Difference between revisions of "Potential complements"
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− | *大家 都 看 <em>不</em> 懂 这 句 话 。<span class="pinyin">Dàjiā dōu kàn <em>bu</em> dǒng zhè jù huà.</span><span class="trans"> .</span> | + | *大家 都 看 <em>不</em> 懂 这 句 话 。<span class="pinyin">Dàjiā dōu kàn <em>bu</em> dǒng zhè jù huà.</span><span class="trans">Nobody can understand this sentence.</span> |
− | *你 的 声音 太 小 了 ,我们 听 <em>不</em> 见 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de shēngyīn tài xiǎo le, wǒmen tīng <em>bu</em> jiàn.</span><span class="trans"> .</span> | + | *你 的 声音 太 小 了 ,我们 听 <em>不</em> 见 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de shēngyīn tài xiǎo le, wǒmen tīng <em>bu</em> jiàn.</span><span class="trans">Your voice is too low. We can't heat you.</span> |
− | *我 没 戴 眼镜 ,看 <em>不</em> 清楚 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi dài yǎnjìng, kàn <em>bu</em> qīngchu.</span><span class="trans"> .</span> | + | *我 没 戴 眼镜 ,看 <em>不</em> 清楚 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi dài yǎnjìng, kàn <em>bu</em> qīngchu.</span><span class="trans">I don't wear glasses. I can't see it clearly.</span> |
− | *这 件 | + | *这 件 衬衫 太 脏 了 ,我 洗 <em>不</em> 干净 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn chènshān tài zāng le, wǒ xǐ <em>bu</em> gānjìng.</span><span class="trans">This shirt is too dirty. I washed it but it can't come clean.</span> |
− | *门 太 小 了 ,我 的 车 进 <em>不</em> 去 。<span class="pinyin">Mén tài xiǎo le, wǒ de chē jìn <em>bu</em> qù.</span><span class="trans"> .</span> | + | *门 太 小 了 ,我 的 车 进 <em>不</em> 去 。<span class="pinyin">Mén tài xiǎo le, wǒ de chē jìn <em>bu</em> qù.</span><span class="trans">The door is too small. My car can't get in.</span> |
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Revision as of 06:24, 2 August 2017
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Verbs can take potential complements that indicate whether or not the action is actually possible. They are useful in Chinese to say if an action can take place.
Contents
Positive Pattern
Structurally, potential complements are closely related to both result complements and direction complements, so it helps to be familiar with those first. The most important and commonly used potential complements are derived from other complements such as the following:
- Verb + 见 e.g. 看见, 听见 (result complements)
- Verb + 懂 e.g. 看懂, 听懂 (result complements)
- Verb + 完 e.g. 吃完, 做完, 用完, 花完 (result complements)
- Verb + Adj. e.g. 看清楚, 听明白, 洗干净 (result complements)
- Verb + 到 e.g. 找到, 买到, 收到 (result complements)
- Verb + Direction e.g. 上来, 下去, 进去, 起来, 走过去, 爬上去 (direction complements)
Potential complements can be positive or negative. What this means is fairly intuitive - potential complements can be used to express that something can happen or that it can't.
Structure
Verb + 得 + [Complement]
Examples
- 他 一个人 吃 得 完 这么 多 饭 吗 ?Can he eat all the food by himself?
- 我 找 不 到 我 的 手机 了 。I can't find my cellphone.
- 在 上海 买 得 到 这 个 牌子 的 手表 吗 ?Can you buy this brand of watch in Shanghai?
- 早上 五点 出发 , 孩子们 起 得 来 吗 ? We're leaving at five a.m. Will the kids be able to get up this early?
- 这么 高 的 山 ,你 爬 得 上去 吗 ?The mountain is so high. Can you make it to the top?
Negative Pattern
Structure
Verb + 不 + [Complement]
Examples
- 大家 都 看 不 懂 这 句 话 。Nobody can understand this sentence.
- 你 的 声音 太 小 了 ,我们 听 不 见 。Your voice is too low. We can't heat you.
- 我 没 戴 眼镜 ,看 不 清楚 。I don't wear glasses. I can't see it clearly.
- 这 件 衬衫 太 脏 了 ,我 洗 不 干净 。This shirt is too dirty. I washed it but it can't come clean.
- 门 太 小 了 ,我 的 车 进 不 去 。The door is too small. My car can't get in.
See also
Sources and and further reading
Books
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 71) →buy
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 191) →buy
- Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 197) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (pp. 291) →buy
- Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp. 125) →buy
- Contemporary Chinese 2 (当代中文2) (pp. 63) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 99) →buy
Websites
Yale