Advanced potential complements

You may have a handle on the typical potential complements, but there are a few other fairly common ones that you still need to master. Each is addressed separately here, but for all of them, the preceding character 得 (de) or 不 (bu) is pronounced in the neutral tone.

Verbs with -不了 and -得了

Structure

This pattern is used to talk about whether or not you are able to do something. It is subtly different from using "不能 + Verb" because "Verb + 不了" usually suggests some external factor out of one's control.

Verb + 得了 / 不了

Note that the character 了 here is pronounced "liǎo."

Examples

• 他 那么 老 ，走 得 了 那么 多 路 吗 ？Tā nàme lǎo, zǒu deliǎo nàme duō lù ma?He's so old. Will he be able to walk that far?
• 今晚 我 有 事 ，去 不 了 。Jīn wǎn wǒ yǒushì, qù buliǎo.I have things to do tonight. I won't be able to go.
• 这 件 衣服 太 小 了 ，我 穿 不 了 。Zhè jiàn yīfu tài xiǎo le, wǒ chuān buliǎo.This piece of clothing is too small. I won't be able to wear it.
• 这 件 事情 只 有 你 帮 得 了 我 。Zhè jiàn shìqing zhǐyǒu nǐ bāng deliǎo wǒ.You're the only one who is able to help me with this.
• 他 没 什么 经验 ，处理 不 了 这样 的 问题 。Tā méi shénme jīngyàn, chǔlǐ buliǎo zhèyàng de wèntí.He doesn't have much experience. He is not able deal with this kind of problem.

Verbs with -不下 and -得下

Structure

This is used to talk about whether or not something will fit or go somewhere. Commonly used with the verbs 放, 坐, 住, 装, 吃.

Verb + 得下 / 不下

Examples

• 我 吃 饱 了 ，真的 吃 不 下 了 。Wǒ chī bǎo le, zhēn de chī buxià le.I'm full. I don't feel like eating more.
• 你 包 里 放 得 下 那么 多 东西 吗 ？Nǐ bāo lǐ fàng dexià nàme duō dōngxī ma?Can your bag hold that many things?
• 我 的 车 太 小 ，坐 不 下 五 个 人 。 Wǒ de chē tài xiǎo, zuò buxià wǔ gèrén.My car is too small. Five people will not fit in it.
• 我 的 箱子 这么 大 ，肯定 装 得 下 这些 衣服 。Wǒ de xiāngzi zhème dà, kěndìng zhuāng dexià zhèxiē yīfu.I'm sure my suitcase is big enough for these clothes.
• 你 一个人 拿 得 下 这么 多 东西 吗 ？Nǐ yīgèrén ná dexià zhème duō dōngxī ma?Can you carry this many things all by yourself?

Verbs with -不起 and -得起

This complement is related to being "able to afford" something or some cost. So -不起 means "can't afford to," and -得起 means "can afford to."

Structure

Verb + 得起 / 不起 + Obj.

Examples

• 那 件 衣服 是 你 两 个 月 的 工资 ，买 得 起 吗？Nà jiàn yīfu shì nǐ liǎng gè yuè de gōngzī, mǎi deqǐ ma?That piece of clothing is worth two months of your salary. Can you afford to buy it?
• 这 家 餐厅 太 贵 了 ，我们 吃 不 起 。Zhè jiā cāntīng tài guì le, wǒmen chī buqǐ.This restaurant is too expensive. We can't afford to eat here.
• 这里 房子 的 租金 最少 也 要 一 万 块 ，你 租 得 起 吗 ？Zhèlǐ fángzi de zūjīn zuìshǎo yě yào yī wàn kuài, nǐ zū deqǐ ma?This apartment's rent is at least 10,000 RMB. Can you afford to rent it?
• 很 多 人 不 生 二胎 不是 因为 不 想 要 ，是 因为 成本 太 高 ，养 不 起 。Hěnduō rén bù shēng èrtāi bù shì yīnwèi bù xiǎng yào, shì yīnwèi chéngběn tài gāo, yǎng buqǐ.Many people don't have a second child not because they don't want to, but because costs are too high. They can't afford to raise another kid.

Verbs with -不动 and -得动

Structure

The potential complement -不动 is used to indicate the lack of energy or physical strength required to do something. This can be used not only with actions like walking, running or climbing, but even actions like eating and chewing.

Verb + 得动 / 不动

Examples

• 我 走 不 动 了，我们 休息 一下 吧 ！Wǒ zǒu budòng le, wǒmen xiūxí yīxià ba!I can't keep going. I need to rest a bit.
• 等等 我，我 跑 不 动 了！Děng děng wǒ, wǒ pǎo budòng le!Wait for me. I can't keep running.
• 你 才 一百 斤 ，我 背 得 动 你 。Nǐ cái yībǎi jīn, wǒ bèi dedòng nǐ.You are only 50 kilograms. I can carry you.
• 孩子 真的 长大 了，妈妈 都 抱 不 动 了 。Háizi zhēn de zhǎng dà le, māma dōu bào budòng le.The child is all grown up. His mother can't hold him anymore.
• 这么 重 ，他 一个人 搬 得 动 吗 ？Zhème zhòng, tā yī gè rén bān dedòng ma?It's so heavy. Can he move it by himself?

Verbs with -不着 and -得着

Similar to -到, the complement -着 (zháo) can denote that someone's one's ability is up (or not) to the task in question.

Structure

Verb + 得着 / 不着

Note that the character 着 here is pronounced "zháo."

Examples

• 太 高 了 ，我 够 不 着 。Tài gāo le, wǒ gòu buzháo.It's too high. I can't reach it.
• 这么 吵 ，你 睡 得 着 吗 ？Zhème chǎo, nǐ shuì dezháo ma?It's so noisy. Can you sleep?
• 太 难 了 ，我 猜 不 着 。Tài nán le, wǒ cāi bù zháo.It's too hard. I can't guess.

This one is a little tricky, so find more examples in -着's dedicated grammar point.

See also

• Potential complement

Sources and further reading

Books

• HSK Standard Course 5上 (pp. 118) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

HSK5