Lesson 20

Video and text
Listening and speaking
Vocabulary
Grammar exercises

Question: Tell your friend that he won't be able to hear the Peking opera clearly as he is sitting too close to the stage. Ask him to sit further back.

Hint 1   Use V 得 清 楚/不 清 楚
Hint 2   Stage 舞 台
Answer  你 坐 得 离 舞 台太 近 了, 听 不 清 京 剧, 坐 得 远 一 点。 Listen
Comments  alternatively: 听 京 剧 不 能 坐 得 离 舞 台 那 么 近, 要 不, 听 不 清 楚. 坐 远 一 点 儿 tīng jīngjù bù néng zuò de lí wǔ tái nàme jìn, yàobu, tīng bu qīngchu. zuò yuǎn yìdiǎnr. Phrases such as 听 得 清 tīng de qīng and 听 不 清 tīng bu qīng are called potential verb phrases. These are used to express the ability to achieve an action. Most resultative (apart from 错 cuò) and directional verb phrases can be turned into potential verb phrases by placing 得 de (affirmative) or 不 bù  (negative) between the verb and its resultative or directional word. For instance, 说 得 清 (楚) shuō de qīngchu able to speak clearly; 说 不 清 (楚) shuō bu qīngchu unable to say it clearly; 看 得 清 (楚) kàn de qīngchu  able to see clearly; 看 不 清 (楚) kàn bu qīngchu  unable to see it clearly.
Index