Potential complement (得/不)

Structure Verb + 得/不 + result/direction

To say whether something CAN or CANNOT be achieved, you insert 得 (can) or 不 (cannot) between the verb and its result/direction complement: 听得懂 ("able to understand by listening") / 听不懂 ("can’t make it out"); 看得见 / 看不见; 做得完 / 做不完. It differs from 能: here the possibility depends on the circumstances of the act itself.

Examples

我wǒ听tīng得de懂dǒng中zhōng文wén。
I can understand spoken Chinese.
这zhè个ge字zì我wǒ看kàn不bù清qīng。
I can’t see this character clearly.
这zhè么me多duō菜cài我wǒ吃chī不bù完wán。
I can’t finish this much food.

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