着/了/过来。。什么区别呢？

[BenK]

hey everybody,
I have been trying to get the exact meaning of the above mentioned complements, 着，了and过来， all going into the construction:Verb-得-X.Still, I dont really see the difference between those three. All mean "to get something done", isnt that so?
My guess is that some complements of this kind in general are only used after, or together with, certain words. For instance, I didnt come across 着 except for 睡得着. Nonetheless, my textbook still says nothing about what it exactly means. So, could anyone be so kind and give me a precise explanation of the differences?
Thank you very much.

[lvn]

Maybe you should try different grammar books because:

1) They are more systematic in the explanations.

2) Language textbooks always focus on the grammar they display in the dialogues.

 

Have you tried 使用现代汉语语法 (542; 589-592)?

[flowertea]

There are different and specific meanings for  “着、了、过来” in this structure “Verb-得-X”--- This pattern is named the potential complement or possible complement. It means a word or phrase indicates whether the action will possibly achieve a result or reach a state. The negative pattern is  “Verb-不-X”。

The differences of the three words:

1. 着 means succeed in doing some things

(1)我妈妈不怕吵，电视声音很大的时候也睡得着。

(Wǒ māmɑ bú pà chǎo ， diànshì  shēnɡyīn  hěn dà  deshíhou yě shuì de zháo 。)

My mother is not afraid of noises; she still can fall asleep when the sounds of TV are loud. (She can succeed in falling asleep.)

(2)树上的桃子太高了，我够不着。

(Shù shànɡ de táozi tài ɡāo le ， wǒ ɡòu bù zháo。)

The peaches on the tree are too high, so I can’t reach them. (I can’t succeed in reaching the peaches.)

 

2. 了 means ability or completion. You need to pay attention to the pronunciation. 了 should be pronounced “liǎo” as a complement in such a structure.

(1) 别给我太多，我吃不了。(Bié ɡěi wǒ tài duō ， wǒ chī bù liǎo 。)

Don’t give me too much (food); I can’t eat all. (Completion)

(2) 我试试，也许做得了 。(Wǒ shì shi ， yě xǔ zuò de liǎo。)

I will try; maybe I can manage it. (Ability)

 

3. 过来 means change, reform， to have more work than one can handle properly

(1) 他还小，我想改得过来他那些坏习惯。

(Tā hái xiǎo ， wǒ xiǎnɡ ɡǎi de ɡuòlái tā nà xiē huài xíɡuàn 。)

He is still young. I think he can change his bad habits.

(2) 老师们有时候忙不过来。

(Lǎoshī men yǒushíhou mánɡ bú ɡuòlái 。)

Sometimes teachers are really busy; they are up to their necks in work.

 

There are different and specific meanings for  “着、了、过来” in this structure “Verb-得-X”--- This pattern is named the potential complement or possible complement. It means a word or phrase indicates whether the action will possibly achieve a result or reach a state. The negative pattern is  “Verb-不-X”。

The differences of the three words:

1. 着 means succeed in doing some things

(1)我妈妈不怕吵，电视声音很大的时候也睡得着。

(Wǒ māmɑ bú pà chǎo ， diànshì  shēnɡyīn  hěn dà  deshíhou yě shuì de zháo 。)

My mother is not afraid of noises; she still can fall asleep when the sounds of TV are loud. (She can succeed in falling asleep.)

(2)树上的桃子太高了，我够不着。

(Shù shànɡ de táozi tài ɡāo le ， wǒ ɡòu bù zháo。)

The peaches on the tree are too high, so I can’t reach them. (I can’t succeed in reaching the peaches.)

 

2. 了 means ability or completion. You need to pay attention to the pronunciation. 了 should be pronounced “liǎo” as a complement in such a structure.

(1) 别给我太多，我吃不了。(Bié ɡěi wǒ tài duō ， wǒ chī bù liǎo 。)

Don’t give me too much (food); I can’t eat all. (Completion)

(2) 我试试，也许做得了 。(Wǒ shì shi ， yě xǔ zuò de liǎo。)

I will try; maybe I can manage it. (Ability)

 

3. 过来 means change, reform， to have more work than one can handle properly

(1) 他还小，我想改得过来他那些坏习惯。

(Tā hái xiǎo ， wǒ xiǎnɡ ɡǎi de ɡuòlái tā nà xiē huài xíɡuàn 。)

He is still young. I think he can change his bad habits.

(2) 老师们有时候忙不过来。

(Lǎoshī men yǒushíhou mánɡ bú ɡuòlái 。)

Sometimes teachers are really busy; they are up to their necks in work.