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[[#|[[File:Potential%20complement%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/cog.png]]]] = Potential complement =
  • Level
    [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points B1]
  • Similar to
    • [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Potential_complement_%22-bu_dong%22_for_not_understanding Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding] (A2)
    • [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Direction_complement Direction complement] (B1)
    • [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Advanced_potential_complements Advanced potential complements] (B2)
    • [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Advanced_result_complements Advanced result complements] (B2)
    • [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22zhao%22_as_complement Using "zhao" as complement] (B2)
  • Used for
    [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Describing_actions Describing actions]
  • Keywords
    [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%BE%97 得], [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%B8%8D 不]
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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.
== Contents ==  [[[#|hide]]] 
* [[#Affirmative_Form|1 Affirmative Form]] ** [[#Structure|1.1 Structure]] ** [[#Examples|1.2 Examples]] * [[#Negative_Form|2 Negative Form]] ** [[#Structure_2|2.1 Structure]] ** [[#Examples_2|2.2 Examples]] * [[#Potential_Complement_with_Objects|3 Potential Complement with Objects]] * [[#Advanced_Potential_Complements|4 Advanced Potential Complements]] * [[#See_also|5 See also]] * [[#Sources_and_and_further_reading|6 Sources and and further reading]] ** [[#Books|6.1 Books]] ** [[#Websites|6.2 Websites]] *** [[#Yale|6.2.1 Yale]]
== Affirmative Form == Structurally, potential complements are closely related to both [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complement result complements] and [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Direction_complement 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 + [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%A7%81 见] e.g. 看见, 听见 (result complements) * Verb + [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%87%82 懂] e.g. 看懂, 听懂 (result complements) * Verb + [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%AE%8C 完] e.g. 吃完, 做完, 用完, 花完 (result complements) * Verb + [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adjective Adj.] e.g. 看清楚, 听明白, 洗干净 (result complements) * Verb + [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%88%B0 到] 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) 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''. === Structure ===
Subj. + Verb + 得 + Complement
=== Examples ===
* 你 没 戴 眼镜 ,看 ''得'' '''清楚''' 吗 ?Nǐ méi dài yǎnjìng, kàn ''de'' '''qīngchu''' ma?You didn't wear glasses. Can you see things clearly? * 他 这么 粗心 ,做 ''得'' '''好''' 吗 ?Tā zhème cūxīn, zuò ''de'' '''hǎo''' ma?He'a so careless. Can he do it well? * 你 这么 聪明 ,肯定 学 ''得'' '''会''' 。Nǐ zhème cōngming, kěndìng xué ''de'' '''huì'''.You're so smart. You can definitely learn this. * 早上 五点 出发 ,孩子们 起 ''得'' '''来''' 吗 ?Zǎoshang wǔdiǎn chūfā, háizi men qǐ ''de'' '''lái''' ma? We're leaving at five a.m.. Will the kids be able to get up? * 这么 高 的 山 ,你 爬 ''得'' '''上去''' 吗 ?Zhème gāo de shān, nǐ pá ''de'' '''shàngqù''' ma? The mountain is so high. Can you make it to the top?
== Negative Form == === Structure ===
Subj. + Verb + 不 + Complement
=== Examples ===
* 你 的 声音 太 小 了 ,我们 听 ''不'' '''见''' 。Nǐ de shēngyīn tài xiǎo le, wǒmen tīng ''bu'' '''jiàn'''.Your voice is too soft. We can't hear you. * 这里 太 暗 了 ,我 看 ''不'' '''清楚''' 。Zhèlǐ tài àn le, wǒ kàn ''bu'' '''qīngchu'''.It's too dim here. I can't see clearly. * 这个 自行车 太 破 了 ,谁 都 修 ''不'' '''好''' 。Zhège zìxíngchē tài pò le, shéi dōu xiū ''bu'' '''hǎo''' .This bike is so broken. Nobody can fix it. * 她 的 腿 受伤 了 ,站 ''不'' '''起来''' 了 。Tā de tuǐ shòushāng le, zhàn ''bu'' '''qǐlái''' le.Her leg is injured. She can't stand. * 包 太 小 了 ,手机 放 ''不'' '''进去''' 。Bāo tài xiǎo le, shǒujī fàng ''bu'' '''jìnqù'''.The bag is too small. I can't fit the cell phone in it.
== Potential Complement with Objects == Objects in sentences with potential complements can occur either after the complement or at the beginning of a sentence. A few examples:
* 你 听 ''得'' '''懂''' 上海话 吗 ?Nǐ tīng ''de'' '''dǒng''' Shànghǎi-huà ma?Can you understand Shanghai dialect? * 她 这么 小 ,看 ''得'' '''懂''' 这 本 书 吗 ?Tā zhème xiǎo, kàn ''de'' '''dǒng''' zhè běn shū ma?She's so young. Can she really understand this book? * 我怕 我 做 ''不'' '''好''' 这份 工作 。Wǒ pà wǒ zuò ''bu'' '''hǎo''' zhè fèn gōngzuò.I'm afraid that I can't do this job well. * 这 种 手机 现在 买 ''不'' '''到''' 了 。Zhè zhǒng shǒujī xiànzài mǎi ''bu'' '''dào''' le.You can't buy this type of cell phone now. * 这本书 我 一个星期 肯定 看 ''得'' '''完''' 。Zhè běn shū wǒ yī gè xīngiqī kěndìng kàn ''de'' '''wán'''.I can definitely finish reading this book within one week.
== Advanced Potential Complements == There are actually quite a few potential complements out there, and this article touches on some of the simplest and most common ones. Be aware that there are many more, but they all follow the same basic pattern outlined here. You can also see our article on [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Advanced_potential_complements advanced potential complements]. == See also == * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complements Result complements] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Advanced_potential_complements Advanced potential complements] == Sources and and further reading == === Books === * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar] (pp. 71) [http://amzn.to/2ykU1OD →buy] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide] (pp. 191) [http://amzn.to/2xCpX2m →buy] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Boya_Chinese_Elementary_Starter_1_(%E5%8D%9A%E9%9B%85%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%88%9D%E7%BB%8F%E8%B5%B7%E6%AD%A5%E7%AF%87) Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)] (pp. 197) [http://amzn.to/2hbyxKi →buy] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2 Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2] (pp. 291) [http://amzn.to/2femBuy →buy] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Practicing_HSK_Grammar_(%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E7%B2%BE%E8%AE%B2%E7%B2%BE%E7%82%BC) Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)] (pp. 125) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001N6R7DI&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001N6R7DI →buy] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Contemporary_Chinese_2_(%E5%BD%93%E4%BB%A3%E4%B8%AD%E6%96%872) Contemporary Chinese 2 (当代中文2)] (pp. 63) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7800529029/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7800529029 →buy] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_3_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC3) New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)] (pp. 99) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy] === Websites === ==== Yale ==== * [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/potential/grammar/potential.htm The Potential Complement] * [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/degree/grammar/Degree-6.htm Potential Complement And Degree Complement In Contrast]

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