Level 3 Lesson 17.2 – 这件事其他人理解得了理解不了？
GRAMMAR: 1. 可能补语 Potential Complements V得了 / V不了; 2. 可能补语 Potential Complements V得下 / V不下
In this HSK 3 video lesson we'll learn about two structures that can be used as 可能补语 (Kěnéng Bǔyǔ ▸ Potential Complements):
- V得了 / V不了
- V得下 / V不下
GRAMMAR
Grammar 1. 可能补语 V得了 / V不了
Kěnéng Bǔyǔ V得了 / V不了▸ Potential Complements V得了 / V不了
| ☑ See also 可能补语 (Kěnéng Bǔyǔ ▸ Potential Complements) V得~ / V不~. |
(1) Potential Complements V得了 / V不了
得了 and 不了 can be used as 可能补语 (Kěnéng Bǔyǔ ▸ Potential Complements) after verbs. Verb + 得了 and Verb + 不了 are Verb + Potential Complement structures:
Verb + 得了 |
Verb + 不了 |
| 得了 indicates that it is possible for the action/event to happen judging from either Subjective or Objective conditions | 不了 indicates that it is not possible for the action/event to happen judging from either Subjective or Objective conditions |
| "to have the potential to/can/to be able to" | "to not have the potential to/cannot/to be not able to" |
For example,
V 得了 |
V 不了 |
| zuò de liǎo 做得了 to have-the-potential-to be-able-to do |
zuò bu liǎo 做不了 to not-have-the-potential-to-be-able-to do |
| kàn de liǎo 看得了 to have-the-potential-to be-able-to watch |
kàn bu liǎo 看不了 to not-have-the-potential-to-be-able-to watch |
| dǎsǎo de liǎo 打扫得了 to have-the-potential-to be-able-to clean-up |
dǎsǎo bu liǎo 打扫不了 to not-have-the-potential-to-be-able-to clean-up |
| lǐjiě de liǎo 理解得了 to have-the-potential-to be-able-to understand |
lǐjiě bu liǎo 理解不了 to not-have-the-potential-to-be-able-to understand |
If the verbs are also 离合词 (Líhécí ▸ Detachable Compounds), 得了 and 不了 is inserted in-between the two characters and the 离合词 is detached. Also if there is an Object, it is used after 得了 or 不了 - 得了 and 不了 are always used directly right after the verb.
For example,
V + 得了 + Object |
V + 不了 + Object |
| jiàn de liǎo miàn 见得了面 to have-the-potential-to be-able-to meet |
jiàn bu liǎo miàn 见不了面 to not-have-the-potential-to-be-able-to meet |
| bì de liǎo yà 毕得了业 to have-the-potential-to be-able-to gradute |
bì bu liǎo yè 毕不了业 to not-have-the-potential-to-be-able-to graduate |
| shuì de liǎo jiào 睡得了觉 to have-the-potential-to be-able-to sleep |
shuì bu liǎo jiào 睡不了觉 to not-have-the-potential-to-be-able-to sleep |
Below are some example sentences with Potential Complements V得了 / V不了:
- Chē dēng huài le, wǒ jīntiān kāi bu liǎo chē.
车灯坏了，我今天开不了车。
(The) car headlight (is) bad (now), I today do-not-have-the-potential-to-be-able-to drive. - Bàba bǎ wǒ jiāo huì le, wǒ xiànzài kāi de liǎo chē le.
爸爸把我教会了，我现在开得了车了。
Dad -“disposing of” me- teach-(with the result of me)-knowing-how-to-do (already), I now have-the-potential-to-be-able-to drive.
(2) Potential Complements V得了 / V不了 in Yes-No Questions
There are three ways to ask Yes-No Questions with Potential Complements V得了 / V不了:
Zhè jiàn shì qítā rén lǐjiě de liǎo ma?
Zhè jiàn shì qítā rén lǐ bu lǐjiě de liǎo?
Zhè jiàn shì qítā rén lǐjiě de liǎo lǐjiě bu liǎo?
这件事其他人理解得了吗？
这件事其他人理不理解得了？
这件事其他人理解得了理解不了？
This “jian” (of) matter (-) other people have-the-potential-to-be-able-to understand (it)?
This “jian” (of) matter (-) other people have-the-potential-to-be-able-to understand (it) (or) not?
This “jian” (of) matter (-) other people have-the-potential-to-be-able-to understand (it) (or) not?
Xīngqītiān zài yīyuàn kàn de liǎo bìng ma?
Xīngqītiān zài yīyuàn kàn bu kàn de liǎo bìng?
Xīngqītiān zài yīyuàn kàn de liǎo kàn bu liǎo bìng?
我星期天在医院看得了病吗？
我星期天在医院看不看得了病？
我星期天在医院看得了病看不了病？
I (on) Sundays (at the) hospital have-the-potential-to-be-able-to check-out-the-sickness?
I (on) Sundays (at the) hospital have-the-potential-to-be-able-to check-out-the-sickness (or) not?
I (on) Sundays (at the) hospital have-the-potential-to-be-able-to check-out-the-sickness (or) not?
Grammar 2. 可能补语 V得下 / V不下
Kěnéng Bǔyǔ V得下 / V不下▸ Potential Complements V得下 / V不下
(1) Potential Complements V得了 / V不了
得下 and 不下 is another pair of strutures that can be used as 可能补语 (Kěnéng Bǔyǔ ▸ Potential Complements) after verbs. Verb + 得下 and Verb + 不下 are Verb + Potential Complement structures:
Verb + 得下 |
Verb + 不下 |
| 得下 indicates that a location or container in question has the capacity potential to hold something | 不下 indicates that a location or container in question does not have the capacity potential to hold something |
For example,
V 得下 |
V 不下 |
| zuò de xià 坐得下 (something) has-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to sit down (the mentioned amount of people) |
zuò bu xià 坐不下 (something) does-not-have-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to sit down (the mentioned amount of people) |
| kàn de xià 写得下 (something) has-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to write down (the mentioned content) |
kàn bu xià 写不下 (something) does-not-have-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to write down (the mentioned content) |
Below are some example sentences with Potential Complements V得下 / V不下:
- Tā nàme 'è, chī de xià zhème duō dōngxi.
他那么饿，吃得下这么多东西。
He (is) that hungry, (and) the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to eat this much (of) stuff. - Wǒ chī bu xià le, nǐ bǎ zhè xiē pútao chī le ba.
我吃不下了，你把这些葡萄吃了吧。
I (do) have-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to eat (anymore), you “ba” these grapes eat -le -ba.
(2) Potential Complements V得下 / V不下 in Yes-No Questions
There are three ways to ask Yes-No Questions with Potential Complements V得了/V不了:
Zhè zhāng chuáng zhème xiǎo, shuì de xià wǒmen liǎng ge rén ma?
Zhè zhāng chuáng zhème xiǎo, shuì bu shuì de xià wǒmen liǎng ge rén?
Zhè zhāng chuáng zhème xiǎo, shuì de xià shuì bu xià wǒmen liǎng ge rén?
这张床这么小，睡得下我们两个人吗？
这张床这么小，睡不睡得下我们两个人？
这张床这么小，睡得下睡不下我们两个人？
This “zhang” (of) bed (is) this small, (does it) have-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to sleep us two “ge” (of) people?
This “zhang” (of) bed (is) this small, (does it) have-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to sleep us two “ge” (of) people (or not)?
This “zhang” (of) bed (is) this small, (does it) have-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to sleep us two “ge” (of) people (or not)?
Guǒzhī zhème tián, nǐ hē de xià ma?
Guǒzhī zhème tián, nǐ hē bu hē de xià?
Guǒzhī zhème tián, nǐ hē de xià hē bu xià?
果汁这么甜，你喝得下吗？
果汁这么甜，你喝不喝得下？
果汁这么甜，你喝得下喝不下？
The fruit juice (is) so sweet, (do) you have-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to drink (it)?
The fruit juice (is) so sweet, (do) you have-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to drink (it or) not?
The fruit juice (is) so sweet, (do) you have-the-capacity-potential-to-be-able-to drink (it or) not?