▎不, bù, Negative Potential Complement (2)

 

Function When 得 or 不 is inserted between the verb and the resultative or directional complement, the pattern expresses whether the result is potentially attainable.

1 我看得懂中國電影。

Wǒ kàndedǒng Zhōngguó diànyǐng.

I catch on to Chinese movies.

2 垃圾車的音樂雖然很小，但是我聽得見。

Lèsè chē de yīnyuè suīrán hěn xiǎo, dànshì wǒ tīngdejiàn.

The music played by the garbage truck isn’t loud, but I can hear it.

3 早上八點，我當然起得來。

Zǎoshàng bādiǎn, wǒ dāngrán qǐdelái.

Of course, I can get up at 8am.

4 師父教的這個動作很容易，每個人都學得會。

Shīfù jiāo de zhè ge dòngzuò hěn róngyì, měi ge rén dōu xuédehuì.

The movement taught by the master was so easy that anyone could learn it.

 

Structures

Negation：Verb＋不＋complement

1 我認識他，但是他的名字我想不起來。

Wǒ rènshì tā, dànshì tā de míngzi wǒ xiǎngbùqǐlái.

I knew him, but I just can’t recall his name.

2 夜市太吵了，他聽不見我叫他。

Yèshì tài chǎo le, tā tīngbújiàn wǒ jiào tā.

The night market is too noisy. He can’t hear that I was calling him.

3 半夜三點太早了，誰也起不來。

Bànyè sāndiǎn tài zǎo le, shéi yě qǐbùlái.

3 a.m. is early for anybody to get up.

Questions：

1 老師上課，你聽得懂聽不懂？

Lǎoshī shàngkè, nǐ tīngdedǒng tīngbùdǒng?

Do you understand the teacher in class?

2 廣告上的字那麼小，你是不是看不見？

Guǎnggào shàng de zì nàme xiǎo, nǐ shìbúshì kànbújiàn?

The text on that advertisement is so small, can you even see it?

3 只有一個星期，他們學得會學不會一百個漢字？

Zhǐ yǒu yí ge xīngqí, tāmen xuédehuì xuébúhuì yìbǎi ge Hànzì?

Can they learn 100 Chinese characters in only one week?

 

Usage There is a difference between ‘沒V1V2’ and ‘V1不V2’. The first pattern indicates that some result was not accomplished. The second pattern indicates that some result cannot be accomplished. Compare the following examples:

1 我沒看見那個人從七樓走上來。

Wǒ méi kànjiàn nà ge rén cóng qī lóu zǒu shànglái.

I didn’t see that person walk up from the 7th floor.

2 我在十樓，所以看不見七樓的人。

Wǒ zài shí lóu, suǒyǐ kànbújiàn qī lóu de rén.

I’m on the 10th floor, so I can’t see the people on the 7th floor.

3 他只上了一天的課，所以他還沒學會開車。

Tā zhǐ shàngle yì tiān de kè, suǒyǐ tā hái méi xuéhuì kāi chē.

He only took the lesson for one day, so he has not yet learned how to drive.

4 他已經上了半年的課了，還學不會開車。

Tā yǐjīng shàngle bàn nián de kè le, hái xuébúhuì kāi chē.

He has already taken the lesson for half a year, but he still couldn’t drive.