▎了, liǎo, (Ptc), as Verb Complement, capability

 

Function 了liǎo is a capability verb complement, used only in the potential pattern. 了 means that a result can be achieved.

1 這碗牛肉麵，我一個人吃得了。

Zhè wǎn niúròu miàn, wǒ yí ge rén chīdeliǎo.

I can finish this bowl of beef noodles.

2 這麼多書，我拿不了。

Zhème duō shū, wǒ nábùliǎo.

I cannot carry so many books.

3 颱風來了，今天晚上的喜宴我們去不了了。

Táifēng lái le, jīntiān wǎnshàng de xǐyàn wǒmen qùbùliǎo le.

There is a typhoon coming in so we won’t be going to the wedding reception tonight.

4 到現在我還忘不了第一個筆友。

Dào xiànzài wǒ hái wàngbùliǎo dìyī ge bǐyǒu.

Even now, I still can’t forget my first pen-pal.

 

Structures

Questions：

1 還要走半個小時，你走得了走不了？

Hái yào zǒu bàn ge xiǎoshí, nǐ zǒudeliǎo zǒubùliǎo?

We will still need to walk half an hour. Can you make it?

2 我們點了五道菜，吃得了吃不了？

Wǒmen diǎnle wǔ dào cài, chīdeliǎo chībùliǎo?

We ordered five dishes. Will we be able to finish them all?

3 雪這麼大，今天我們到得了山上嗎？

Xuě zhème dà, jīntiān wǒmen dàodeliǎo shān shàng ma?

With this much snow will we be able to reach the mountain today?

 

Usage 了liǎo is an irregular complement. It can be used only in the potential mode, when regular complements can also be used in the actual mode, as indicated below.

 

	Actual		Potential
	V-	沒V-	V得-	V不-
了liǎo	×	×	吃得了 chīdeliǎo ‘can eat’	吃不了 chībùliǎo ‘cannot eat’
完wán	吃完 chīwán ‘finish eating’	沒吃完 méi chīwán ‘didn’t finish eating’	吃得完 chīdewán	吃不完 chībùwán ‘unable to finish eating’