The resultative complement
In Chinese certain verbs or adjectives follow another verb and show what result the action ended in.
Basic structure
Verb + resultative complement
Meaning: the action was carried out and produced a particular result.
Examples
菜都做好了。
All the food is ready.
做 + 好
do + be ready
菜the food
都all
做do / prepare
好good / become ready
了marks the completed action
Here 好 states the result of the action.
我吃完饭了。
I finished eating.
吃 + 完
eat + finish
我I
吃eat
完finish
饭meal
了marks the completed action
Here 完 shows that the eating was finished.
小雪今天来晚了。
Xiaoxue came late today.
来 + 晚
come + late
小雪Xiaoxue
今天today
来come
晚late
了marks that the state came about
Here 晚 states the result of the coming — that it was late.
The negative
In the negative, “没（有）” goes before the verb and “了” is dropped.
没（有）+ verb + resultative complement
我没吃完饭。
I didn't finish eating.
没 + 吃 + 完 + 饭
not + eat + finish + meal
没did not
吃完finish eating
饭meal
小雪没来晚。
Xiaoxue didn't come late.
没 + 来 + 晚
not + come + late
没did not
来晚come late
The question forms
Three question forms are used with a resultative complement.
Form 1: add “了吗？” at the end of the sentence.
Sentence + 了吗？
你吃完饭了吗？
Have you finished eating?
Form 2: add “（了）没有？” at the end of the sentence.
Sentence +（了）没有？
小雪来晚了没有？
Did Xiaoxue come late?
Form 3: the affirmative and negative of the verb are used together.
Verb + 没 + verb + resultative complement？
你学没学会？
Have you learned it or not?
学 + 没 + 学会？
study + not + master it?
学study
没not
学会learn / master
Quick rule
Affirmative:
Verb + resultative complement + 了
做好了 — got it ready
吃完了 — finished eating
来晚了 — came late
Negative:
没（有）+ verb + resultative complement
没吃完 — didn't finish eating
没来晚 — didn't come late
Question:
……了吗？
or
……（了）没有？
or
verb + 没 + verb + resultative complement？