Complement of Potentiality: 可能补语
In Chinese, putting “得” or “不” between a verb and a complement of result or direction gives a 可能补语 (kěnéng bǔyǔ) — a potential complement.
It shows whether, in the given circumstances, a result can be reached or a movement carried out.
Basic Structure
Affirmative
Verb + 得 + Complement
Meaning: can do it / it is possible
Negative
Verb + 不 + Complement
Meaning: cannot do it / it is not possible
Question
A question can be formed in two ways.
Way 1
Verb + 得 + Complement + Verb + 不 + Complement？
Can he do it or not?
Way 2
Verb + 得 + Complement + 吗？
… can he do it?
Examples
打不好没关系
Structure
打 + 不 + 好
verb + 不 + complement of result
打 — to play
不 — cannot / not possible
好 — to reach a good result
没关系 — it doesn't matter
这本书你看得懂看不懂？
Structure
看得懂 + 看不懂？
can + cannot?
看 — to read / to look
得懂 — to be able to understand
不懂 — to be unable to understand
This is an affirmative-plus-negative question.
你只有一个星期的时间，学得会游泳吗？
Structure
学 + 得 + 会 + 游泳 + 吗？
verb + 得 + complement of result + 吗？
只有一个星期的时间 — only one week of time
学 — to learn
得会 — to manage to learn
游泳 — to swim
吗 — the question particle
Quick Rule
Affirmative
Verb + 得 + Complement
to be able to do it
Negative
Verb + 不 + Complement
to be unable to do it
Question
Verb + 得 + Complement + Verb + 不 + Complement？
or
Verb + 得 + Complement + 吗？