Chinese Grammar That Actually Does Something Useful

Simplified Chinese Potential Complements: How To Say “Can I Do It?”

Learn 可能补语 kěnéng bǔyǔ, the pattern Chinese uses for things like 看得懂 kàn de dǒng “can understand,” 做得到 zuò de dào “can manage to do,” and 买不起 mǎi bu qǐ “can’t afford.”

English loves the word “can.” Chinese is fussier. It often asks a more specific question: can you understand it, finish it, hear it, afford it, or manage it?

That is where 可能补语 kěnéng bǔyǔ comes in. Once you learn this pattern, your Chinese stops sounding like a generic robot and starts sounding like a person who can actually survive a real conversation.

Yak Snark Box

我会做 wǒ huì zuò means “I know how to do it.”
我做得到 wǒ zuò de dào means “I can manage to do it.”

Same English vibe, different Chinese logic. Because apparently “can” was still too easy.

What Potential Complements Actually Do

A potential complement shows whether an action is achievable. The basic beginner pattern is:

Verb + 得 de + Result

can do it / can achieve that result

Verb + 不 bu + Result

cannot do it / cannot achieve that result

The second part tells you what result matters. That is why Chinese uses different combinations:

懂 dǒng = understand
完 wán = finish
见 jiàn = perceive, see, hear
起 qǐ = afford, handle financially
到 dào = reach, manage to get there
开 kāi = open
动 dòng = move

How To Ask “Can I Do It?” In Natural Chinese

In English, “Can I do it?” is vague. In Chinese, you usually ask what kind of “do it” you mean.

Can I Manage It?

我做得到吗？
wǒ zuò de dào ma?

Can I do it? Can I pull it off?

Can I Finish It?

我做得完吗？
wǒ zuò de wán ma?

Can I finish it?

Can I Understand It?

我看得懂吗？
wǒ kàn de dǒng ma?

Can I understand it by reading it?

Can I Hear It?

我听得见吗？
wǒ tīng de jiàn ma?

Can I hear it?

Can I Afford It?

我买得起吗？
wǒ mǎi de qǐ ma?

Can I afford to buy it?

Can I Reach It?

我到得了吗？
wǒ dào de liǎo ma?

Can I make it there?

Power Patterns You Will Actually Use

看得懂 kàn de dǒng

Can understand by reading or looking at something.

这个菜单我看得懂。
zhège càidān wǒ kàn de dǒng.
I can read this menu.

这份说明书我看不懂。
zhè fèn shuōmíngshū wǒ kàn bu dǒng.
I can’t understand this manual.

听得懂 tīng de dǒng

Can understand what you hear.

老师说得不快，我听得懂。
lǎoshī shuō de bù kuài, wǒ tīng de dǒng.
The teacher is not speaking fast, so I can understand.

他说得太快了，我听不懂。
tā shuō de tài kuài le, wǒ tīng bu dǒng.
He speaks too fast, so I can’t understand.

做得到 zuò de dào

Can manage to do it, can pull it off.

再给我一天，我做得到。
zài gěi wǒ yì tiān, wǒ zuò de dào.
Give me one more day and I can do it.

时间太少了，我做不到。
shíjiān tài shǎo le, wǒ zuò bu dào.
There isn’t enough time, so I can’t do it.

买得起 mǎi de qǐ

Can afford to buy it.

这件衬衫不贵，我买得起。
zhè jiàn chènshān bú guì, wǒ mǎi de qǐ.
This shirt is not expensive, so I can afford it.

这套房子太贵了，我们买不起。
zhè tào fángzi tài guì le, wǒmen mǎi bu qǐ.
This apartment is too expensive, so we can’t afford it.

吃得完 chī de wán

Can finish eating it.

我现在很饿，这碗面我吃得完。
wǒ xiànzài hěn è, zhè wǎn miàn wǒ chī de wán.
I’m hungry now, so I can finish this bowl of noodles.

菜太多了，我们吃不完。
cài tài duō le, wǒmen chī bu wán.
There is too much food, so we can’t finish it.

搬得动 bān de dòng

Can move or lift it.

这个箱子不重，我搬得动。
zhège xiāngzi bú zhòng, wǒ bān de dòng.
This box is not heavy, so I can move it.

那个桌子太重了，我搬不动。
nàge zhuōzi tài zhòng le, wǒ bān bu dòng.
That table is too heavy, so I can’t move it.

Rule And Sentence Pattern

The clean beginner formula is:

Pattern	Meaning	Example
Verb + 得 de + Result	can achieve the result	看得懂 kàn de dǒng can understand
Verb + 不 bu + Result	cannot achieve the result	看不懂 kàn bu dǒng cannot understand
Subject + Verb + 得 / 不 + Result + Object	full sentence pattern	我看得懂这个菜单。 wǒ kàn de dǒng zhège càidān. I can read this menu.

You are not just saying “can.” You are saying what result is possible. That tiny difference makes your Chinese much more precise.

Real-Life Sentences You Can Steal Today

这本小说我看得懂。
zhè běn xiǎoshuō wǒ kàn de dǒng.
I can understand this novel.

这个合同太难了，我看不懂。
zhège hétóng tài nán le, wǒ kàn bu dǒng.
This contract is too difficult, so I can’t understand it.

老师今天说得很清楚，我听得懂。
lǎoshī jīntiān shuō de hěn qīngchu, wǒ tīng de dǒng.
The teacher spoke clearly today, so I can understand.

他说话太小声了，我听不见。
tā shuōhuà tài xiǎoshēng le, wǒ tīng bu jiàn.
He is speaking too quietly, so I can’t hear him.

再给我十分钟，我写得完。
zài gěi wǒ shí fēnzhōng, wǒ xiě de wán.
Give me ten more minutes and I can finish writing it.

今天事情太多了，我做不完。
jīntiān shìqing tài duō le, wǒ zuò bu wán.
There is too much to do today, so I can’t finish it.

这件外套打折以后我买得起。
zhè jiàn wàitào dǎzhé yǐhòu wǒ mǎi de qǐ.
After the discount, I can afford this coat.

这个月我买不起新电脑。
zhège yuè wǒ mǎi bu qǐ xīn diànnǎo.
This month I can’t afford a new computer.

门没锁，我推得开。
mén méi suǒ, wǒ tuī de kāi.
The door is not locked, so I can push it open.

这个瓶盖太紧了，我拧不开。
zhège pínggài tài jǐn le, wǒ nǐng bu kāi.
This bottle cap is too tight, so I can’t twist it open.

地铁站不远，二十分钟走得到。
dìtiězhàn bù yuǎn, èrshí fēnzhōng zǒu de dào.
The subway station is not far, so you can walk there in twenty minutes.

现在出发的话，我们赶得上火车。
xiànzài chūfā de huà, wǒmen gǎn de shàng huǒchē.
If we leave now, we can catch the train.

Potential Complement Vs. 会 Huì, 能 Néng, And 可以 Kěyǐ

Word Or Pattern	Main Idea	Example	English
会 huì	know how to, learned skill	我会开车。 wǒ huì kāichē.	I know how to drive.
能 néng	ability, possibility, sometimes permission	我今天能来。 wǒ jīntiān néng lái.	I can come today.
可以 kěyǐ	permission, okay to do	我可以进去吗？ wǒ kěyǐ jìnqù ma?	May I go in?
可能补语 kěnéng bǔyǔ	whether a specific result can be achieved	我听不懂。 wǒ tīng bu dǒng.	I can’t understand what I hear.

That last row is the one beginners often miss. 我会说中文 wǒ huì shuō Zhōngwén means “I know how to speak Chinese.” But 我听不懂中文 wǒ tīng bu dǒng Zhōngwén means “I can’t understand spoken Chinese.” Same language, wildly different survival outcome.

Practice Section

Try these before peeking at the answers. Mild struggle is good for the brain. Annoying, but good.

Translate Into Chinese

I can’t understand this sentence.
Can you finish the report today?
We can’t afford that car.
I can’t hear you.
Can she do it?

Common Mistakes And Fast Fixes

Mistake: using 会 huì for everything.
Fix: use a potential complement when the result matters.
我会看中文 wǒ huì kàn Zhōngwén is odd if you mean “I can understand written Chinese.”
Better: 我看得懂中文 wǒ kàn de dǒng Zhōngwén.
Mistake: putting 不 bu before the whole verb.
Fix: put 不 bu between the verb and the result.
Wrong idea: 我不看懂 wǒ bù kàn dǒng
Correct: 我看不懂 wǒ kàn bu dǒng.
Mistake: using a potential complement for permission.
Fix: use 可以 kěyǐ for permission.
我可以进去吗？ wǒ kěyǐ jìnqù ma? = May I go in?
我进得去吗？ wǒ jìn de qù ma? = Can I get in physically?
Mistake: forgetting that the second part changes the meaning.
Fix: choose the right result word.
听得懂 tīng de dǒng = understand by hearing
听得见 tīng de jiàn = hear the sound

Quick Reference Summary

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning	Example	Translation
看得懂	kàn de dǒng	can understand by reading	我看得懂这篇文章。 wǒ kàn de dǒng zhè piān wénzhāng.	I can understand this article.
听不懂	tīng bu dǒng	cannot understand by hearing	他说得太快，我听不懂。 tā shuō de tài kuài, wǒ tīng bu dǒng.	He speaks too fast, so I can’t understand.
做得到	zuò de dào	can manage to do it	你放心，我做得到。 nǐ fàngxīn, wǒ zuò de dào.	Don’t worry, I can do it.
做不完	zuò bu wán	cannot finish doing	今天太忙了，我做不完。 jīntiān tài máng le, wǒ zuò bu wán.	I’m too busy today, so I can’t finish it.
买不起	mǎi bu qǐ	cannot afford to buy	这台电脑我买不起。 zhè tái diànnǎo wǒ mǎi bu qǐ.	I can’t afford this computer.
推不开	tuī bu kāi	cannot push open	门太重了，我推不开。 mén tài zhòng le, wǒ tuī bu kāi.	The door is too heavy, so I can’t push it open.

Final Yak Box

Potential complements are the Chinese way of asking, “Is the result actually possible?” That is why 看得懂 kàn de dǒng, 做得到 zuò de dào, and 买不起 mǎi bu qǐ feel so natural. They do not wave around a vague little “can.” They get specific and make the sentence useful.

Once you start thinking in results, your Chinese gets sharper fast. Not magically fast. Still study. But fast.