The Potential Complement
The potential complement (可能补语) indicates whether or not an action is possible.
Forming the potential complement
Pay attention
A complement is a secondary part of a sentence. It is placed after a predicate expressed by a verb or adjective, and expresses the speaker's view of the chance of success.
The potential complement is formed by adding the particle 得 
or 不 and the result complement or the directional complement after the verb.
The particle 得 is used in an affirmative sentence.
or 不 and the result complement or the directional complement after the verb.
The particle 得 is used in an affirmative sentence.Scheme
verb
得
complement
Examples
我们坐得下
There are enough seats for us
wǒmen zuòdexià
我听得懂汉语
I can understand Chinese
wǒ tīngdеdǒng hànyǔ
放心吧，孩子这么大，离得开妈妈了
Don't worry, the baby is old enough to spend time without his mother
fàngxīn ba, háizi zhème dà, lídekāi māmа le
Pay attention
Potential complement with 得 is similar in meaning to the verb 能 ：吃得完 = 能吃完
：吃得完 = 能吃完In these structures we can also use the morpheme 了 , which expresses possibility or impossibility of an action without a certain result.
, which expresses possibility or impossibility of an action without a certain result.Examples
我吃得了
I can eat it
wǒ chīdеliǎo
Potential complements express the possibility of something being achieved for an uncompleted action. Do not confuse it with the result complement.
Let's compare:
他做完了 (action completed).
他做得完 (there is a possibility of completing the action).
(action completed).
他做得完 (there is a possibility of completing the action).不 is used in negative sentences. 不 is placed between the verb and the complement.
is used in negative sentences. 不 is placed between the verb and the complement. Pay attention
不 is pronounced in the neutral tone — bu.
The negative adverb 不 should be used even when talking about actions in the past.
Pay attention
The negative adverb 没 is not used with a potential complement.
is not used with a potential complement.Scheme
verb
不
complement
Examples
我吃不完
I cannot finish eating
wǒ сhībuwán
刚来中国我听不懂汉语
I just came to China, and I don't understand a single word of Chinese
gāng lái zhōngguó wǒ tīngbudǒng hànyǔ
你又长得穿不上你的鞋了
You've grown out of your shoes again
nǐ yòu zhǎng de chuānbushàng nǐ de xié le
Pay attention
Potential complement with 不 is similar in meaning to 不能: 吃不完 = 不能吃完.
Question form
1) use the question particle 吗 at the end of a sentence.
at the end of a sentence.Scheme
verb
得
complement
吗?
Examples
黑板上的字你看得见吗？
Can you see the words on the blackboard?
hēibǎn shàng de zì nǐ kàndejiàn ma
2) use reduplication of verbs with negation.
Scheme
verb
得
complement
verb
不
complement?
Examples
黑板上的字你看得见看不见？
Can you see the words on the blackboard?
hēibǎn shàng de zì nǐ kàndejiàn kànbujiàn