Result Complement with Object

In English, we often use different verbs to show results. We say 'look' vs. 'see' or 'listen' vs. 'hear'. In Chinese, we take a base verb and add a 'result' word right after it. For example, 看 means to look. If you add 见 (perceive), you get 看见, which means 'to see'. If you add 完 (finish), you get 看完, which means 'to finish reading' or 'to finish watching'. The result word acts like a sticky note attached to the verb. You cannot pull them apart! If you want to talk about an object (like a book or a movie), that object has to wait its turn at the end of the sentence. It is a simple, logical chain of events: you did the action, the action had a result, and that result affected an object.

1. 1Building these sentences is like building with Lego bricks. Just follow this order:
2. 2Start with your Subject (the person doing the thing).
3. 3Add your Verb (the action).
4. 4Attach the Result Complement (the outcome) directly to the verb.
5. 5Add the Object (the thing being acted upon).
6. 6Add 了 at the end if the action is completed (which it usually is!).
7. 7Structure: Subject + Verb + Result + Object + 了.
8. 8Example: 我 (Subject) + 做 (Verb) + 完 (Result) + 作业 (Object) + 了 (Completion).
9. 9If you want to say you *didn't* achieve the result, use 没 before the verb and drop the 了.
10. 10Structure: Subject + 没 + Verb + Result + Object.
11. 11Example: 我 + 没 + 做 + 完 + 作业.

Use this pattern whenever the outcome of the action is the most important part of your story. Imagine you are at a coffee shop. You don't just want to 'order' coffee; you want to 'order' it 'successfully'. You would use 点好 (order + good/ready).

Here are some real-world scenarios:

• Ordering Food: 我点好菜了 (I have finished ordering the food).
• Job Interviews: 我听懂你的问题了 (I understood your question).
• Asking Directions: 我看见那个地铁站了 (I saw that subway station).
• Daily Chores: 我洗干净衣服了 (I washed the clothes clean).

Basically, if you want to show that an action wasn't just a waste of time, use a result complement. It gives your sentences a sense of purpose and completion. It is like checking an item off your mental to-do list.

Don't use a result complement if you are just describing a general action or a habit. If you say "I read books every day," you don't need a result. You are just talking about the activity.

Also, avoid using them when you are in the middle of an action. If you are currently eating, you wouldn't say 我吃完饭. You would just say 我在吃饭. The result complement is for when the dust has settled and we know the final score. Think of it like a grammar traffic light: the result complement is the green light that says "Action complete!"

The biggest trap for English speakers is the 'Object Sandwich'. In English, we might say "I finished the book." In Chinese, you might be tempted to put the book between the verb and the result.

✗ Wrong: 我做作业完 (I do homework finish).

✓ Correct: 我做完作业了 (I do-finish homework).

Another common slip-up is forgetting that 没 and 了 are like oil and water—they don't mix in these sentences. If you use 没 to say you didn't finish, don't put 了 at the end. Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they are tired, but you can be better than that! Finally, don't use 不 for past results. Use 没. 不 is for habits or future intentions, while 没 is for things that didn't happen as planned.

New learners often confuse Result Complements with the simple 了.

• 我买了书 (I bought the book) – This just means the transaction happened.
• 我买到书了 (I successfully bought the book) – This implies you might have been searching for it, and you finally got your hands on it.

The result complement adds a layer of 'success' or 'method' to the action. It's also different from Potential Complements (which use 得 or 不 in the middle). Result complements say what *did* happen, while potential complements say what *can* happen.