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Level

[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

Similar to

- [Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Potential_complement_%22-bu_dong%22_for_not_understanding) (A2) - [Direction complement](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Direction_complement) (B1) - [Advanced potential complements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Advanced_potential_complements) (B2) - [Advanced result complements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Advanced_result_complements) (B2) - [Using "zhao" as complement](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22zhao%22_as_complement) (B2)

Used for

[Describing actions](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Describing_actions)

Keywords

[得](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%BE%97), [不](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%B8%8D)

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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]([# "wikilink")\]

- [1 Affirmative Form](#Affirmative_Form "wikilink") - [1.1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [1.2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [2 Negative Form](#Negative_Form "wikilink") - [2.1 Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink") - [2.2 Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink") - [3 Potential Complement with Objects](#Potential_Complement_with_Objects "wikilink") - [4 Advanced Potential Complements](#Advanced_Potential_Complements "wikilink") - [5 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [6 Sources and and further reading](#Sources_and_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [6.1 Books](#Books "wikilink") - [6.2 Websites](#Websites "wikilink") - [6.2.1 Yale](#Yale "wikilink")

Affirmative Form ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Structurally, potential complements are closely related to both [result complements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complement) and [direction complements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Direction_complement), 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 + [见](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%A7%81) e.g. 看见, 听见 (result complements) - Verb + [懂](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%87%82) e.g. 看懂, 听懂 (result complements) - Verb + [完](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%AE%8C) e.g. 吃完, 做完, 用完, 花完 (result complements) - Verb + [Adj.](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adjective) e.g. 看清楚, 听明白, 洗干净 (result complements) - Verb + [到](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%88%B0) 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 [advanced potential complements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Advanced_potential_complements). See also ------------------------------------------------------- - [Result complements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complements) - [Advanced potential complements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Advanced_potential_complements) Sources and and further reading ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar) (pp. 71) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ykU1OD) - [Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide) (pp. 191) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2xCpX2m) - [Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)](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)) (pp. 197) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2hbyxKi) - [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2) (pp. 291) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2femBuy) - [Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)](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)) (pp. 125) [→buy](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) - [Contemporary Chinese 2 (当代中文2)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Contemporary_Chinese_2_(%E5%BD%93%E4%BB%A3%E4%B8%AD%E6%96%872)) (pp. 63) [→buy](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) - [New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)](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)) (pp. 99) [→buy](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) ### Websites #### Yale - [The Potential Complement](http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/potential/grammar/potential.htm) - [Potential Complement And Degree Complement In Contrast](http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/degree/grammar/Degree-6.htm) \

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