得 to mean 'remember well'?
- No, you cannot add 得 directly after 记得. To express 'remember clearly', use 记得很清楚 (jìde hěn qīngchu) — here 清楚 is a degree complement but 很 takes the place of 得. Alternatively, 记得住 means 'can remember' (potential) but uses 住 as a complement, not 得.
- How do I know if 得 is a complement particle or part of the verb?
- If the preceding character forms a common verb capable of standing alone (e.g., 记, 觉, 认), then 得 is likely lexicalized. If the 得 is followed by a result, direction, or descriptive complement and the preceding element is a verb that can take such complements, then it is structural. A dictionary check helps: fixed verbs like 记得, 觉得, 认得 are dictionary entries.