V唔得

Negative Short Potential

Level 2Sounds Like m4 dak1

To express that an action is prohibited, unfit, inedible, or physically intolerable in Cantonese, frame the verb with 唔...得: 唔 + Verb + 得 (m4 [Verb] dak1). The negator 唔 (m4) comes before the verb, while 得 (dak1) comes after it.

How It Works

Structure & Word Order
The affirmative form is V得 (V dak1), meaning 'can V', 'allowed to V', or 'safe to V' (e.g., 食得 sik6 dak1 - edible / can eat). To form the negative, Cantonese wraps the verb rather than placing both elements preverbally:

  • 唔 (m4) + Verb + 得 (dak1) (+ Object)

Examples:
• 唔去得 (m4 heoi3 dak1) = cannot / not allowed to go
• 唔食得辣 (m4 sik6 dak1 laat6) = cannot eat spicy food (intolerance / health restriction)
• 唔食得煙 (m4 sik6 dak1 jin1) = cannot / not allowed to smoke

Competence & Durability (Adjectival Use)
Beyond rules and health, this pattern is frequently used as an adjective to describe someone's competence, durability, or personality:
• 唔捱得 (m4 ngaai4 dak1) = cannot endure hardship
• 唔玩得 (m4 waan2 dak1) = cannot take a joke / not a good sport
• 唔睇得 (m4 tai2 dak1) = not presentable / doesn't look good

The Three-Way Negative Capability Contrast
Cantonese makes a distinct three-way contrast for negative capability:
• 唔 V 得 (m4 V dak1): Prohibited by rules, restricted by physical/medical intolerance, or lacking competence. E.g., 我唔食得花生 (ngo5 m4 sik6 dak1 faa1 sang1 - I cannot eat peanuts).
• V 唔 到 (V m4 dou2): Prevented by external obstacles ('cannot manage to V'). E.g., 我去唔到 party (ngo5 heoi3 m4 dou2 party - I can't make it to the party).
• 冇得 V (mou5 dak1 V): Prevented by lack of opportunity ('no chance / option to V'). E.g., 我冇得去 party (ngo5 mou5 dak1 heoi3 party - I don't have the chance to go to the party).

Questions & Exceptions
To ask whether an action is permitted or possible, use question structures like V 唔 V 得 (e.g., 去唔去得？ heoi3 m4 heoi3 dak1?) or V 得 唔 得？ (e.g., 去得唔得？ heoi3 dak1 m4 dak1?).
Note: A common negative structure is 唔 V 得, as seen in the phrase 唔怪得 (m4 gwaai3 dak1 - no wonder). However, the V 唔 得 word order is also very common, such as 食唔得 (sik6 m4 dak1 - cannot be eaten), 做唔得 (zou6 m4 dak1 - not allowed to do) and 怪唔得 (gwaai3 m4 dak1 - no wonder) and the phrase 顧唔得咁多 (gu3 m4 dak1 gam3 do1 - can't worry about that much).

Examples (4)

  1. 呢度係禁煙區，所以唔食得煙㗎。

    This is a non-smoking area, so you cannot smoke here.

    Word by Word: This place is non-smoking area, so not eat can smoke [particle].

    Here 唔食得煙 (m4 sik6 dak1 jin1) indicates that smoking is prohibited by rules.

  2. 佢個舞會撞咗我家姐個婚禮，所以我唔去得嚹。

    Her party clashes with my older sister's wedding, so I cannot / am not allowed to go.

    Word by Word: She [classifier] dance party clash [aspect] my older sister [classifier] wedding, so I not go can [particle].

    唔去得 (m4 heoi3 dak1) expresses that attending is unacceptable due to a family commitment.

  3. 你隻腳受傷，呢幾日都唔行得路。

    Your leg is injured, so you cannot walk these few days.

    Word by Word: Your [classifier] leg injured, these few days all not walk can road.

    唔行得路 (m4 hang4 dak1 lou6) expresses physical or medical restriction.

  4. 呢啲嘢唔食得，已經過咗期。

    This food cannot be eaten; it has already expired.

    Word by Word: These things not eat can, already past [aspect] date.

    唔食得 (m4 sik6 dak1) means the food is unfit or unsafe to eat.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 唔 between the verb and 得 (*V 唔 得) to make a declarative negative statement.

    呢度去唔得。
    呢度唔去得。

    In Cantonese declarative statements, negative short potential requires preverbal 唔 (唔去得 m4 heoi3 dak1). Placing 唔 between the verb and 得 (*去唔得) does not form a standard declarative statement, unlike Mandarin V + 不 + 得.

  • Placing the direct object before 得 (*唔 + V + Object + 得).

    呢度唔食煙得。
    呢度唔食得煙。

    The direct object must follow 得 in standard word order: 唔 + Verb + 得 + Object (唔食得煙 m4 sik6 dak1 jin1).

  • Using '唔 V 得' for external obstacles or missed opportunities instead of 'V 唔 到' or '冇得 V'.

    我今晚唔去得，因為塞車。
    我今晚去唔到，因為塞車。

    Use V 唔 到 for external obstacles and 冇得 V for lack of opportunity. Reserve 唔 V 得 for rule prohibitions or lack of permission.

How It Connects

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V唔得Level 2Negative Short Potential

Learn This First

To understand 'V唔得' (negative short potential), you first need to understand the positive version 'V+得'. This pattern is formed by inserting the negation particle '唔' between the verb and the potential marker '得', effectively combining the verb with the concept of '唔得' (cannot/not okay).

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