Difference between revisions of "Potential complement"

Latest revision as of 04:50, 9 March 2019

Level

B1 / HSK3 and HSK4
Level

B1
Level

HSK3, HSK4
Similar to
Similar to
- Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding (HSK2)
- Direction complement (HSK3, HSK4)
- Advanced potential complements (HSK5)
- Advanced result complements "zhu", "kai", and "chulai" (HSK5)
- Complement "-zhao" (HSK5)
Used for

Describing actions
Keywords

不, 得

Verbs can take potential complements to indicate whether or not an action is possible. Potential complements contain a 得 (de) or a 不 (bu) immediate after the verb being modified, and are quite common in everyday spoken Mandarin.

Affirmative Form

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)

These forms will be our starting point for forming potential complements.

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 得 + Complement

Examples

你没戴眼镜，看得清楚吗？Nǐ méi dài yǎnjìng, kàn de qīngchu ma?You didn't wear glasses. Can you see clearly?
他这么粗心，做得好吗？Tā zhème cūxīn, zuò de hǎo ma?He'a so careless. Can he do it well?
你这么聪明，肯定学得会。Nǐ zhème cōngming, kěndìng xué de huì.You're so smart. You can definitely learn this.
早上五点出发，孩子们起得来吗？Zǎoshang wǔdiǎn chūfā, háizi men qǐ de lái ma? We're leaving at five a.m.. Will the kids be able to get up?
这么高的山，你爬得上去吗？Zhème gāo de shān, nǐ pá de shàngqù ma? The mountain is so high. Can you climb to the top?

Negative Form

The only difference between the affirmative and negative forms is swapping a 得 for a 不.

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 不 + Complement

Examples

你的声音太小了，我们听不见。Nǐ de shēngyīn tài xiǎo le, wǒmen tīng bu jiàn.Your voice is too soft. We can't hear you.
这里太暗了，我看不清楚。Zhèlǐ tài àn le, wǒ kàn bu qīngchu.It's too dim here. I can't see clearly.
这个自行车太破了，谁都修不好。Zhège zìxíngchē tài pò le, shéi dōu xiū bu hǎo .This bike is so beaten up. Nobody can fix it.
她的腿受伤了，站不起来了。Tā de tuǐ shòushāng le, zhàn bu qǐlái le.Her leg is injured. She can't stand.
包太小了，手机放不进去。Bāo tài xiǎo le, shǒujī fàng bu jìnqù.The bag is too small. I can't fit the cell phone in it.

Potential Complement with Objects

Objects in sentences with potential complements can occur either after the complement or at the beginning of a sentence.

A few examples:

你听得懂上海话吗？Nǐ tīng de dǒng Shànghǎi-huà ma?Can you understand Shanghai dialect?
她这么小，看得懂这本书吗？Tā zhème xiǎo, kàn de dǒng zhè běn shū ma?She's so young. Can she really understand this book?
我怕我做不好这份工作。Wǒ pà wǒ zuò bu hǎo zhè fèn gōngzuò.I'm afraid that I can't do this job well.
这种手机现在买不到了。Zhè zhǒng shǒujī xiànzài mǎi bu dào le.You can't buy this type of cell phone now.
这本书我一个星期肯定看得完。Zhè běn shū wǒ yī gè xīngiqī kěndìng kàn de wán.I can definitely finish reading this book within one week.

Advanced Potential Complements

There are actually quite a few potential complements out there, and this article touches on some of the simplest and most common ones. Be aware that there are many more, but they all follow the same basic pattern outlined here. You can also refer to our article on advanced potential complements.

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites

Yale

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Grammar Box}}
-[[Category:**URGENT**]]
+Verbs can take potential complements to indicate whether or not an action is possible. Potential complements contain a 得 (de) or a 不 (bu) immediate after the verb being modified, and are quite common in everyday spoken Mandarin.
-Verbs can take [[potential complement]]s that indicate whether or not the action is actually possible. They are useful in Chinese to say if an action can take place.
+== Affirmative Form ==
-== Affirmative Pattern ==
 Structurally, potential complements are closely related to both [[result complement]]s and [[direction complement]]s, 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 + [[见]] e.g. 看见, 听见 ([[result complement]]s)
-* Verb + [[懂]] e.g. 看懂, 听懂 (result complements)
+* Verb + [[懂]] e.g. 看懂, 听懂 ([[result complement]]s)
-* Verb + [[完]] e.g. 吃完, 做完, 用完, 花完 (result complements)
+* Verb + [[完]] e.g. 吃完, 做完, 用完, 花完 ([[result complement]]s)
-* Verb + [[Adjective|Adj.]] e.g. 看清楚, 听明白, 洗干净 (result complements)
+* Verb + [[Adjective|Adj.]] e.g. 看清楚, 听明白, 洗干净 ([[result complement]]s)
-* Verb + [[到]] e.g. 找到, 买到, 收到 (result complements)
+* Verb + [[到]] e.g. 找到, 买到, 收到 ([[result complement]]s)
-* Verb + Direction e.g. 上来, 下去, 进去, 起来, 走过去, 爬上去 (direction complements)
+* Verb + Direction e.g. 上来, 下去, 进去, 起来, 走过去, 爬上去 ([[direction complement]]s)
-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''.
+These forms will be our starting point for forming potential complements.
 === Structure ===
 <div class="jiegou">
-Verb + 得 + Complement
+Subj. + Verb + 得 + Complement
 </div>
@@ Line 28: / Line 26: @@
 <div class="liju">
-*他 一个人 吃 <em>得</em> 完 这么 多 饭 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā yīgèrén chī <em>de</em> wán zhème duō fàn ma? </span><span class="trans">Can he eat all the food by himself?</span>
+*你 没 戴 眼镜 ，看 <em>得</em> <strong>清楚</strong> 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ méi dài yǎnjìng, kàn <em>de</em> <strong>qīngchu</strong> ma?</span><span class="trans">You didn't wear glasses. Can you see clearly?</span>
-*我 找 <em>不</em> 到 我 的 手机 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhǎo <em>bu</em> dào wǒ de shǒujī le.</span><span class="trans">I can't find my cellphone.</span>
+*他 这么 粗心 ，做 <em>得</em> <strong>好</strong> 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā zhème cūxīn, zuò <em>de</em> <strong>hǎo</strong> ma?</span><span class="trans">He'a so careless. Can he do it well?</span>
-*在 上海 买 <em>得</em> 到 这 个 牌子 的 手表 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Zài Shànghǎi mǎi <em>de</em> dào zhè gè páizi de shǒubiǎo ma? </span><span class="trans">Can you buy this brand of watch in Shanghai?</span>
+*你 这么 聪明 ，肯定 学 <em>得</em> <strong>会</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhème cōngming, kěndìng xué <em>de</em> <strong>huì</strong>.</span><span class="trans">You're so smart. You can definitely learn this.</span>
-*早上 五点 出发 ， 孩子们 起 <em>得</em> 来 吗 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zǎoshang wǔdiǎn chūfā, háizi men qǐ <em>de</em> lái ma?</span> <span class="trans">We're leaving at five a.m.; will the kids be able to come?</span>
+*早上 五点 出发 ，孩子们 起 <em>得</em> <strong>来</strong> 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Zǎoshang wǔdiǎn chūfā, háizi men qǐ <em>de</em> <strong>lái</strong> ma?</span> <span class="trans">We're leaving at five a.m.. Will the kids be able to get up?</span>
-*这么 高 的 山 ，你 爬 <em>得</em> 上去 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Zhème gāo de shān, nǐ pá <em>de</em> shàngqù ma? </span><span class="trans">The mountain is so high. Can you make it to the top?</span>
+*这么 高 的 山 ，你 爬 <em>得</em> <strong>上去</strong> 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Zhème gāo de shān, nǐ pá <em>de</em> <strong>shàngqù</strong> ma? </span><span class="trans">The mountain is so high. Can you climb to the top?</span>
 </div>
-== Negative Pattern ==
+== Negative Form ==
+The only difference between the affirmative and negative forms is swapping a 得 for a 不.
 === Structure ===
 <div class="jiegou">
-Verb + 不 + Complement
+Subj. + Verb + 不 + Complement
 </div>
@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 <div class="liju">
-*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> <strong>见</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de shēngyīn tài xiǎo le, wǒmen tīng <em>bu</em> <strong>jiàn</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Your voice is too soft. We can't hear you.</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 soft. We can't hear you.</span>
+*这里 太 暗 了 ，我 看 <em>不</em> <strong>清楚</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ tài àn le, wǒ kàn <em>bu</em> <strong>qīngchu</strong>.</span><span class="trans">It's too dim here. I can't see clearly.</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">When I don't wear glasses, I can't see clearly.</span>
+*这个 自行车 太 破 了 ，谁 都 修 <em>不</em> <strong>好</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège zìxíngchē tài pò le, shéi dōu xiū <em>bu</em> <strong>hǎo</strong> .</span><span class="trans">This bike is so beaten up. Nobody can fix it.</span>
-*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 can't clean it.</span>
+*她 的 腿 受伤 了 ，站 <em>不</em> <strong>起来</strong> 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā de tuǐ shòushāng le, zhàn <em>bu</em> <strong>qǐlái</strong>  le.</span><span class="trans">Her leg is injured. She can't stand.</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 go through it.</span>
+*包 太 小 了 ，手机 放 <em>不</em> <strong>进去</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Bāo tài xiǎo le, shǒujī fàng <em>bu</em> <strong>jìnqù</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The bag is too small. I can't fit the cell phone in it.</span>
 </div>
-== Potential Complements with Objects ==
+== Potential Complement with Objects ==
 Objects in sentences with potential complements can occur either after the complement or at the beginning of a sentence.
@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 <div class="liju">
-*我 听 <em>不</em> 见 你 说 的 话 。<span class="trans">I can't hear what you said.</span>
-*你 说 的 话 我 听 <em>不</em> 见 。<span class="trans">I can't hear what you said.</span>
-</div>
-<div class="liju">
+*你 听 <em>得</em> <strong>懂</strong> 上海话 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ tīng <em>de</em> <strong>dǒng</strong> Shànghǎi-huà ma?</span><span class="trans">Can you understand Shanghai dialect?</span>
-*你 吃 <em>得</em> 完 这 一 大 碗 面 吗 ？<span class="trans">Can you finish eating this big bowl of noodles?</span>
+*她 这么 小 ，看 <em>得</em> <strong>懂</strong> 这 本 书 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā zhème xiǎo, kàn <em>de</em> <strong>dǒng</strong> zhè běn shū ma?</span><span class="trans">She's so young. Can she really understand this book?</span>
-*这 一 大 碗 面 你 吃 <em>得</em> 完 吗 ？<span class="trans">Can you finish eating this big bowl of noodles?</span>
+*我怕 我 做 <em>不</em> <strong>好</strong> 这份 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ pà wǒ zuò <em>bu</em> <strong>hǎo</strong> zhè fèn gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid that I can't do this job well.</span>
-</div>
+*这 种 手机 现在 买 <em>不</em> <strong>到</strong> 了 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng shǒujī xiànzài mǎi <em>bu</em> <strong>dào</strong> le.</span><span class="trans">You can't buy this type of cell phone now.</span>
+*这本书 我 一个星期 肯定 看 <em>得</em> <strong>完</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè běn shū wǒ yī gè xīngiqī kěndìng kàn <em>de</em> <strong>wán</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I can definitely finish reading this book within one week.</span>
-<div class="liju">
-*你 在 上海 吃 <em>不</em> 到 这样 的 小吃 。<span class="trans">You can't eat this kind of street food in Shanghai.</span>
-*这样 的 小吃 你 在 上海 吃 <em>不</em> 到 。<span class="trans">You can't eat this kind of street food in Shanghai.</span>
 </div>
 == Advanced Potential Complements ==
-There are actually quite a few potential complements out there, and this article touches on some of the simplest and most common ones. Be aware that there are many more, but they all follow the same basic pattern outlined here. You can also see our article on [[advanced potential complements]].
+There are actually quite a few potential complements out there, and this article touches on some of the simplest and most common ones. Be aware that there are many more, but they all follow the same basic pattern outlined here. You can also refer to our article on [[advanced potential complements]].
 == See also ==
-== Sources and and further reading ==
+* [[Result complements]]
+* [[Advanced potential complements]]
+== Sources and further reading ==
 === Books ===
-* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 71) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy]
+{{Source|HSK Standard Course 3|49}}
-* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 191) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
+{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4下|118}}
-* [[Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)]] (pp. 197) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7301075294/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7301075294 →buy]
+{{Source|Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar|71}}
-* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2]] (pp. 291) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
+{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|191}}
-* [[Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)]] (pp. 125) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001N6R7DI&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001N6R7DI →buy]
+{{Source|Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)|197}}
-* [[Contemporary Chinese 2 (当代中文2)]] (pp. 63) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7800529029/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7800529029 →buy]
+{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2|291}}
-* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 99) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy]
+{{Source|Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)|125}}
+{{Source|Contemporary Chinese 2 (当代中文2)|63}}
+{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|99}}
 === Websites ===
@@ Line 103: / Line 103: @@
 [[Category:B1 grammar points]]
+{{HSK|HSK3}}
+{{HSK|HSK4}}
 [[Category:Potential complement]]
-{{Basic Grammar|得|B1|Verb + 得 / 不⋯⋯|做 <em>得</em> 完/做 <em>不</em> 完。吃 <em>得</em> 了/吃 <em>不</em> 了。|grammar point|ASGCPJPQ}}
+{{Basic Grammar|得|B1|Verb + 得 / 不 + Complement|做 <em>得</em> 完 / 做 <em>不</em> 完|grammar point|ASGCPJPQ}}
 {{Rel char|不}}
 {{Structure|Complements}}
-{{Similar|Potential complement "bu xia"}}
+{{Similar|Advanced potential complements}}
-{{Similar|Potential complement "bu dong"}}
 {{Similar|The "-bu dong" (don't understand) Potential Complement}}
 {{Used for|Describing actions}}
 {{Subprop|Potential complement}}

Difference between revisions of "Potential complement"

Latest revision as of 04:50, 9 March 2019

Contents

Affirmative Form

Structure

Examples

Negative Form

Structure

Examples

Potential Complement with Objects

Advanced Potential Complements

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites

Yale