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I remember once being told that there are differences in usage and meaning between 能 and verb + 得了.

他能来。 他不能来。
他来得了。 他来不了。

EDIT: Maybe my examples above weren't that good. Here are some new ones:

小孩搬不了这个大花盆。 小孩不能搬这个大花盆。
这儿声音太大，我听不了。 这儿声音太大，我不能听。

When should I use each? What are the differences in meaning?

Thanks in advance!

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  • is 了 here read as le or liao ?
    – Abdul Al Hazred
    Oct 13, 2015 at 21:39
  • Definitely liao.
    – Ringil
    Oct 13, 2015 at 23:48

3 Answers 3

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I think the difference is mostly in formality. For the first 2 examples you've given, both would be acceptable grammatically, but 能 definitely sounds more formal.

However, I think there are examples where they can't completely be used interchangeably.

我吃不了了 can be used to indicate that one can't keep eating (because one is full/doesn't like the food). But to indicate the same with 能 you probably need to say, 我不能继续吃了。

This might fall in a general category of idioms where you can't use 能 instead of a construction involving 得. For example, 我看不起他 really can't be replaced easily with 能

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  • cf。Chinese grammars，e。g。＂实用现代汉语语法＂ 能愿动词（八）能、能够 １。表示主观上具有某种能力。例如：１刚来中国的时候，我连一个汉字也不认识，怎么能看中文书呢？２这个机器的马达坏了，不能开动了。３打猎的越来越近，都能听见马跑的声‌​音了。２。表示具备某种客观条件。例如：１今天气温低，水能结成冰。２时间还早，九点钟以前能赶回。３。表示情理上许可，多用于疑问和否定句。例如：１天这么晚了，我不能让‌​你走！２陈胜对吴广说：＂我们不能去渔阳送死，应该起义反抗。＂３病人病情危急，不能坐等。４。表示＂准许＂，多用于疑问句和否定句。例如：１没有我的命令你不能动！２那是‌​集体的财产，我怎么能让你随意破坏？在陈述句中，第３，４二义的肯定形式用＂可以＂。５。表示估计。例如：１今天小刘能到北京吗？２电影已经演了一半了，他不能来了。６。表‌​示善于做某事。例如：１他能说会道，能写会算。２老师傅可真能睡。。。。可能补语 二、B 类可能补语（一）B 类可能补语表示的语法意义 B 类可能补语是由＂得／不＋了＂构成的。＂了＂的本义是＂完＂、＂结束＂，由＂得／不＋了＂构成的可能补语用在某些动词后。＂了＂有时仍表示＂完、掉＂等结果意义。例如：１‌​这个西瓜太大，咱们俩吃不了。（吃不完）２这件事我总也忘不了。（忘不掉）这类＂得／不＋了＂与A 类可能补语所表示的意思是一样的，所以应属于A类。
    – user6065
    Oct 14, 2015 at 21:56
  • I don't see what you're trying to say by copying that other than there are more things you can express with 能....
    – Ringil
    Oct 14, 2015 at 22:03
  • Q is about difference between 能 and 得／不＋了，incidentally preceding earlier was positioned below，but after correcting 能源 to 能愿 could no longer be moved to the previous position。
    – user6065
    Oct 14, 2015 at 22:33
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The main difference between -得了 and 能 is that -得了 can only be used with a fairly small subset of verbs, while 能 can be used with most verbs; for example, we can say 能看見, but 看見得了 sounds quite odd to me.

I believe this is because -得了 has a more specific meaning than 能, which is as generic as you can get, but I can't immediately provide a reference for this. Another important difference is that 能 can be used with a whole clause:

他還能一邊唱一邊跳, 真厲害. He can sing and dance at the same time, impressive!

There is no way to stick -得了 into this kind of sentence; it is a verbal affix, so can only be used as part of a relatively simple sentence.

Later note: I changed the example above from 能看 to 能看見. This may work better. I Still haven't found leading references, but here is one article that discusses some of this: 郝維 2001〈補語的可能式研究綜述〉，《漢語學習》3：29-34. In particular, the article notes that -得了 is usually used for actions that can be completed. This seems right, so in the zillions of cases where we want to speak of general ability, -得了 is often inappropriate. An example:

他能彈鋼琴 He can play the piano. (ok)
?? 他彈得了鋼琴 He can (finish) playing the piano. (odd)

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  • I feel like you can just say 看得见 to express nearly the same meaning as 能看见。 For example: A： 你做的地方能看见老师吗？ B： 看不见。
    – Ringil
    Oct 14, 2015 at 9:48
  • Also, A:你能弹钢琴吗？B:弹不了。Maybe it just works for questions. Though I feel for cases where you want to express ability 会 might be utilized more than 能.
    – Ringil
    Oct 14, 2015 at 11:01
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Whichever you please. 不能 is more general, but also means cannot, must not, ought not, should not. Likewise, 能 is often an inherit trait, as in 你能说汉语吗？

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  • 由＂得／不＋了＂构成的B类可能补语，＂了＂本身不表示结果意义，整个＂得／不＋了＂表示＂主、客观条件是否容许实现（某种动作或变化）＂。例如：１钻机没有水就动不了。（客观条件不容许）２今天下雨，去不了颐和园了。（客观条件不容许）３你这么大年纪了，连山上的草都拔不了，怎么能搬走这两座大山呢？（主观条件不容许）４今天阿里病了，上不了课了。（主观条件不容许）＂得／不了＂还可以表示对情况的估计。例如：１我看小刘比小陈大不了几岁。２敌人是兔子的尾巴，长不了。表示＂情理上是否许可＂或＂准许不准许＂意义时，不能用 B 类可能补语，只能用＂能＂。例如：１一个人不能去，会掉在沟里！＊一个人去不了，会掉在沟里！２你的要求是错误的，我不能答应。＊你的要求是错误的，我答应不了。B类可能补语在陈述句中也主要用否定形式，表达相应的肯定意思时，多用＂能＂。例如：二哥，属老虎的才能干这种事，属耗子的干不了。２今天晚上我能去，阿里去不了。B类可能补语主要用于口语，书面语或在正式场合更多的是用＂能／不能＋动词＂，A 类可能补语或其他方式。（二）B 类可能补语与A 类的区别 虽然在表达＂主，客观条件是否容许实现＂这一点上 A 类可能补语与B 有相同之处，但 A 类总与动作的结果或趋向相联系，而 B 类则与结果或趋向无关。试比较：１今天晚上我有事，看不完这本书了。（A 类，不能实现＂看完＂）２今天晚上我有事，看不了这本书了。
    – user6065
    Oct 14, 2015 at 3:13
  • Hm, so does it make sense to say 看得了这本书了? How about 看見? We can say 能看見, can we say 看見得了? ps: long detailed answers like this really would be better as answers than comments, otherwise its very easy to overlook.
    – wpt
    Oct 14, 2015 at 4:31
  • according to above quotation (unfinished)，得／不＋了 （B type potential complement）can be used if dependent on subjective/objective conditions, possibility or impossibility based on reason （情理上）requires 能／不能，(thus answer depends on context) moreover in the case of affirmative declaration as opposed to negation or question 能 is anyhow more common than 得＋了.
    – user6065
    Oct 14, 2015 at 6:30
  • 3rd last comment continued, （B类，不能实现＂看＂）（三）包含B类可能补语的句子，结构特点基本与包含A类可能补语的句子相同，值得提出的有以下两点：１。动词或形容词与B类结合要比A类得容易，结合也宽些，连某些动补式动词（如＂扩大、延长、埋没、提高＂等），前面有状语的动词甚至有其他补语动词都可以带B类补语。例如：１我们这里埋没不了人才。２他这个人，早来不了。３这些土地是我们的，谁也抢不了去！这是因为B类可能补语主要用于口语，所以只有口语中不常用的动词，如＂逾、著、恭候、寻（找）。。。＂、表示使令义的＂使、让、叫＂以及能愿动词等不能带B类可能补语。不能带B类可能补语的形容词有以下两类：A。某些口语中不常用的，如＂肮脏＂、＂错误＂、＂丑陋＂、＂衰败＂、＂高大＂等。B。非谓形容词，如＂男＂、＂女＂、＂雌＂、＂雄＂、＂正＂、＂副＂、＂横＂、＂竖＂、＂夹＂、＂大型＂、＂初级＂、＂多项＂、＂个别＂、＂共同＂、＂主要＂、＂新生＂、＂慢性＂、＂新式＂、＂四方＂、＂万能＂、＂天然＂、＂人为＂、＂袖珍＂、＂高频＂等。２。B类可能补语中间不能插入程度副词。＊）A类可能补语：由＂得／不＋结果补语／趋向补语＂构成的，叫A类可能补语。
    – user6065
    Oct 14, 2015 at 22:35

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