Potential complement V得/不

HSK 5

Complements

Structure (结构 jiégòu)

Affirmative: Verb得Complement. Negative: Verb不Complement.

Meaning (意思 yìsi)

The potential complement V+得/不+C expresses whether an action can or cannot achieve a certain result.

Explanation (解释 jiěshì)

The potential complement indicates whether an action can achieve its desired result due to objective conditions. It differs from 能 (ability) and 会 (skill).

Affirmative form V + 得 + C means "can do (successfully)".
Negative form V + 不 + C means "cannot do (successfully)".

For example, 听得懂 (can understand by listening) and 听不懂 (cannot understand by listening). C is typically a resultative complement (完, 见) or a directional complement (上来, 过去).

Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)

老师说太快，我听不懂。
繁: 老師說太快，我聽不懂。Lǎoshī shuō tài kuài, wǒ tīng bu dǒng.
The teacher spoke too quickly and I couldn't understand.
今天的作业太多，我做不完。
繁: 今天的作業太多，我做不完。Jīntiān de zuòyè tài duō, wǒ zuò bu wán.
Today's homework is too much; I can't finish it all.
你看得清楚黑板上的字吗？
繁: 你看得清楚黑板上的字嗎？Nǐ kàn de qīngchu hēibǎn shàng de zì ma?
Can you see the characters on the blackboard clearly?
这么晚了，你回得去吗？
繁: 這麼晚了，你回得去嗎？Zhème wǎn le, nǐ huí de qù ma?
It's so late now, will you be able to get back?
那件衣服太贵，我买不起。
繁: 那件衣服太貴，我買不起。Nà jiàn yīfu tài guì, wǒ mǎi bu qǐ.
That piece of clothing is too expensive, I can't afford it.

Common mistakes

Wrong:我不能做完作业。
Correct:我做不完作业。
Use `做不完` to emphasize that the amount of homework is so excessive that it cannot be completed, rather than `不能` which indicates general inability.
Wrong:我看得不懂。
Correct:我看不懂。
The negative form of the potential complement is formed by replacing `得` with `不`, not by adding `不` after `得`.