29.2 The Verbal Particle 得 dak1 (Possibility)

We can use the verbal particle 得 dak1 to indicate that it is possible to do an activity. In the context of this lesson, we will use 得 dak1 to indicate that we are ready to do an activity.

Since the state has changed from not ready to ready in this context, we usually use the sentence particle 喇 laa3 at the same time (See Grammar and vocabulary 13.6).

To indicate that we are not ready yet, we can add the adverb 未 mei6 (‘not yet’) before the verb for the activity. Since the state has not changed yet, we don’t use 喇 laa3.

We can use the adverb 未 mei6 (‘yet’) with 得 dak1 to form yes-no questions that asks whether someone is ready to do an activity yet. We put 未 mei6 after 得 dak1 instead of before the verb. If there is an object after the verb, we put 未 mei6 after it. For separable verbs, we put 未 mei6 after the whole verb. As a rule of thumb, we usually put 未 mei6 at the end of the question or before the sentence particle, if any.

To answer the question, we can give a short answer or a long answer.

We form a short answer by omitting the subject and the object in the long answer. For separate verbs, we usually keep the first syllable (the verb part) and omit the other syllables (the object part). For a negative short answer, we can also simply say 未呀 mei6 aa3 (‘not yet’).