Potential complement "bu liao"

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

It is used like this:

Verb + 不了

Examples

  • 他 今晚 有事,来 不了Tā jīnwǎn yǒu shì, lái bùliǎo.He has something to do tonight, so he can't come.
  • 我 还 在 上班,现在 走 不了Wǒ hái zài shàngbān, zǒu bùliǎo.I'm still at work. I can't leave.
  • 我 的 手机 没 电 了,游戏 玩 不了 了。 Wǒ de shǒujī méi diàn le, yóuxì wán bùliǎo le.My cell phone has run out of power. I can't play the game.
  • 爸爸 的 车 坏 了,开 不了 了。 Bàba de chē huài le, kāi bùliǎo le. Dad's car has broken down. He can't drive it.
  • 孩子 这么 小, 吃 不了 这么 多 米饭。 Háizi zhème xiǎo, chī bùliǎo zhème duō mǐfàn.The kid is so young. He can't eat so much rice.
  • 她 的 身体 现在 很 差,生 不了 孩子。 Tā de shēntǐ xiànzài hěn chà, shēng bùliǎo háizi.Her health is pretty bad right now. She can't give birth to a baby.
  • 没有 签证 ,你 就 去 不了 美国。 Méi yǒu qiānzhèng, nǐ jiù qù bùliǎo Měiguó. Without visa, you ca't go to America.
  • 老师 的 嗓子 今天 很 不 舒服,说 不了 话。 Lǎoshī de sǎngzi jīntiān hěn bù shūfu, shuō bùliǎo huà.The teacher's throat is not well today. She can't speak.
  • 这 个 忙,我 真的 帮 不了 你。 Zhè ge máng, wǒ zhēnde bāng bùliǎo nǐ. With this, I really can't help you.
  • 这 里 没有 Wi-Fi, 上 不了 网。 Zhè lǐ méi yǒu Wi-Fi, shàng bùliǎo wǎng .There is no wifi here. We can't go online.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4