Difference between revisions of "Potential complement "bu liao""

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#REDIRECT[[Advanced potential complements]]
 
 
不了 (bùliǎo) is a very common potential complement that expresses you "can't do something." Note that the "了" here, when acting as part of a [[complement]], is read as "liǎo" and never "le."
 
 
 
== Structure ==
 
 
 
The [[potential complement]] 不了 adds the meaning of "can't" to a verb. It is subtly different from using 不能 because 不了 usually suggests some external factor out of one's control. In practice, however, it's best not to over-analyze the verb or agonize much an external factor is involved, and just get used to which verbs tend to take the 不了 complement.
 
 
 
It is used like this:
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
 
Verb + 不了
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
== Examples ==
 
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
 
* 他 今晚 有事,来  <em>不了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā jīnwǎn yǒu shì, lái <em>buliǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">He has something to do tonight, so he can't come.</span>
 
* 我 还 在 上班,现在 走 <em>不了</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ hái zài shàngbān, zǒu <em>buliǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm still at work. I can't leave.</span>
 
* 我 的 手机 没 电 了,游戏 玩 <em>不了</em> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ de shǒujī méi diàn le, yóuxì wán <em>buliǎo</em> le.</span><span class="trans">My cell phone has run out of power. I can't play the game.</span>
 
* 爸爸 的 车 坏 了,开 <em>不了</em> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Bàba de chē huài le, kāi <em>buliǎo</em> le.</span><span class="trans">Dad's car has broken down. He can't drive it.</span>
 
* 孩子 这么 小, 吃 <em>不了</em> 这么 多 米饭。 <span class="pinyin">Háizi zhème xiǎo, chī <em>buliǎo</em> zhème duō  mǐfàn.</span><span class="trans">The kid is so young. He can't eat so much rice.</span>
 
* 她 的 身体 现在 很 差,生 <em>不了</em> 孩子。 <span class="pinyin">Tā de shēntǐ xiànzài hěn chà, shēng <em>buliǎo</em> háizi.</span><span class="trans">Her health is pretty bad right now. She can't give birth to a baby.</span>
 
* 没有 签证 ,你 就 去 <em>不了</em> 美国。 <span class="pinyin">Méi yǒu qiānzhèng, nǐ jiù qù <em>buliǎo</em> Měiguó.</span><span class="trans">Without a visa, you can't go to America.</span>
 
* 老师 的 嗓子 今天 很 不 舒服,说 <em>不了</em> 话。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī de sǎngzi jīntiān hěn bù shūfu, shuō <em>buliǎo</em> huà.</span><span class="trans">The teacher's throat is not well today. She can't speak.</span>
 
* 这 个 忙,我 真的 帮 <em>不了</em> 你。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège máng, wǒ zhēnde bāng <em>buliǎo</em> nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I really can't help you With this. </span>
 
* 这 里 没有 Wi-Fi, 上  <em>不了</em> 网。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè lǐ méiyǒu Wi-Fi, shàng <em>buliǎo</em> wǎng. </span><span class="trans">There is no wifi here. We can't go online. </span>
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
==See also==
 
* [[Potential complement "bu xia"]]
 
* [[Potential complement "bu dong"]]
 
* [[Positive and negative potential complements]]
 
 
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
 
 
=== Books ===
 
 
 
*[[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (1st ed)]] (p. 203)
 
 
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:Potential complement]]
 
{{Basic Grammar|不了|B1|Verb + 不了|我 去 <em>不了</em> 了。|grammar point|ASG06RSX}}
 
{{Rel char|不}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Structure|Complements}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing impossibility}}
 
{{Subprop|Potential complement}}
 

Latest revision as of 08:23, 29 August 2017