到的，来的

[Benjameno]

So, I ran across these two sentences in a dialogue of Mandarin Chinese: learning through conversation by Kang Yuhua and Lai Siping. The sparse grammar explanations in each lesson typically focus on all of the most common structures that are documented in every mediocre textbook, but the dialogues themselves regularly incorporate more nuanced constructions with the expectation that the learner will somehow infer their usage from the context:

Question: 你们怎么到这儿的？

Response: 小马带我们来的。

What role does 的 play above? I have done a bit of research and most probable reason that I can think of is that it has some kind of exclamatory value in the first instance, and passivizes 我们 in the second ("We were brought here by Xiao Ma/Xiao Ma brought us here) ?

Am I even remotely on the right track?

[edelweis]

In the first sentence it looks like the 是...的 emphasis structure - with 是 implied. 你们(是)怎么到这儿的？ (but) how did you you arrive here? (so, yes, the emphasis on 怎么 feels somewhat like an exclamation to me).

In the 2nd sentence I wouldn't know where to put the 是 - so I'll interpret it as use of 的 to express the errr "past tense" (equivalent to 了) as discussed in another thread. I still feel there is an emphasis on Xiao Ma, "it's Xiao Ma who brought us".

(anyway 是...的 can't be used for the future, so perhaps 是...的 without 是 and 的=了 are just the same thing...)

[Altair]

In the 2nd sentence I wouldn't know where to put the 是 - so I'll interpret it as use of 的 to express the errr "past tense" (equivalent to 了) as discussed in another thread.

I think the second sentence could just be:

（是）小马带我们来的。

Yufa!, A Practical Guide to Chinese Grammar says:

The 是...........的 structure can be used to give information on the "who, where, how and when" of an event that has already taken place. It is used in context, meaning the fact that the event has taken place must be either mentioned first or it should be a pre-existent situation understood by each of the interlocutors.

Learners who are English speakers should pay special attention to the distinction between the 是...........的 structure and a sentence with 了 since both frequently share only one English sentence.

When the focus is on asking about or giving information on "who", it is possible to start the sentence with 是. This is because the person following 是 is the focus.

[renshanrenhai]

Yes， your guess is correct.

“的” you mention here is used as modal particle(i.e. exclamatory value), which demonstrates modal function without any semantic meaning.

When "的" is used at the end of a declarative sentence , it helps to stress something you are sure about.

more examples : 放心吧，他的病会好的。 （Don't worry, he will recover soon.）

他一定会来的。 (I'm sure he will be back.)

我是同意你的意见的。(I do agree with your point. )

(是)小马带我们来的。 （It's Xiao ma who takes us here.）

When "的"is used at the end of an interrogative sentence, it helps to stress something you want to know.

examples: 你们(是)怎么到这儿来的？(How do you get here? By what means you get here?)

你是怎么学汉语的？（How do you learn Mandarin? By what means you learn Mandarin?）

We have three categories of particles in Chinese, they are:

A structural particle : 的、地、得、所、给 ect.

B aspect particle: 了、着、过、来着 ect.

C modal particle: 啊、吗、呢、吧、了、的、嘛、么、罢了etc.