Potential complement 得 / 不 (HSK 4)
Can you manage the result?
- Verb + (degree marker)得 / not不 + complement = can / can't achieve the result.
- 看得懂 (can understand), unable to make sense of…看不懂 (can't); can see看得见 / cannot see看不见.
- About whether the result succeeds, not permission.
Verb + (degree marker)得 / not不 + Complement
- (degree marker)得 = able to reach the result; not不 = unable.
this这(measure word)本book书I我read看(can)得understand懂。
- 看得懂 = "(I) can understand it."
Practice
(I) can understand this book: 这本书我看 ____ 懂。
Verb + 得 + complement = can: 看得懂.
Different from can / be able to能
- It's about succeeding at the result (to see看to understand懂), not being allowed.
Explore
Correct or broken?
Potential complements carry their own can: 吃得完 / 看不清楚 — no 能, no stray 不.
Practice
看不懂 is about…
It's about the result succeeding, not permission.
Practice
得 / 不 here marks permission, the same as 能.
No — it marks whether the RESULT is achievable.
Recap
Key idea
- Verb + (degree marker)得 / not不 + Complement — can / can't achieve the result
- 看得懂 / unable to make sense of…看不懂 · audible听得见 / not be able to hear听不见
- About succeeding, not permission (can / be able to能 / can / may可以)
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Complements.