Potential complements: V得/不C
A potential complement puts 得 or 不 between a verb and its result or direction word to say whether you can or cannot achieve it. 看得懂 means able to understand by reading, and 看不懂 means unable to.
Structure: Verb + 得/不 + Complement
| Positive | Negative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 看得懂 | 看不懂 | can / can't understand by reading |
| 做得到 | 做不到 | can / can't accomplish |
| 吃得下 | 吃不下 | can / can't eat (more) |
| 走得了 | 走不了 | can / can't leave |
Key contrast: 看不懂 (potential — don't have the ability) vs 没看懂 (actual — didn't understand this time).
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 这篇文章太难了，我看不懂。 | Zhè piān wén zhāng tài nán le, wǒ kàn bù dǒng. | This article is too hard; I can't understand it. | 看不懂 = potential negative: lack the ability to understand by reading |
| 放心吧，这点小事我做得到。 | Fàng xīn ba, zhè diǎn xiǎo shì wǒ zuò dé dào. | Don't worry — something this minor I can handle. | 做得到 = potential positive: capable of accomplishing |
| 行李太重，一个人搬不动，需要两个人帮忙。 | Xíng li tài zhòng, yī gè rén bān bù dòng, xū yào liǎng gè rén bāng máng. | The luggage is too heavy; one person can't move it — need two people. | 搬不动 = can't move (because it's too heavy); 动 = motion complement |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
得 (de)
Between a verb and its complement, it says you can reach the result.
Structure: V + 得 + complement
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 这些菜太多了，我们吃得完吗？ | Zhè xiē cài tài duō le, wǒ men chī de wán ma? | There is so much food; can we finish it? |
| 黑板上的字，你看得清楚吗？ | Hēi bǎn shang de zì, nǐ kàn de qīng chu ma? | Can you see the writing on the board clearly? |
| 山不高，我爬得上去。 | Shān bù gāo, wǒ pá de shàng qù. | The hill is not high; I can climb it. |
Not: 我听得不懂。 The negative is 听不懂, with 不 in place of 得.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, particles (结构助词); level 3, verbs (能愿动词).
得 is also explained in: Degree Complements: 动词+得+形容词 (runs fast, plays happily) (HSK 2) · Structural Particle 得: State Complement (HSK 2) · Extended Comparison Patterns: A比B V得Adj (HSK 3) · Potential Complements: V+得/不+V/Adj (HSK 3) · Degree complement: V得+predicate (HSK 4) · 得 (děi): obligation must (HSK 4) · Degree & State Complements: 不得了、坏了、得+phrase (HSK 5) · Potential Complements: V+得/不得 (HSK 5).
不 (bu)
Between a verb and its complement, it says you cannot reach the result.
Structure: V + 不 + complement
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 声音太小，我听不见。 | Shēng yīn tài xiǎo, wǒ tīng bu jiàn. | The sound is too quiet; I cannot hear it. |
| 这扇门打不开，钥匙在哪里？ | Zhè shàn mén dǎ bu kāi, yào shi zài nǎ lǐ? | This door will not open; where is the key? |
| 太贵了，我买不起。 | Tài guì le, wǒ mǎi bu qǐ. | It is too expensive; I cannot afford it. |
Not: 这个字我不看懂。 Put 不 between the verb and the complement: 看不懂。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, adverbs (否定副词); level 3, set phrases (四字格).
不 is also explained in: Negation with 不 and 没 (HSK 1) · Potential Complements: V+得/不+V/Adj (HSK 3).
Compared side by side: 看不懂 vs 没看懂.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
What this opens up
These patterns list Potential complements among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
The same pattern at other levels
- Potential Complements — HSK 3
- Potential Complements — HSK 5
Questions about Potential complements
What does 可能补语 (Potential complements) mean in Chinese?
A potential complement puts 得 or 不 between a verb and its result or direction word to say whether you can or cannot achieve it. 看得懂 means able to understand by reading, and 看不懂 means unable to. It is an HSK 4 grammar point.
How do you use 可能补语 (Potential complements) in a sentence?
这篇文章太难了，我看不懂。 — Zhè piān wén zhāng tài nán le, wǒ kàn bù dǒng. — This article is too hard; I can't understand it. 看不懂 = potential negative: lack the ability to understand by reading.
What do you need to know before 可能补语 (Potential complements)?
Resultative complements (HSK 4), Potential Complements (HSK 3). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
What does 可能补语 (Potential complements) lead to?
Complement types (HSK 4). Each of them names 可能补语 (Potential complements) among its own prerequisites.
What is the difference between 看不懂 and 没看懂?
看不懂 says you are unable to understand it. 没看懂 says you did not understand it this time. 我看不懂中文报纸 is about ability.
Is there a positive form for every one?
Yes, with 得: 看得懂, 听得见. In speech the positive is less common, and the negative is used more.
Potential complements is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
Start at your true level