Verb + 得 + Complement

Long Potential (Can)

Level 3Sounds Like bou2 jyu5

Verb + 得 (dak1) + Complement = "Can achieve [result]"

How It Works

In Cantonese, expressing 'can' is often more specific than in English. While 可以 (ho2 ji5) covers general permission, the Long Potential pattern specifically addresses the attainability of a result.

1. Structure:
The particle 得 (dak1) is placed between a verb and its resultative complement (like 'understand', 'finish', 'see') or directional complement (like 'in', 'out', 'up').

2. Meaning:
It indicates that the subject has the capacity or the circumstances allow them to reach the state described by the complement. For example, 聽 (teng1) is 'to hear', but 聽得明 (teng1 dak1 ming4) is 'can understand [what is heard]'.

3. Negation:
To say 'cannot', you do not use 唔得 (m4 dak1). Instead, you replace the affirmative 得 (dak1) with the negative 唔 (m4). This creates the V唔C pattern (e.g., 聽唔明).

4. Register:
This is the most natural, high-frequency way to express potential in daily speech. Using 'can' (可以) for sensory results often sounds like a translation from English or Mandarin rather than natural Cantonese.

Examples (4)

  1. 我聽得明佢講乜嘢。

    I can understand what he is saying.

    Word by Word: I hear [potential] clear he speak what thing.

    Here, the verb 聽 (teng1) is combined with the resultative complement 明 (ming4) 'clear/understand' using 得 (dak1) to show the ability to understand.

  2. 咁多嘢食，你食唔食得晒呀？

    There is so much food, can you finish it all?

    Word by Word: So much thing eat, you eat [not] eat [potential] finish [question]?

    This uses the A-not-A question form with the potential marker and the complement 晒 (saai3) meaning 'completely'.

  3. 呢度好黑，我睇唔到嘢。

    It's very dark here, I can't see anything.

    Word by Word: Here very dark, I see [not] [attainment] thing.

    To express 'cannot', we use V唔到 (m4 dou2). Note that the potential marker 得 (dak1) is replaced by 唔 (m4) in negative potential constructions.

  4. 我搵得返條鎖匙喇！

    I was able to find the key (and get it back)!

    Word by Word: I find [potential] back [classifier] key [particle]!

    Uses the directional complement 返 (faan1) to show the potential of restoring the key to its owner.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'dak1' in negative sentences.

    我聽得唔明。
    我聽唔明。

    In the negative potential form, the particle 得 (dak1) must be replaced by 唔 (m4). You cannot have both in the same resultative structure.

  • Using 講唔好 when you mean ‘he does not speak well’.

    Different Meaning佢講唔好。
    佢講得唔好。

    佢講唔好 is a good sentence, but it means ‘he cannot say it well’ (he cannot manage it). To say how well he speaks, keep 得: 佢講得唔好.

  • Using 可以 (ho2 ji5) where 睇得見 states ability.

    Different Meaning我可以睇見嗰個字。
    我睇得見嗰個字。

    我可以睇見嗰個字 is a good sentence, but 可以 often reads as 'I am allowed to' or 'the situation lets me'. For plain ability to see, hear or understand, the potential complement is usually used: 我睇得見嗰個字.

How It Connects

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Verb + 得 + ComplementLevel 3Long Potential (Can)

Learn This First

To understand the long potential (V+得+補語), you first need to understand how Cantonese uses resultative complements to show the outcome of an action. You also need to be familiar with the particle '得' as a marker of potential or ability, as this pattern specifically inserts '得' between a verb and its result to show that the result is achievable.

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