Potential complement

Also known as: 可能补语 (kěnéngbǔyǔ)  and complements of potentiality .

Potential complements are used to express the possibility of achieving an expected result in Mandarin.

Potential forms most commonly occur in negative statements. Affirmative statements using the potential form are somewhat uncommon, and usually occur as answers to questions (or as rebuttals).

Formation of Potential Complements

For affirmative potential complements, 得 is placed between the action verb and the complement. For negative potential complements, 不 is placed between the action verb and complement. The structure of the potential form is:

V + 得/不 + complement

Putting 得 or 不 between an action verb and a result complement or direction complement changes them to potential complements.

Resultative, Directional and Potential Complements

Resultative Complement	Directional Complement	Aff. Potential Complement	Neg. Potential Complement
做 完		做 得 完	做 不 完
听 懂		听 得 懂	听 不 懂
	起 来	起 得 来	起 不 来
	爬上来	爬 得 上来	爬 不 上来

Objects with potential complements

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

Objects occurring at the beginning of a sentence with a potential complement

Object	Subject	Complement Phrase
这个汉堡	我	吃得完
山	他	爬不上来

Objects occurring at the end of a sentence with a potential complement

Subject	Complement Phrase	Object
我	吃得完	这个汉堡
他	爬不上来	山

Particles, Auxiliary Verbs and Objects with Potential Form

• Aspectual particles 了, 着, and 过 never occur after a verb with a potential complement. subject predicate structure.
• Auxiliary verbs of possibility (可能, 可以, etc.) can be used in an affirmative potential complement statement and do not change the meaning of the sentence. They do not occur in negative potential complement sentences.
• Objects and occur before or after a potential form.