Potential Complement - Affirmative

This pattern focuses on the outcome of an action. In English, we just use the word "can." In Chinese, we combine the action with its result. We use the tiny but mighty word 得 (de) to connect them. This 得 acts like a green light. It says, "Yes, the path is clear to reach the goal." For example, if you are looking for your keys, 找 (zhǎo) is the action. 到 (dào) is the result of finding them. Put 得 in the middle, and you get 找到 (zhǎodé dào) — "able to find." It is like a logic puzzle where the pieces finally click together. If the conditions allow it, the result is possible. It is much more specific than just saying "I can."

1. 1Creating this structure is like building a sandwich. You need three specific layers:
2. 2Start with your Verb (the action you are taking).
3. 3Add the particle 得 (the "potential" marker).
4. 4Finish with a Resultative or Directional Complement.
5. 5Structure: [Verb] + 得 + [Result/Direction]
6. 6Let’s look at some common pairings:
7. 7看 (see) + 得 + 见 (perceive) = 看得见 (can see it).
8. 8听 (listen) + 得 + 懂 (understand) = 听得懂 (can understand what is heard).
9. 9做 (do) + 得 + 完 (finish) = 做得完 (can finish the task).
10. 10If there is an object, it usually goes at the very end. For example: 我看得到字 (I can see the characters).

Use this when you are talking about objective possibilities.

• Physical Ability: "I can eat all this food!" (我吃得下)
• Sensory Perception: "I can hear the music from here." (我听得到)
• Time and Space: "I can finish this report by 5 PM." (我做得完)
• External Conditions: "The door is open, so I can go in." (我进得去)

Imagine you are at a crowded concert. You want to tell your friend you can see the stage. You would say 我看得到 (wǒ kàn de dào). It implies that despite the tall person in front of you, the result of "seeing" is possible. It is very practical for navigating the world. Use it when ordering food to ask if a dish can be made less spicy, or when asking for directions to see if a place is reachable by foot.

Do not use this for permission. If you want to ask "Can I go to the bathroom?", do NOT use a potential complement. Use 可以 (kěyǐ) instead. Also, avoid it for general skills you learned over time. For "I can speak Chinese," use 会 (huì). The potential complement is for specific instances and results.

Also, don't use it when you are just describing how well you do something. If you want to say "He runs fast," that is a different 得 pattern (Descriptive Complement). Potential complements are strictly about "Is the result possible or not?" It is a binary switch: Yes, it can happen, or no, it cannot. (Though today we are only focusing on the "Yes" part!).

One big mistake is forgetting the 得 entirely. Some people say 我看见 when they mean "I can see." But 看见 just means "I saw it" (past tense/completed). Without the 得, the "potential" meaning disappears.

Another trap is putting the object in the wrong place. Remember: Verb + 得 + Result + Object. Don't say 我得看字. That sounds like "I must look at characters." The 得 must be glued between the verb and the result.

Finally, don't overcomplicate the result. Stick to common results like 见 (perceive), 懂 (understand), 到 (attain), and 完 (finish). Even native speakers keep it simple most of the time. Think of it like a grammar traffic light; keep the flow moving and don't stall at the intersection!

How is 看得见 different from 能看见?

• 能看见 (néng kànjiàn) is a bit more general. It sounds like "I have the ability to see."
• 看得见 (kàn de jiàn) is more about the current situation. "The lights are on, so I can see right now."

In daily conversation, the potential complement is much more common. It feels more natural and less formal. If you use 能 all the time, you might sound like a textbook. Using 得 makes you sound like you have been living in Beijing or Shanghai for years. It adds a nice rhythmic flow to your sentences.