Lessons 15–16: Potential complement (1): V + 得/不 + resultative / directional complement

Expresses whether the subjective and objective conditions allow a result to be achieved.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 4 · Lesson 15 · Hanyu 4 · Lesson 16

老师的话你听得懂听不懂？

Lǎoshī de huà nǐ tīng de dǒng tīng bu dǒng?

Can you understand what the teacher says?

Explanation

A potential complement expresses whether, under the given subjective and objective conditions, a certain action can be carried out or a certain result or change can be achieved. When using it, make the subjective and objective conditions clear.

Affirmative form: verb + 得 + resultative complement / directional complement. Negative form: verb + 不 + resultative complement / directional complement. Yes-no (affirmative-negative) question: affirmative form + negative form.

The form most used in conversation is the negative form of the potential complement. The affirmative form is mainly used to answer questions posed with the potential complement, expressing a not entirely certain guess.

When the verb takes an object, the object can go after the complement, or before the verb as the subject; it cannot go between the verb and the complement.

Important note: a sentence with a potential complement always expresses possibility, so the “把” construction cannot be used: you cannot say *我把老师的话听不懂。/ *她把这个箱子提不动。

Structure

1
Vverb得 / 不结果补语 / 趋向补语
Affirmative V得…, negative V不….
- A：我们现在去买得到票吗？B：别担心，买得到。
  A: Wǒmen xiànzài qù mǎi de dào piào ma? B: Bié dānxīn, mǎi de dào.
  A: If we go now, can we buy tickets? B: Don't worry, we can.
- 我没有钥匙，进不去。
  Wǒ méiyǒu yàoshi, jìn bu qù.
  I don't have the key, so I can't get in.
- 我一点儿也听不懂他唱的是什么。
  Wǒ yìdiǎnr yě tīng bu dǒng tā chàng de shì shénme.
  I can't understand what he's singing at all.
- A：晚上七点以前你回得来吗？B：回得来。
  A: Wǎnshang qī diǎn yǐqián nǐ huí de lái ma? B: Huí de lái.
  A: Will you be back before seven this evening? B: Yes, I'll make it.
- A：今天的作业一个小时做得完吗？B：今天的作业太多，一个小时做不完。
  A: Jīntiān de zuòyè yí ge xiǎoshí zuò de wán ma? B: Jīntiān de zuòyè tài duō, yí ge xiǎoshí zuò bu wán.
  A: Can you finish today's homework in an hour? B: There's too much homework today; I can't finish it in an hour.
- 我们去看看吧，也许买得到。
  Wǒ men qù kàn kàn ba, yě xǔ mǎi de dào.
  Let's go and see; maybe we can buy some.
- 她晚上有事去不了。
  Tā wǎnshang yǒu shì qù bu liǎo.
  She has something on this evening, so she can't go.
- 作业不多，一个小时做得完。
  Zuòyè bù duō, yí ge xiǎoshí zuò de wán.
  There isn't much homework; I can finish it in an hour.
- 我的眼睛不太好，坐得太远看不清楚。
  Wǒ de yǎnjing bú tài hǎo, zuò de tài yuǎn kàn bu qīngchu.
  My eyesight isn't very good; sitting this far away, I can't see clearly.
2
V得CV不C？
Yes-no (affirmative-negative) question with a potential complement.
- 老师的话你听得懂听不懂？
  Lǎoshī de huà nǐ tīng de dǒng tīng bu dǒng?
  Can you understand what the teacher says or not?
- 你不戴眼镜看得见看不见？
  Nǐ bú dài yǎnjìng kàn de jiàn kàn bu jiàn?
  Can you see without your glasses?
- 现在去，晚饭前回得来回不来？
  Xiàn zài qù, wǎn fàn qián huí de lái huí bù lái?
  If we go now, will we be back before dinner?
- A：这个故事你看得懂看不懂？B：看得懂。
  A: Zhè ge gù shì nǐ kàn de dǒng kàn bù dǒng? B: Kàn de dǒng.
  A: Can you understand this story when you read it? B: Yes.
3
OobjectV得/不C · V得/不COobject
The object goes before the verb or after the complement; it cannot come between V and C.
- A：你听得懂老师的话吗？B：我听得懂。
  A: Nǐ tīng de dǒng lǎoshī de huà ma? B: Wǒ tīng de dǒng.
  A: Can you understand what the teacher says? B: Yes, I can.
- A：地图上的字你看得清楚吗？B：我没戴眼镜，看不清楚。
  A: Dìtú shang de zì nǐ kàn de qīngchu ma? B: Wǒ méi dài yǎnjìng, kàn bu qīngchu.
  A: Can you see the characters on the map clearly? B: I'm not wearing my glasses, so I can't see them clearly.

Usage notes

You can predict the result with V得/不 + complement; a sentence with a potential complement does not use 把.

Common mistakes

~~我把老师的话听不懂。/ *我把今天的作业做得完。~~
我听不懂老师的话。/ 今天的作业我做得完
~~中文广播说得太快了，我不能听懂。~~
我听不懂
~~这些菜你吃得完吃得不完？~~
这些菜你吃得完吃不完？
~~刚来中国时，我一句汉语也没听懂。~~
我一句汉语也听不懂

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