The potential form of resultative verbs
18.6
北京的房子太贵了。一般人住不起了。
北京的房子太貴了。一般人住不起了。
Běijīng de fángzi tài guì le. Yībānrén zhùbuqǐ le.
Beijing houses have become too expensive. Ordinary people can’t afford to live there
anymore.我们吃不起龙虾。
我們吃不起龍蝦。
Wǒmen chībuqǐ lóngxiā.
We can’t afford to eat lobster.- 得下 dexià ‘have room to accommodate (the object of the verb)’/-不下 buxià ‘not have room
to accommodate (the object of the verb)’
你吃得下这么多的菜吗？
你吃得下這麽多的菜嗎？
Nǐ chīdexià zhème duō de cài ma?
Can you eat so much food?
这间屋子住得下多少人？
這間屋子住得下多少人？
Zhè jiān wūzi zhùdexià duōshǎo rén?
How many people can this room accommodate?这辆车坐得下九个人。
這輛車坐得下九個人。
Zhè liàng chē zuòdexià jiǔ gè rén.
This car can seat nine people.
這个箱子太小，放不下这件大衣。
這個箱子太小，放不下這件大衣。
Zhège xiāngzi tài xiǎo, fàngbùxià zhè jiàn dàyī.
This suitcase is too small; it cannot hold this overcoat.- 得过/過 deguò ‘able to surpass (in doing the action of the verb)’/-不过/過 buguò ‘unable to
surpass (in doing the action of the verb).’ This suffix can be used with any activity where it
can be said that someone can outdo someone else. Here are examples.
你比得过他吗？
你比得過他嗎？
Nǐ bǐdeguò tā ma?
Can you out-do him?喝酒，我比不过他。他很能喝酒。
喝酒，我比不過他。他很能喝酒。
Hē jiǔ, wǒ bǐbuguò tā. Tā hěn néng hē jiǔ.
I cannot out-do him when it comes to drinking. He can drink a lot.- 得及 dejí ‘in time to do’/-不及 bují ‘too late to do.’ This suffix most commonly occurs with
the verb 来/來 lái ‘come.’
A: 飞机就要起飞了，再不走就来不及了。
飛機就要起飛了，再不走就來不及了。
Fēijī jiù yào qǐfēi le, zài bù zǒu jiù láibùjí le.
The airplane is going to take off. It will be too late if we don’t leave now.B: 别着急，还有十分钟，来得及。
別著急，還有十分鐘，來得及。
Bié zháojí, hái yǒu shí fēnzhōng, láidejí.
Don’t worry, we still have ten minutes. We can make it.