Difference between revisions of "Potential complements"

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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"> .</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"> .</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"> .</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"> .</span>
 
</div>
 
 
== More Advanced Potential Complement ==
 
 
=== Verb with 不了 and 得了 ===
 
 
==== Structure ====
 
 
This is used to talk about whether or not you are able to do something." It is subtly different from using 不能 because 不了 usually suggests some external factor out of one's control.
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Verb + 得 / 不 + 了
 
 
</div>
 
 
==== Examples ====
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
* 这么 多 饭 , 你 吃 <em>得</em> 了 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Zhème duō fàn, nǐ chī <em> de </em> liǎo ma? </span><span class="trans"></span>
 
* 今晚 我 有 事 , 去 <em>不</em> 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Jīnwǎn wǒ yǒu shì, qù <em>bu</em> liǎo.</span><span class="trans"></span>
 
* 这 件 衣服 太 小 了 , 我 穿 <em>不</em> 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu tài xiǎo le, wǒ chuān <em>bu</em> liǎo.</span><span class="trans"> </span>
 
* 这 件 事情 只 有 你 帮 <em>得</em> 了 我 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shìqing zhī yǒu nǐ bāng <em>de</em> liǎo wǒ.</span><span class="trans"></span>
 
* 明天 的 会议 老板 参加 <em>不</em> 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Míngtiān de huìyì lǎobǎn cānjiā <em>bu</em> liǎo.</span><span class="trans"></span>
 
 
</div>
 
 
=== Verb with 不下 and 得下 ===
 
 
==== Structure ====
 
 
This is used to talk about whether or not something will fit or go somewhere. 经常搭配的动词是"放、坐、拿、吃、住"等。
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Verb + 得 / 不 + 下
 
 
</div>
 
 
==== Examples ====
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
* 我 的 车 太 小 ,坐 <em>不</em> 下 五 个 人 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ de chē tài xiǎo, zuò <em>bu</em> xià wǔ gè rén.</span><span class="trans">My car is too small. Five people can't fit in here.</span>
 
* 她 拿 <em>得</em> 下 那么 多 东西 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Tā ná <em>de</em> xià nàme duō dōngxi ma? </span><span class="trans"> </span>
 
* 你 家 住 <em>得</em> 下 这么 多 人 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiā zhù <em>de</em> xià zhème duō rén ma? </span><span class="trans"> </span>
 
* 我 吃 饱 了 , 真的 吃 <em>不</em> 下 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ chī bǎo le, zhēnde chī <em>bu</em> xià le.</span><span class="trans"> </span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
* [[Potential complement "bu xia"]]
 
* [[Potential complement "bu dong"]]
 
  
 
== Sources and and further reading ==
 
== Sources and and further reading ==

Revision as of 09:14, 24 July 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.

Basic Potential Complement

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 + e.g. 看见, 听见 (result complements)
  • Verb + e.g. 看懂, 听懂 (result complements)
  • Verb + 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 + 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)

Structure

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.

Verb + 得 / 不 + [Complement]

Here the complement is the second part of the potential complement after 得 (positive).

Examples

  • 大家 都 看 懂 这 句 话 。Dàjiā dōu kàn bu dǒng zhè jù huà. .
  • 你 的 声音 太 小 了 ,我们 听 见 。Nǐ de shēngyīn tài xiǎo le, wǒmen tīng bu jiàn. .
  • 他 一个人 吃 完 这么 多 饭 吗 ?Tā yī gè rén chī de wán zhème duō fàn ma? .
  • 我 找 到 我 的 手机 了 。Wǒ zhǎo bu dào wǒ de shǒujī le. .
  • 我 没 戴 眼镜 ,看 清楚 。Wǒ méi dài yǎnjìng, kàn bu qīngchu. .
  • 这 件 衣服 太 脏 了 ,我 洗 干净 。Zhè jiàn yīfu tài zāng le, wǒ xǐ bu gānjìng. .
  • 在 上海 买 到 这 个 牌子 的 手表 吗 ?Zài Shànghǎi mǎi de dào zhè gè páizi de shǒubiǎo ma?  ?
  • 我 总是 收 到 你 的 邮件 。Wǒ zǒngshì shōu bu dào nǐ de yóujiàn. .
  • 门 太 小 了 ,我 的 车 进 去 。Mén tài xiǎo le, wǒ de chē jìn bu qù. .
  • 这么 高 的 山 ,你 爬 上去 吗 ?Zhème gāo de shān, nǐ pá de shàngqù ma? .

See also

Sources and and further reading

Books

Websites

Yale

HSK4