Potential Complements: V+得/不得
Bare 得 and 不得 attach directly to a verb, with no result word after them, to say something may or must not be done. 吃不得 means must not be eaten, which is different from 看不懂, the HSK 4 form that means unable.
V + 得 (bare, no complement) = 'may/can V' — permissible, safe, appropriate. Used mostly in contrast with 不得 for emphasis.
这话跟朋友说说倒也说得，可跟老板说就说不得了。
Position: 得/不得 attaches directly to the verb — no complement word in between.
Contrast with V得/不+C (e.g. 看得懂/看不懂): that pattern needs a result word (懂) after 得/不. Bare V+得/不得 has no result word — it expresses permissibility, not ability.
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 这个东西有毒，吃不得。 | Zhè ge dōng xi yǒu dú, chī bù dé. | This thing is poisonous — you mustn't eat it. | V+不得: eating this thing is dangerous, so it's forbidden. |
| 这件事很秘密，说不得。 | Zhè jiàn shì hěn mì mì, shuō bù dé. | This matter is very secret — it mustn't be told. | V+不得 with an abstract verb (说), showing impropriety rather than physical danger. |
| 这个东西带电，摸不得。 | Zhè ge dōng xi dài diàn, mō bù dé. | This thing is electrified — it mustn't be touched. | V+不得 again, reinforcing the pattern with a new verb (摸). |
| 这话你跟别人说说倒也说得，可跟老板说就说不得了。 | Zhè huà nǐ gēn bié rén shuō shuō dào yě shuō dé, kě gēn lǎo bǎn shuō jiù shuō bù dé le. | You could say this to others, but you mustn't say it to the boss. | Contrasts 得 (permissible) and 不得 (forbidden) in the same sentence, depending on the listener. |
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.
不得 (bu dé)
Added directly to a verb to say that something must not be done, because it is harmful or improper.
Structure: verb + 不得
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 这药已经过期了，吃不得。 | Zhè yào yǐ jīng guò qī le, chī bù dé. | This medicine is out of date and must not be taken. |
| 这件事马虎不得，一定要认真检查。 | Zhè jiàn shì mǎ hǔ bù dé, yí dìng yào rèn zhēn jiǎn chá. | You cannot be careless with this, so check it thoroughly. |
| 这个玩笑开不得，会伤害别人的。 | Zhè gè wán xiào kāi bù dé, huì shāng hài bié rén de. | This joke must not be made, as it would hurt people. |
Not: 这条路走不得通。 不得 attaches straight to the verb with no complement. For "cannot get through", use 走不通。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 5, complement (可能补语).
得 (de)
Between a verb and a result word, it means "can", and 不 replaces it for "cannot".
Structure: verb + 得 + result (看得懂)；verb + 不 + result (看不懂)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 老师的话你听得懂吗？ | Lǎo shī de huà nǐ tīng de dǒng ma? | Can you understand what the teacher says? |
| 这么远的地方，一天走得到吗？ | Zhè me yuǎn de dì fāng, yì tiān zǒu de dào ma? | Can you get to a place this far in one day by walking? |
| 三个人一起，这张桌子搬得动。 | Sān gè rén yì qǐ, zhè zhāng zhuō zi bān de dòng. | With three people, we can move this table. |
Not: 我听不得懂老师的话。 The negative takes 不 in place of 得: 我听不懂老师的话。
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) · Potential complements: V得/不C (HSK 4) · Degree & State Complements: 不得了、坏了、得+phrase (HSK 5).
Compared side by side: 看不得 vs 看不懂.
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.
The same pattern at other levels
- Potential Complements — HSK 3
- Potential complements — HSK 4
Questions about Potential Complements
What does 可能补语 (Potential Complements) mean in Chinese?
Bare 得 and 不得 attach directly to a verb, with no result word after them, to say something may or must not be done. 吃不得 means must not be eaten, which is different from 看不懂, the HSK 4 form that means unable. It is an HSK 5 grammar point.
How do you use 可能补语 (Potential Complements) in a sentence?
这个东西有毒，吃不得。 — Zhè ge dōng xi yǒu dú, chī bù dé. — This thing is poisonous — you mustn't eat it. V+不得: eating this thing is dangerous, so it's forbidden.
What do you need to know before 可能补语 (Potential Complements)?
Potential complements (HSK 4). 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 吃不得 mean?
It means "must not be eaten", usually because it is harmful. 这个蘑菇吃不得。 It is different from 吃不了, which means "cannot finish eating".
What is the difference between 看不得 and 看不懂?
看不得 is about whether it is proper or safe to look. 看不懂 is about ability, "cannot understand". Only the second needs a result word after 不.
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.
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