Difference between revisions of "Potential complements"
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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.
 
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.
  
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== Positive Pattern ==
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== 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:
 
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:
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Verb + 不 + [Complement]
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Verb + 不 + [Complement]  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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*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>
 
*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>
  
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</div>
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=== Potential Complements with Objects ===
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Objects in sentences with potential complements can occur either after the complement or at the beginning of a sentence.
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A few examples:
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<div class="liju">
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*我 听 <em>不</em> 见 你 说 的 话 。<span class="trans">I can't hear what you said.</span>
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*你 说 的 话 我 听 <em>不</em> 见 。<span class="trans">I can't hear what you said.</span>
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</div>
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<div class="liju">
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*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>
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*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>
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</div>
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<div class="liju">
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*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>
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*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>
 
</div>
  

Revision as of 08:06, 8 August 2017

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.

Affirmative 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 ？Tā yīgèrén chī de wán zhème duō fàn ma? Can he eat all the food by himself?
  • 我 找 不 到 我 的 手机 了 。Wǒ zhǎo bu dào wǒ de shǒujī le.I can't find my cellphone.
  • 在 上海 买 得 到 这 个 牌子 的 手表 吗 ？Zài Shànghǎi mǎi de dào zhè gè páizi de shǒubiǎo ma? Can you buy this brand of watch in Shanghai?
  • 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 come?
  • 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 make it to the top?

Negative Pattern

Structure

Verb + 不 + [Complement]

Examples

  • 大家 都 看 不 懂 这 句 话 。Dàjiā dōu kàn bu dǒng zhè jù huà.Nobody can understand this sentence.
  • 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.
  • 我 没 戴 眼镜 ，看 不 清楚 。Wǒ méi dài yǎnjìng, kàn bu qīngchu.When I don't wear glasses, I can't see clearly.
  • 这 件 衬衫 太 脏 了 ，我 洗 不 干净 。Zhè jiàn chènshān tài zāng le, wǒ xǐ bu gānjìng.This shirt is too dirty, I can't clean it.
  • 门 太 小 了 ，我 的 车 进 不 去 。Mén tài xiǎo le, wǒ de chē jìn bu qù.The door is too small. My car can't go through it.

Potential Complements with Objects

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

A few examples:

  • 我 听 不 见 你 说 的 话 。I can't hear what you said.
  • 你 说 的 话 我 听 不 见 。I can't hear what you said.
  • 你 吃 得 完 这 一 大 碗 面 吗 ？Can you finish eating this big bowl of noodles?
  • 这 一 大 碗 面 你 吃 得 完 吗 ？Can you finish eating this big bowl of noodles?
  • 你 在 上海 吃 不 到 这样 的 小吃 。You can't eat this kind of street food in Shanghai.
  • 这样 的 小吃 你 在 上海 吃 不 到 。You can't eat this kind of street food in Shanghai.

See also

Sources and and further reading

Books

Websites

Yale

HSK4


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