Lesson 20

Video and text
Listening and speaking
Vocabulary
Grammar exercises

Question: Your friend is carrying two large suitcases. Tell her that it is not possible for her to walk upstairs with them, and offer to help.

Hint 1   Use V 着 to describe what she will be doing as she walks upstairs
Hint 2   Use a potential verb phrase
Answer  你拿着两个大箱子走不上楼去， 来， 我帮你拿吧。 Listen
Comments  Alternatively: 你一个人拿两个大箱子走不上楼去. 来,我帮你一把 nǐ yí ge rén ná liǎng ge dà xiāngzi zǒu bu shàng lóu qù. lái, wǒ bāng nǐ yì bǎ. Potential verb phrases can also be used to express ability in moving an action in a certain direction. Most 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, 拿得上去 ná de shàng qù able to take something up; 拿不上去 ná bu shàng qù unable to take something up; 走得进来 zǒu de jìn lái able to walk in; 走不进来 zǒu bu jìn lái unable to walk in.
Index