Cantonese Level UpCantonese Level UpLesson 35 · Advanced Patterns
The 'can/can't do' pattern — V得晒 (can eat all) vs V唔晒 (can't eat all). A major productive structure.
For Mandarin Speakers
Mandarin has the same V得/不+result pattern (吃得完/吃不完), so the concept is familiar. The Cantonese difference is using 唔 m4 instead of 不 bù, and some result complements are Cantonese-specific (e.g., 掂 dim6).
Potential complements express whether an action can or cannot achieve a certain result. The positive form uses 得 dak1 (able) and the negative form uses 唔 m4 (unable) between the verb and the result complement.
Basic structure: V + 得 + Result (can achieve) vs V + 唔 + Result (cannot achieve). For example: 食得晒 sik6 dak1 saai3 (can eat all of it) vs 食唔晒 sik6 m4 saai3 (can't eat all of it).
Common result complements: 到 dou3 (achieve/reach) — 搵得到 wan2 dak1 dou3 (can find it) / 搵唔到 wan2 m4 dou3 (can't find it). 起 hei2 (afford) — 買得起 maai5 dak1 hei2 (can afford) / 買唔起 maai5 m4 hei2 (can't afford). 晒 saai3 (all/completely) — 飲得晒 jam2 dak1 saai3 (can drink all) / 飲唔晒 jam2 m4 saai3 (can't drink all).
落 lok6 (down/fit) — 坐得落 co5 dak1 lok6 (can fit/sit) / 坐唔落 co5 m4 lok6 (can't fit). 埋 maai4 (close/together) — 傾得埋 king1 dak1 maai4 (can get along talking) / 傾唔埋 king1 m4 maai4 (can't communicate well). 掂 dim6 — 搞得掂 gaau2 dak1 dim6 (can handle it) / 搞唔掂 gaau2 m4 dim6 (can't handle it).
Difference from standalone 得: Don't confuse V+得+Result with V+得 alone. 做得 zou6 dak1 means 'acceptable/OK to do', while 做得到 zou6 dak1 dou3 means 'able to accomplish'. 食得 sik6 dak1 means 'edible/OK to eat', while 食得晒 sik6 dak1 saai3 means 'can eat all of it'.
Question form: Use the A-not-A pattern: V得唔V+Result. For example: 食得晒唔晒？sik6 dak1 saai3 m4 saai3? (Can you eat all of it or not?). Or simply: V唔V得+Result — 搞唔搞得掂？gaau2 m4 gaau2 dak1 dim6? (Can you handle it?).
Mandarin: 這麼多東西，你吃得完嗎？
食得晒 = can eat all of it (晒 = completely)
Mandarin: 找不到我的鑰匙
搵唔到 = can't find (唔到 = unable to reach/achieve)
Mandarin: 這裡買不起房
買唔起 = can't afford (唔起 = unable to 'rise to')
A-not-A question form for potential complements. 搞得掂 = can handle it.
坐唔落 = can't fit (sitting) — 落 as result = 'down/into place'
Fill in the Blank
Can't find it: 搵___到
Multiple Choice
What is the difference between 食得 and 食得晒?
Translate
How do you say 'can't afford' (to buy) in Cantonese?
Fill in the Blank
Can you handle it? 搞___掂？(positive potential form)
Multiple Choice
How do you form an A-not-A question for 'can you eat it all?'