Complements of Possibility (1) – 可能补语 (1)

Complements of Possibility (1) – 可能补语 (1)

In Chinese, the complements of possibility can be used to indicate whether or not an action or a result caused by an action can be obtained, accomplished or realized.

1. The complements can be adjectives or verbs.

The affirmative form：

Verb + 得 + Adjective / Verb 2

e.g.

简单的句子我都听得懂。(Jiǎndān de jùzi wǒ dōu tīng de dǒng.) I can understand all simple sentences.

远处的风景大家都能看得清楚。(Yuǎn chù de fēngjǐng dàjiā dōu néng kàn de qīngchǔ.) Everyone can see the distant scenery clearly.

妈妈擦得干净这些窗户。(Māma cā de gānjìng zhèxiē chuānghù.)Mom can clean all these windows.

我当然买得到下个月的门票。(Wǒ dāngrán mǎi de dào xià gè yuè de ménpiào.) Of course, I can get tickets for next month.

 

The negative form：

Verb + 不 + Complement / Verb 2

e.g.

衣服太脏了，洗不干净了。(Yīfu tài zàngle, xǐ bù gānjìngle.) The clothes are too dirty to wash.

楼太高了，我上不去。(Lóu tài gāole, wǒ shàng bú qù.) The building is too high for me to go up.

If the potential complement is a compound directional complement and the object is a quantifier, the object can be put between compound directional complement or after compound directional complement.

e.g.

I couldn’t take out the money.

我拿不出这些钱来。(Wǒ ná bù chū zhèxiē qián lái.) = 我拿不出来这些钱。(Wǒ ná bù chūlái zhèxiē qián.)

 

The room is too small to move in a table.

房间太小了，搬不进一张桌子来。(Fángjiān tài xiǎole, bān bù jìn yī zhāng zhuōzi lái.) = 房间太小了，搬不进来一张桌子。(Fángjiān tài xiǎole, bān bù jìnlái yī zhāng zhuōzi.)

The interrogative question form:

Verb + 得 + Adjective + Verb + 不 + Adjective

Verb + 得 + Verb 2 + Verb + 不 + Verb 2

Verb + 得 + Adjective / Verb 2 + 吗

e.g.

Can these clothes be washed clean?

这些衣服洗得干净洗不干净？(Zhèxiē yīfu xǐ de gānjìng xǐ bù gānjìng?)

这些衣服洗得干净吗？(Zhèxiē yīfu xǐ de gānjìng ma?)

 

Do you understand these articles?

这些文章你看得懂看不懂？(Zhèxiē wénzhāng nǐ kàn de dǒng kàn bù dǒng?)

这些文章你看得懂吗？(Zhèxiē wénzhāng nǐ kàn de dǒng ma?)

The object position:

Object + Verb + 得/不 + Complement

Verb + 得/不 + Complement + Object

e.g.

I can drink up these beers.

我喝得完这些啤酒。(Wǒ hē de wán zhèxiē píjiǔ.) / 这些啤酒我喝得完。(Zhèxiē píjiǔ wǒ hē de wán.)

I can’t drink up these beers.

我喝不完这些啤酒。(Wǒ hē bù wán zhèxiē píjiǔ.) / 这些啤酒我喝不完。(Zhèxiē píjiǔ wǒ hē bù wán.)

 

I can wash these clothes clean.

我洗得干净这些衣服。(Wǒ xǐ de gānjìng zhèxiē yīfu.) / 这些衣服我洗得干净。(Zhèxiē yīfu wǒ xǐ de gānjìng.)

I can’t wash these clothes clean.

我洗不干净这些衣服。(Wǒ xǐ bù gānjìng zhèxiē yīfu.) /这些衣服我洗不干净。(Zhèxiē yīfu wǒ xǐ bù gānjìng.)

 

2. The complements of this type of sentence can be “了”(liǎo), which indicates the action being completed or done.

The affirmative form：

Verb + 得 + 了

The negative form：

Verb + 不 + 了

The affirmative-negative question form:

Verb + 得 + 了 + Verb + 不 + 了 ？

e.g.

明天的比赛你参加得了参加不了？(Míngtiān de bǐsài nǐ cānjiā de liǎo cānjiā bùliǎo？) Can you participate in tomorrow’s game or not?

我不舒服，明天的比赛我参加不了。(Wǒ bù shūfu, míngtiān de bǐsài wǒ cānjiā bùliǎo.) I’m not feeling well, I can’t participate in the game tomorrow.

 

你上得了周末的课吗？(Nǐ shàng deliǎo zhōumò de kè ma?) Will you have the weekend class?

我要去北京，周末上不了课。(Wǒ yào qù Běijīng, zhōumò shàng bùliǎo kè.) I’m going to Beijing and I couldn’t have classes on weekend.

周老师呢？她上得了上不了？(Zhōu lǎoshī ne? Tā shàng déliǎo shàng bùliǎo?) What about Teacher Zhou? Can she take it or not?

Note that in the negative form of the complements of possibility, 不 should be put after the verb which indicates the objective condition is not allowed. While “不能 + Verb” indicates that it’s not permitted or forbidden, “不会 + verb” indicates the lack of some abilities.

e.g.

楼太高了，我上不去。

>> The building is too high to go up. The objective condition is not allowed.

 

我不能上去。

>> I’m not permitted or forbidden to go up.

 

我不会上去。

>> I don’t acquire the ability to go up. I don’t know how to go up.

 

我游不了泳。

>> The objective condition is not allowed me to swim. Maybe the water is dirty, maybe it’s too cold.

 

我不能游泳。

>> I’m not permitted or forbidden to swim.

 

我不会游泳。

>> I don’t know how to swim. I don’t acquire the ability to swim.