Long descriptions before a noun: 我昨天买的那本书

Everything goes in front

English puts long descriptions after the noun: the book that I bought yesterday. Chinese puts them all before the noun, joined by 的**. There is no word for "that, who, which".

• 我昨天在书店买的那本书特别有意思。The book I bought at the bookshop yesterday is really interesting.
• 站在门口的那位先生是我们的新经理。The gentleman standing at the door is our new manager.
• 昨天给你打电话的人是谁？Who was the person who phoned you yesterday?

The gap tells you the role: 我买的书 = the book I bought (书 is the object); 买书的人 = the person who bought the book (人 is the subject).

The order of several descriptions

You won't need every slot at once. The usual rules:

• This/that + measure (那本, 这两个) usually comes after a clause with 的: 我昨天买的那本书. (那本我昨天买的书 is also possible.)
• A one-syllable adjective joins the noun directly: 新书, 红衣服. An adjective with 很 or 非常 needs 的: 很贵的衣服.
• A noun describing type or material joins directly and sits closest: 中文书, 羊毛大衣, 木头桌子.

• 他买了一件很贵的羊毛大衣。He bought a very expensive wool coat.
• 她那两本厚厚的中文词典都是旧的。Those two thick Chinese dictionaries of hers are both old.
• 我们需要一个能说中文和英文的导游。We need a guide who can speak Chinese and English.

Too many 的 in a row is clumsy. Drop the ones that aren't needed: 我妈妈朋友的女儿 rather than 我的妈妈的朋友的女儿.

Common mistakes

• 那个人谁住在楼上 → 住在楼上的那个人。No "who": the clause goes before the noun with 的.
• 我昨天买那本书很贵。 → 我昨天买的那本书很贵。Without 的 the description doesn't attach to the noun.
• 一本中文的很有意思书 → 一本很有意思的中文书。The type noun sits next to the head noun, and 很有意思 takes 的.
• 很大房子 → 很大的房子。An adjective with 很 needs 的.
• 我的妈妈的朋友的女儿 is grammatical but clumsy: 我妈妈朋友的女儿.