The structural particle 的 (de)
When a noun is used to modify another noun, it usually doesn’t take 的 after it.
Example:
中国 人 : Chinese (people of China), instead of 中国的人.
北京 人 : Pekingese, Beijingese (people of Beijing city) , instead of 北京的人.
verb 的 noum
When used attributively, a verb or a verbal construction must take after it the structural particle 的.
Example:
休息 的 时候 resting time (to rest + time)
吃饭 的 时候 eating time (to eat + time)
Phrase structure : 是…的
是…的 is used in a sentence to emphasize the time, place or manner of an action which took place in the past. 是 is placed before the word group that is emphasized (是 may sometimes be omitted) and 的 comes after the verb or at the end of the sentence.
Example:
你 是 哪年 出生 的？ Which year are you born?
我 是 1988 年 出生 的。 I’m born in 1988?
你是哪里的？Where are you from ?
我是广州的。I am from Guangzhou.
你 是 什么时候 到 纽约 的？ When did you arrive in New york?
我 是 昨天 到 纽约 的。 I arrived in Beijing yesterday?