Can or can't manage it: 听得懂, 看不见
得 or 不 inside a verb + result: 听得懂 (can understand), 做不完 (can't finish), 买不到.
Part of the free A2 Chinese course (about HSK 3). Examples are in Simplified characters with pinyin; press the speaker to hear one with your device's Chinese voice.
Will it work out?
In Result complements: 看完, 听懂, 找到 you met verbs with a result: 听懂 (understand), 看见 (see), 做完 (finish). To say whether that result can or can't be reached, put 得 (de) or 不 (bu) between the verb and the result:
| Verb + result | Can: 得 | Can't: 不 |
|---|---|---|
| 听懂 (tīngdǒng) understand | 听得懂 (tīng de dǒng) | 听不懂 (tīng bu dǒng) |
| 看见 (kànjiàn) see | 看得见 (kàn de jiàn) | 看不见 (kàn bu jiàn) |
| 做完 (zuòwán) finish | 做得完 (zuò de wán) | 做不完 (zuò bu wán) |
| 买到 (mǎidào) manage to buy | 买得到 (mǎi de dào) | 买不到 (mǎi bu dào) |
| 进去 (jìnqu) get in | 进得去 (jìn de qù) | 进不去 (jìn bu qù) |
Here 不 is said lightly, in the neutral tone: kàn bu jiàn.
- 我听不懂上海话。(Wǒ tīng bu dǒng Shànghǎihuà.)I can't understand Shanghainese.
- 你看得见黑板吗？(Nǐ kàn de jiàn hēibǎn ma?)Can you see the board?
- 作业太多了，我今天做不完。(Zuòyè tài duō le, wǒ jīntiān zuò bu wán.)There's too much homework; I can't finish it today.
- 这种茶在国外买不到。(Zhè zhǒng chá zài guówài mǎi bu dào.)You can't get this tea abroad.
- 字太小了，我看不清楚。(Zì tài xiǎo le, wǒ kàn bu qīngchu.)The writing is too small; I can't see it clearly.
不了 (bu liǎo): can't manage it at all
了 read liǎo after 得/不 means "manage, be able to (at all)": 去不了 (can't go), 吃不了 (can't eat it all).
- 菜太多了，我们吃不了。(Cài tài duō le, wǒmen chī bu liǎo.)There's too much food; we can't eat it all.
- 明天我有事，去不了。(Míngtiān wǒ yǒu shì, qù bu liǎo.)I've got something on tomorrow, so I can't make it.
Asking and answering
- 老师的话你听得懂吗？(Lǎoshī de huà nǐ tīng de dǒng ma?)Can you understand what the teacher says?
Answer with the same form: 听得懂 (yes) or 听不懂 (no).
This or 能?
能 (想, 要, 会, 能, 可以: want, can, may) is about being able or allowed in general. The 不 form here says that the result can't be reached, because of the conditions: too far, too fast, too much, sold out.
- 我听不懂 = I can't understand (it's too hard, too fast). 我不能听懂 is not the natural way to say it.
- 这儿不能抽烟 = you can't (aren't allowed to) smoke here. Here 能 is right: it's about permission.
And compare with the plain result: 我没听懂 = I didn't understand (that time); 我听不懂 = I can't understand.
Common mistakes
我不能看见。→ 我看不见。For "can't see", use the 不 form. (能看见 in a question, 你能看见吗？, is fine.)我没看得见。→ 我看不见 (can't see) or 我没看见 (didn't see). 得 and 不 don't mix with 没.我不听懂。→ 我听不懂。不 goes inside, between the verb and the result.我看见不。→ 我看不见。Same rule.
Practice
- 这个电影没有字幕，我_____。(Zhè gè diànyǐng méiyǒu zìmù, wǒ ___.)Options: 听不懂 (tīng bu dǒng) · 不听懂 (bù tīngdǒng) · 没听得懂 (méi tīng de dǒng)
Show the answer
听不懂 (tīng bu dǒng) — Can't: verb + 不 + result.
- 你坐后面，看得_____吗？(Nǐ zuò hòumiàn, kàn de ___ ma?)
Show the answer
见 — 看得见 (or 看得到, 看得清楚) = can see.
- Which sentence means 'I can't finish this much work today'?Options: 这么多工作，我今天做不完。(Zhème duō gōngzuò, wǒ jīntiān zuò bu wán.) · 这么多工作，我今天不做完。(Zhème duō gōngzuò, wǒ jīntiān bú zuòwán.) · 这么多工作，我今天没做得完。(Zhème duō gōngzuò, wǒ jīntiān méi zuò de wán.)
Show the answer
这么多工作，我今天做不完。(Zhème duō gōngzuò, wǒ jīntiān zuò bu wán.) — Can't finish: 做不完.
- 那本书太旧了，书店里买_____到。(Nà běn shū tài jiù le, shūdiàn li mǎi ___ dào.)
Show the answer
不 — 买不到 = can't get hold of it.