resultative verbs in affirmative and negative sentences
18.4
18.4 resultative verbs in affirmative and negative sentences
In affirmative sentences, resultative verbs indicate that an action concludes in a particular way.
When talking about actions that have already concluded, affirmative sentences with resultative
verbs include the perfective aspect suffix 了 le.
我找到了我的手机。
我找到了我的手機。
Wǒ zhǎodàole wǒ de shǒujī.
I found my cellphone.
我已经用完了父母给我的钱。
我已經用完了父母給我的錢。
Wǒ yǐjing yòngwánle fùmǔ gěi wǒ de qián.
I have already spent the money that my parents gave to me.
你猜对了；我有三块钱。
你猜對了；我有三塊錢。
Nǐ cāiduìle; wǒ yǒu sān kuài qián.
You guessed it right; I have three dollars.
我们商量好了，今天晚上出去吃饭。
我們商量好了，今天晚上出去吃飯。
Wǒmen shānglianghǎole, jīntiān wǎnshang chūqu chī fàn.
We’ve agreed, we’re going out to eat tonight.
The object of the resultative verb may be topicalized.
这个字，你又写错了。
這個字，你又寫錯了。
Zhèige zì, nǐ yòu xiěcuòle.
You wrote this character wrong again.
Resultative verbs can also be used to talk about concluding an action in the future. In situations
like these, the perfective aspect marker does not occur.
我明天能把这本书看完。
我明天能把這本書看完。
Wǒ míngtiān néng bǎ zhè běn shū kànwán.
I can finish reading this book tomorrow.
When a resultative verb is used in a negated sentence, the sentence conveys the information
that some action was not or has not been completed. Negation is always 没/沒 méi, and it
occurs right before the resultative verb.
今天的功课，我还没做完。
今天的功課，我還沒做完。
Jīntiān de gōngkè, wǒ hái méi zuòwán.
Today’s homework, I haven’t yet finished doing it.
还没预备好呢。
還沒預備好呢。
Hái méi yùbèihǎo ne.
I haven’t finished preparing.
Perfective 了 le never occurs in negated sentences, but when talking about some action that
has never occurred before, the experiential aspect marker 过/過 guò may occur right after the
resultative verb.
她从来没做错过事。
她從來沒做錯過事。
Tā cónglái méi zuòcuòguo shì.
She’s never done anything wrong before.
