Verb + 得 + 唔 + Adjective

Negating a Manner Complement

Level 3

Use V + 得 + 唔 + Adj to say someone does something 'not well', 'not fast', or 'not clearly'. It describes the quality of an action that is already happening.

How It Works

This pattern is the standard way to express negative evaluation of an action's manner.

1. The Role of 得 (dak1):
The particle 得 (dak1) acts as a bridge. Without it, you cannot link a verb to a descriptive adjective in this way. Note that in Cantonese, 得 (dak1) is for manner, while 到 (dou3) is used for extent (e.g., 'so tired that...').

2. Verb Repetition (The 'V-O-V' Rule):
If the verb has an object (like 'speak Cantonese' or 'write characters'), you cannot put the object between the verb and 得 (dak1). Repeat the verb (or move the object to the front as the topic):

  • Structure: Verb + Object + Verb + 得 + 唔 + Adjective
  • Example: 佢講廣東話講得唔好 (He speaks Cantonese [speaks] not well).

3. Descriptive vs. Potential:
It is vital to distinguish this from 'cannot'.

  • Manner: 行得唔快 (haang4 dak1 m4 faai3) = 'Walks not fast' (A description of current speed).
  • Potential: 行唔快 (haang4 m4 faai3) = 'Cannot walk fast' (Due to a broken leg or heavy bags).

Examples (5)

  1. 佢做得唔錯。

    He did [it] not bad (quite well).

    Word by Word: He do [particle] not wrong.

    Here, 唔錯 (m4 co3) means 'not bad' or 'quite good'. The pattern evaluates the quality of his work.

  2. 我琴晚瞓得唔好。

    I slept not well last night.

    Word by Word: I yesterday night sleep [particle] not good.

    瞓 (fan3) is the verb 'to sleep'. This describes the quality of the sleep, not the ability to sleep.

  3. 你寫字寫得唔整齊。

    You write characters not neatly.

    Word by Word: You write characters write [particle] not neat.

    Because 寫字 (se2 zi6) is a verb-object pair, the verb 寫 (se2) must be repeated before the 得 (dak1) particle.

  4. 佢行得唔快。

    He walks not fast.

    Word by Word: He walk [particle] not fast.

    This describes his current walking pace as being slow.

  5. 老師講得唔清楚。

    The teacher speaks not clearly.

    Word by Word: Teacher speak [particle] not clear.

    This evaluates the teacher's performance/clarity, rather than their physical ability to speak.

Common Mistakes

  • 唔行得快 is natural, but it means 'cannot / may not walk fast'.

    Different Meaning佢唔行得快。
    佢行得唔快。

    Putting 唔 (m4) before the verb, as in 佢唔行得快, means 'He cannot walk fast' or 'He is not allowed to'. To describe how he walks, put 唔 before the adjective: 佢行得唔快.

  • Putting the object between the verb and the particle.

    佢講廣東話得唔好。
    佢講廣東話講得唔好。

    In Cantonese, the particle 得 (dak1) must be attached directly to the verb. If there is an object, you must repeat the verb so that the particle has a verb to latch onto.

  • Confusing manner with extent (using 到 instead of 得).

    佢跑到唔快。
    佢跑得唔快。

    Learners often confuse 得 (dak1) for manner and 到 (dou3) for extent/result. Use 得 when you are simply describing how an action is performed.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Verb + 得 + 唔 + AdjectiveLevel 3Negating a Manner Complement

Learn This First

To negate a manner complement in Cantonese, you place the negator '唔' directly before the adjective rather than before the verb. This requires a solid grasp of the basic 'V+得+Adj' manner complement structure and the standard use of the negator '唔' with adjectives.

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