Everything you need to use resultative complements correctly: the patterns, when to use them, examples with audio, common mistakes and exercises with answers.
A resultative complement goes after the verb to state the outcome of the action: 看懂, 写完, 听见, 做好... Key patterns: Verb + resultative complement; Verb + 不 + resultative complement.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb + result | V + Result Verb + resultative complement | 我听懂了。 I understood what I heard. Common results: 完, 好, 到, 见, 懂, 清楚 |
| Negating a possible result | V + 不 + Result Verb + 不 + resultative complement | 我看不懂这句话。 I cannot understand this sentence. |
Unlike a bare verb, a resultative complement says whether the action succeeded.
Use V + 不 + result to say the intended result was not achieved.
Pick the right option, then open the answer to check it.
Options: 会 · 完 · 开 · 走
完. 看完 = to finish reading: I have finished reading this book.
Options: 我不听清楚。 · 我听不清楚。 · 我听没清楚。 · 我清楚听不。
我听不清楚。. To say the result cannot be reached: V + 不 + result.
Options: 不懂 · 完 · 见 · 起来
不懂. 听不懂 = to hear but not understand.
Options: 他把问题解释了清楚。 · 他把问题解释清楚了。 · 他解释不问题清楚。 · 他问题解释清楚把了。
他把问题解释清楚了。. 解释清楚 is a correct verb + resultative complement pairing.
Options: 我到找了钥匙。 · 我找了到钥匙。 · 我找到了钥匙。 · 我找到钥匙了着。
我找到了钥匙。. 找到 = to find, with 到 as the resultative complement.
Options: 会 · 到 · 完 · 懂
到. 找到 = find; 到 shows the goal was reached: I have found my keys.
Options: 开 · 懂 · 见 · 错
错. 写错 = write wrongly; the second clause corrects it, so 错 fits: You wrote this character wrong, it should be "大".
Options: 完 · 懂 · 着 · 见
完. 做完 = finish doing: I have finished my homework, so I can go and play.
Options: 会 · 完 · 懂 · 见
见. 看见 = see: I can see you, you are over there!
Options: 会 · 开 · 懂 · 走
懂. 听懂 = understand what you hear: Did you understand what the teacher said?
Options: 我还不做完作业。 · 我还没做完了作业。 · 我还没做完作业。 · 我还没完做作业。
我还没做完作业。. Negating a resultative: 没 + V + result, without 了: I have not finished my homework yet.
Options: 开 · 懂 · 见 · 错
错. 说错 = say something wrong; the second part corrects it: You are wrong, his surname is not Wang, it is Li.
Options: 到 · 开 · 懂 · 见
到. 买到 = manage to buy: I have already got the cinema tickets.
Options: 完 · 开 · 懂 · 见
开. 打开 = open: Everyone, please open your books.
Options: 我看了见他。 · 我看他见了。 · 我看见他了。 · 我见看他了。
我看见他了。. The verb and its result stay together (看见), with no object or 了 in between: I saw him.
Options: 住 · 开 · 懂 · 见
住. 记住 = commit to memory: I have memorised your name.
Options: 开 · 懂 · 见 · 饱
饱. 吃饱 = eat one's fill: I am full, I do not want to eat any more.
Options: 对 · 懂 · 见 · 错
对. 答对 = answer correctly, which matches the praise: I got this question right; the teacher said my answer was very good.
Options: 我不听懂老师的话。 · 我听没懂老师的话。 · 我没听懂了老师的话。 · 我没听懂老师的话。
我没听懂老师的话。. A result is negated with 没 before the verb and no 了: I did not understand what the teacher said.
Options: 完 · 懂 · 着 · 见
完. 洗完澡 = finish showering; the object 澡 follows the complement: He has already finished his shower.
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