得了/不了deliǎo/buliǎo

Potential Complements 得了 (deliǎo) and 不了 (buliǎo)

Meaning: Potential complement indicating whether an action can be managed

Pattern

The potential complements 得了 (deliǎo) and 不了 (buliǎo) express whether an action is feasible or bearable under concrete physical, material, or situational constraints.
Crucially, the character 了 is pronounced “liǎo” here, not “le”.
The affirmative form 得了 signifies “can manage to / able to finish”, while the negative form 不了 signifies “cannot manage / unable to finish”.
It frequently appears when dealing with excessive quantities (吃不了, cannot finish eating), physical stamina (走不了, cannot walk that far), or attendance (来得了, able to come).

1
这么多菜,我一个人吃不了。
Zhème duō cài, wǒ yí ge rén chī buliǎo.
With so many dishes, I cannot finish eating them alone.
2
明天的会议你来得了吗?
Míngtiān de huìyì nǐ lái deliǎo ma?
Can you make it to tomorrow's meeting?
3
今天太累了,我走不了那么远。
Jīntiān tài lèi le, wǒ zǒu buliǎo nàme yuǎn.
I am too tired today, I cannot walk that far.

•The character 了 in 得了 / 不了 must be pronounced “liǎo”, not “le”.

⚠️ Common Mistakes:

•Do not confuse 不了 (buliǎo, potential cannot) with 不...了 (bù...le, change of state no longer).

•Incorrect: 我不能吃不了。 → Correct: 我吃不了。 (redundant modal with complement)

Combine Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading Practice, Listening, Hanzi Writing, and Mock Exams at HSK 3 to master all skills together.