可能补语 得 / 不 (HSK 4)
An achievable result differs from permission
- You can understand the text in a particular book.
- this这本书I / me我看得懂。 — (degree marker)得 marks understanding as achievable through reading.
You can understand the text in a particular book. What does 这本书我看得懂。 communicate?
得 marks understanding as achievable through reading. 看不懂 denies that result, not permission to read. 能 can express ability as well as permission, so it is not a permission-only contrast word.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is Potential complement (degree marker)得 / not不 (HSK 4). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
this这(measure word)本book书I我read看(can)得understand懂。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: (I) can understand this book: 这本书我看 ____ 懂。
动词 + 得 + 补语 = 能:看得懂。
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, this这本书I / me我看得懂。: (degree marker)得 marks understanding as achievable through reading.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
看不懂 关乎……
关乎结果能否达成,不是许可。
Know the boundary
- unable to make sense of…看不懂 denies that result, not permission to read.
- can / be able to能 can express ability as well as permission, so it is not a permission-only contrast word.
能 can express ability as well as permission, while 看不懂 concerns the achievable result.
Do not label 能 permission-only. The potential complement focuses on whether understanding can be achieved.
能 can only express permission, never ability.
看不懂 denies that result, not permission to read. 能 can express ability as well as permission, so it is not a permission-only contrast word. 得 marks understanding as achievable through reading.
Use the distinction
- (degree marker)得 marks understanding as achievable through reading.
- unable to make sense of…看不懂 denies that result, not permission to read. can / be able to能 can express ability as well as permission, so it is not a permission-only contrast word.
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Complements.