Basic Potential Complements in Chinese
可能补语：得/不
A potential complement places 得 or 不 between a verb and a result or direction to say whether that outcome can be achieved. Common forms include 看得懂, 看不懂, 吃得完, and 吃不完. With 了 pronounced liǎo, forms such as 来不了 express ability or feasibility, not completed aspect.
Published August 7, 2026
Reviewed August 7, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Verb + 得/不 + Result/Direction; Verb + 得/不 + 了
Read the structure
A potential complement places 得 or 不 between a verb and a result or direction to say whether that outcome can be achieved. Common forms include 看得懂, 看不懂, 吃得完, and 吃不完. With 了 pronounced liǎo, forms such as 来不了 express ability or feasibility, not completed aspect. Keep the model Verb + 得/不 + Result/Direction; Verb + 得/不 + 了 visible while you compare each sentence.
这个字我看得懂。
I can understand this character when I read it.
Choose the right context
Say that an action can or cannot reach a stated result. Contrast positive 得 with negative 不 inside the same verb-complement frame. Use 不了 after a verb for an action that cannot be completed or managed.
这么多饭我吃不完。
I cannot finish this much food.
Respect the boundary
Do not put an object between the verb and 得 or 不. Do not combine 得 and 不 in the same potential slot. Do not read potential 了 as the perfective particle le.
我看这个字得懂。
(I read this character can understand.)
Repair the pattern
The object splits the potential unit: The verb and potential sequence 看得懂 stay together; the object cannot interrupt them. 得 is inserted before negative 了: Negative potential 不了 follows the verb directly; 得 is not added to the same slot.
这个字我看得懂。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
这个字我看得懂。
I can understand this character when I read it.
这个
Verb
This part occupies the Verb position in the model pattern.
字
得/不
This part occupies the 得/不 position in the model pattern.
我
Result/Direction; Verb
This part occupies the Result/Direction; Verb position in the model pattern.
看得懂
得/不
This part occupies the 得/不 position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
这个字我看得懂。
I can understand this character when I read it.
这么多饭我吃不完。
I cannot finish this much food.
他今天来不了。
He cannot come today.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Say that an action can or cannot reach a stated result.
- Contrast positive 得 with negative 不 inside the same verb-complement frame.
- Use 不了 after a verb for an action that cannot be completed or managed.
Do not use it when
- Do not put an object between the verb and 得 or 不.
- Do not combine 得 and 不 in the same potential slot.
- Do not read potential 了 as the perfective particle le.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
我看这个字得懂。
这个字我看得懂。
The object splits the potential unit
The verb and potential sequence 看得懂 stay together; the object cannot interrupt them.
他今天来得不了。
他今天来不了。
得 is inserted before negative 了
Negative potential 不了 follows the verb directly; 得 is not added to the same slot.
我看这个字得懂。
The verb and potential sequence 看得懂 stay together; the object cannot interrupt them.
他今天来得不了。
Negative potential 不了 follows the verb directly; 得 is not added to the same slot.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 可能补语：得/不.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 可能补语：得/不. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
Basic Potential Complements Questions
How is 看不懂 different from 不看懂?
看不懂 states inability to achieve understanding. 不看懂 is not the standard negative potential form and may be interpreted differently in special discourse.
Is 了 in 来不了 pronounced le?
No. It is liǎo and means to finish or manage; the whole form expresses inability or infeasibility.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: Appendix A, Level 3 item 【三48】, PDF p. 205 (printed p. 199)
Places verb plus 得/不 plus result or direction and verb plus 得/不了 at Level 3 with positive and negative examples.
Official source现代汉语语法课程讲义
包头师范学院 · 包头师范学院 · 2024
Locator: Complements, slide 39
Defines the two potential-complement patterns and explains that they express whether an action or result is feasible.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Easy to confuse
动词＋得/不得Potential Complement with 得 or 不得
Compare the productive inserted 得不 pattern with advanced fixed 得 or 不得 potential forms.
Learn first
完/到/见Result Complements (完/到/见)
Identify the underlying result before inserting 得 or 不 to mark feasibility.
Easy to confuse
得The 得 (de) Complement
Potential 得 between verb and result differs from 得 introducing a state complement.
Compare
会/能/可以会 / 能 / 可以: How to Say Can
Modal verbs precede an action, while potential complements follow the verb inside its result unit.
RECOMMENDED NEXT
Easy to confuse
Compare the productive inserted 得不 pattern with advanced fixed 得 or 不得 potential forms.