The Complement of Result (2) – 结果补语 （2）

The Complement of Result (2) – 结果补语 (2)

The complement of the result indicates the result of an action or a change of something. Since most Mandarin verbs do not indicate the result, the result complement is more basic and confirms whether a verb is completed successfully or not.

Verb + 到/住/走

Common result complement: 到、住、走

• 到：reaching the end or goal by the action.

  走到 (walk to)、借到 (bought)、跑到(run to) and etc.

e.g.

我买到汉语书了。(Wǒ mǎi dào hànyǔ shūle.) I bought the Chinese book.

>> 到 indicates the result of “买(purchase).”

• 住：the position of the person or object is fixed by the action.

  站住(stand still)、停住(stop)、接住(catch) and etc.

 e.g.

昨天学的生词我都记住了。(Zuótiān xué de shēngcí wǒ dōu jì zhùle.) I have remembered all the new words I learned yesterday.

>> 住 represents the result of “记(remembering).”

•  走：somebody or something leaves the original position.

  借走(borrow)、偷走(steal)、带走(bring) and etc.

e.g.

我把他的自行车骑走了。(Wǒ bǎ tā de zìxíngchē qí zǒule.) I rode his bicycle away.

>> 走 indicates the result of the action “骑(riding).”

 

Note that If there is an object in the sentence, the object is either followed or preceded by the structure. No words are used in between the structure.

e.g.

I have bought the Chinese book.

我买到汉语书了。(Wǒ mǎi dào hànyǔ shūle.) I

汉语书我买到了。(Hànyǔ shū wǒ mǎi dào le.)

The verbs with result phrases can be followed by 了 or 过, but can’t be followed by 着.

e.g.

她得到过一次第一名。(Tā dédào guò yīcì dì yī míng.) She won first place once.

我把你的书拿走了。(Wǒ bǎ nǐ de shū ná zǒu le.) I took your book away. 

The Negative form：

没(有) / 不 + Verb + Complement of result

Note that if the resultant complements are followed by 了, the word 了 should be removed. That is, 没有 and 了 should not be used together. 

e.g.

她没有得到过第一名。(Tā méiyǒu dédàoguò dì yī míng.) She has never won first place.

我没有把你的书拿走。(Wǒ méiyǒu bǎ nǐ de shū ná zǒu.) I didn’t take your book away.

Note that “不 + verb + resultant complement” can only be used in hypothetical sentences. 

e.g.

你不复习，就不能得到第一名。(Nǐ bù fùxí, jiù bùnéng dédào dì yī míng.) You can’t get first place without review.

你不做完作业，就不能看电视。(Nǐ bù zuò wán zuòyè, jiù bùnéng kàn diànshì.) If you haven’t finished the homework, you are not allowed to watch TV.