Able / unable to (manage) — V 得/不了

Structure Verb + 得了 / 不了 (ability or possibility)

V + 不了 (… bùliǎo) and V + 得了 (… deliǎo) say whether you CAN or can’t manage/finish something, by ability or circumstances: 这么多菜，我一个人吃不了 = "I can’t finish this much food on my own"; 今天去不了 = "I can’t make it today". Here 了 reads liǎo (not le): the verb "to finish/be able". A very common potential complement.

Examples

这zhè么me多duō菜cài，我wǒ一yī个ge人rén吃chī不bù了liǎo。
I can’t finish this much food on my own.
下xià这zhè么me大dà雨yǔ，今jīn天tiān去qù不bù了liǎo了le。
With this much rain, I can’t make it today after all.
别bié担dān心xīn，这zhè点diǎn小xiǎo事shì忘wàng不bù了liǎo。
Don’t worry, I won’t forget such a small thing.

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