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Level Independent Chinese · HSK 3

Potential Complements: 看得懂, 听不懂, 买不到, 来不及

English "can't" covers several situations: not allowed, not able, not managing. When the problem is the outcome (you listen but can't understand, you look but can't find), Chinese uses a potential complement: 听不懂, 找不到.

It's built from the result and direction complements you know from A2. Put 得 (can) or 不 (can't) between the verb and its result.

Verb + 得 / 不 + result

看懂 (read and understand) becomes 看得懂 (can understand) or 看不懂 (can't). The negative is far more common: you usually mention ability when something goes wrong. Questions: 看得懂吗？ or 看得懂看不懂？

  • 他说得太快，我听不懂。

    Tā shuō de tài kuài, wǒ tīng bu dǒng.

    He talks too fast; I can't understand him.

  • 这本书我看得懂。

    Zhè běn shū wǒ kàn de dǒng.

    I can understand this book.

  • 菜太多了，我们吃不完。

    Cài tài duō le, wǒmen chī bu wán.

    There's too much food; we can't finish it.

  • 太晚了，他今天回不来了。

    Tài wǎn le, tā jīntiān huí bu lái le.

    It's too late; he can't get back today.

不能 or Verb + 不 + result?

不能 is about permission or general ability: 我不能去 (I'm not allowed to go / I can't make it). The potential complement is about whether the action can reach its result: 我去不了 (it's impossible for me to get there).

Meaning
我不能看。I'm not allowed to look.
我看不见。I can't see it (it's too dark, too far).
我看不懂。I can't understand it (reading).

Fixed potential forms

Some potential forms are words in their own right: 来不及 (not enough time) and 来得及, 受不了 (can't stand it), 买不起 (can't afford), 了 read liǎo in 去不了 and 来不了 (can't make it).

  • 快点儿，要来不及了！

    Kuài diǎnr, yào lái bu jí le!

    Hurry up, we're going to be late!

  • 我受不了这么热的天气。

    Wǒ shòu bu liǎo zhème rè de tiānqì.

    I can't stand weather this hot.

  • 太贵了，我买不起。

    Tài guì le, wǒ mǎi bu qǐ.

    It's too expensive; I can't afford it.

  • 明天我去不了。

    Míngtiān wǒ qù bu liǎo.

    I can't make it tomorrow.

Common mistakes

  • ✗我不能听懂。

    ✓我听不懂。

    Wǒ tīng bu dǒng.

    Failing to understand is about the outcome, so use the potential complement, not 不能.

  • ✗我看得不懂。

    ✓我看不懂。

    Wǒ kàn bu dǒng.

    In the negative, 不 replaces 得. 看得不… is the degree pattern ("looks in a way that isn't ...").

  • ✗我看不懂了这本书。

    ✓这本书我看不懂。

    Zhè běn shū wǒ kàn bu dǒng.

    Potential complements describe ability, not a completed action, so no 了 after them. The object often moves to the front.

Questions learners ask

说不好 and 说得不好: what's the difference?

说得不好 is degree: "speaks badly". 说不好 is potential: "can't say for sure". 我说不好他会不会来 means "I can't say whether he'll come".

Why is 不 written without a tone mark here?

In potential complements 不 is said lightly, with a neutral tone, like in A-not-A questions: kàn bu dǒng.

Practice this in lessons

The Independent Chinese lessons teach this step by step, with exercises and review built in.

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