Potential Complements (得/不)
V + 得 + result = can do; V + 不 + result = can't do. 听得懂/听不懂, 做得到/做不到. Questions: 你做得完吗? How potential complements differ from resultative complements.
A lesson of Mandarin A2 — Elementary, in Complements, about 10 minutes.
可能补语 Potential Complements (得/不)
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to express whether something can or cannot be accomplished using potential complements.
What Is a Potential Complement?
A potential complement says whether the result of an action can or cannot be achieved. It uses 得 (de) for "can" and 不 (bù) for "cannot" inserted between the verb and its resultative complement.
Formula: V + 得 + result = can do | V + 不 + result = cannot do
Formation
Take any resultative complement pair and insert 得 or 不:
| Resultative | V + 得 + result | V + 不 + result |
|---|---|---|
| 写完 finish writing | 写得完 (can finish writing) | 写不完 (can't finish writing) |
| 听懂 understand (by listening) | 听得懂 (can understand) | 听不懂 (can't understand) |
| 做到 accomplish | 做得到 (can accomplish) | 做不到 (can't accomplish) |
| 看见 see | 看得见 (can see) | 看不见 (can't see) |
| 吃完 finish eating | 吃得完 (can finish eating) | 吃不完 (can't finish eating) |
| 走完 walk to the end | 走得完 (can make it) | 走不完 (can't make it) |
| 睡着 fall asleep | 睡得着 (can fall asleep) | 睡不着 (can't fall asleep) |
Examples in Sentences
Affirmative (can):
- 这个字我看得懂。— I can understand this character.
- 你做得完吗？— Can you finish it?
- 今天的作业我写得完。— I can finish today's homework.
Negative (cannot):
- 他说得太快，我听不懂。— He speaks too fast; I can't understand.
- 今天的作业太多，我写不完。— There's too much homework; I can't finish it.
- 我睡不着。— I can't fall asleep.
Questions with Potential Complements
To ask, simply add 吗 or use the affirmative-negative form: