Why is it xihuan wo pengyou?

[Ladago]

Ni xihuan wo pengyou ma? Why isn't it "Ni xihuan wo de pengyou ma? 

[Singe]

The modifier 'de' is usually missed out when a close relationship is present. Having said that, wo de pengyou doesn't sound incorrect to me.

[Shelley]

I thought you only missed it out when used amongst actual family members. I would have expected it to be used with friends.

[Singe]

4 minutes ago, Shelley said:

I thought you only missed it out when used amongst actual family members. I would have expected it to be used with friends.

 

Yep, 我的朋友 does sound right to me. We do miss it out in other situations too though, e.g. 英国人, instead of 英国的人

.

[Jim]

Made me wonder when else it might get dropped and a quick search revealed occasional uses of 我同学 and 我队友. Certainly have the impression it's left out other times too, e.g. 我邻居.

[Shelley]

I wonder if it is up to how close the speaker thinks their relationship is?

[Singe]

9 minutes ago, Jim said:

我邻居

 

That's an interesting one, 我的邻居 sounds good to me. Be interesting to see what others say.

[Jim]

6 minutes ago, Singe said:

 

That's an interesting one, 我的邻居 sounds good to me. Be interesting to see what others say.

Oh yes, not meaning to imply it's always left out, just that sometimes it is. Maybe just the structure of the sentence makes you drop it for balance or maybe it's just quirks of individual speakers.

[roddy]

What 我的某人 cases can we think of where you really couldn't ever remove the 的. My kidnapper? My prison officer? Allset has it as removable in institutional, organisational and close personal relationships - which leaves me asking what other types of relationship there are. 

 

Edit: Actually, that's not quite right. It's not that you can remove it, it's that you should. 

[mungouk]

According to https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_close_possession_without_"de"

 

Quote

 

Normally possession is expressed using the particle 的 (de). However, you can omit 的 (de) in these cases:

• A close personal relationship is involved (family, close friends, boyfriends or girlfriends)
• An institutional or organizational relationship is involved (school, work)

In these cases 的 (de) should be omitted. It doesn't sound as natural if you leave it in.

 

 

(oops, cross-posted with Roddy)

 

[roddy]

Too slow, my friend.

[Ladago]

Thanks guys!

[RitaLin]

I can't trace the logic behind it but as a (BLCU text book) grammar rule, for family and close friends 的 can be omitted so 我朋友 is correct as so is 我妈妈, 我姐姐 etc.

[Mijin]

Also, since the rules have been listed here, another one is you usually only use one 的 per subject, so that's why in some sentences you might see 我 and 邻居 next to each other:

我邻居进口的车