Table of Contents

Grammar Point

Complements: 會会 huì & 見见 jiàn

Chinese verbs don’t only describe actions; a small complement can show the result. Here are two common ones: 會 huì会 huì (you’ve learned it and can do it now) and 見 jiàn见 jiàn (you actually saw or heard it).

一 V + 會会 · Learn / Master

V + 会 · learn / master

會 huì会 huì shows that an action results in a new skill or ability. It usually follows 學 xué学 xué (learn) or 教 jiāo (teach).

等děng我wǒ学xué会huì了le骑马qímǎ，我wǒ就jiù要yào去qù蒙古Ménggǔ

Once I learn to ride a horse, I’m going to Mongolia.

我wǒ学xué不bu会huì这个zhège语法yǔfǎ

I just can’t master this grammar.

你nǐ学xué得de会huì开车kāichē吗ma？

Do you think you can learn to drive?

我wǒ没méi学xué会huì怎么zěnme写xiě书法shūfǎ

I never learned how to do calligraphy.

Tiffany 教jiāo会huì了le我wǒ这个zhège字zì的de用法yòngfǎ

Tiffany taught me how to use this word.

二 V + 見见 · See / Hear

V + 见 · see / hear

見 jiàn见 jiàn shows that your eyes or ears actually perceived something. It follows 看 kàn (look) or 聽 tīng听 tīng (listen).

我wǒ没méi听tīng见jiàn你nǐ的de声音shēngyin，我wǒ也yě没méi看kàn见jiàn你nǐ

I didn’t hear your voice, and I didn’t see you either.

有yǒu人rén在zài哭kū，你nǐ听tīng见jiàn了le没有méiyǒu？

Someone is crying. Did you hear it?

你nǐ看kàn得de见jiàn鬼guǐ吗ma？我wǒ看kàn不bu见jiàn

Can you see ghosts? I can’t. 👻

我wǒ的de手机shǒujī，你nǐ看kàn见jiàn了le吗ma？

Have you seen my phone?

我wǒ刚刚gānggang在zài咖啡店kāfēidiàn看kàn见jiànTiffany 了le

I just saw Tiffany at the café.

Also: 到见 jiàn and 到 dào mean almost the same thing: 看kàn见jiàn ≈ 看kàn到dào. 看到 is more common in everyday speech.

三 Action vs. Result

Action

我wǒ学xué中文Zhōngwén

I study Chinese. (You’re learning, but may not have mastered it.)

Result

我wǒ学xué会huì了le中文Zhōngwén

I’ve learned Chinese. (You can use it now.)

Action

我wǒ没méi看kàn他tā

I didn’t look at him. (On purpose.)

Result

我wǒ没méi看kàn见jiàn他tā

I didn’t see him. (My eyes never caught him.)

四 Common Mistakes

❌ 我wǒ學xué学xué中文Zhōngwén會huì会huì了le

✅ 我wǒ學xué学xué會huì会huì了le中文Zhōngwén

The complement goes right after the verb, before the object.

❌ 我wǒ沒méi没méi看kàn見jiàn见jiàn了le他tā

✅ 我wǒ沒méi没méi看kàn見jiàn见jiàn他tā

Don’t use 了 le with 沒 méi没 méi.

❌ 我wǒ不bù能néng聽tīng听tīng見jiàn见jiàn

✅ 我wǒ聽tīng听tīng不bú不bu見jiàn见jiàn

To say you’re unable to hear, use the potential form V + 不 + 見见.

五 Practice

Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!

Question 1 of 10

“I’ve learned to ride a horse.”