Verb Copying: Subject + V + Object + V + Complement
重动词：主语+动词+宾语+动词+补语
Copy (repeat) the verb to attach a complement when the verb already has an object
When a verb takes both an object and a complement, the verb is repeated (copied). The first instance takes the object, the second takes the complement.
This structure is necessary because Chinese does not allow both an object and a complement to follow the same verb directly. The verb must be "copied" so each copy can handle one element.
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: Verb Copying: Subject + V + Object + V + Complement (重动词：主语+动词+宾语+动词+补语)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the 重动词：主语+动词+宾语+动词+补语 pattern
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Understanding 重动词：主语+动词+宾语+动词+补语
In Chinese, a verb can take either an object (what receives the action) or a complement (how the action is done), but not both at the same time in the same position. When you need both, you copy the verb: the first copy takes the object, and the second copy takes the complement. For example, you cannot say *他打篮球很好 — you must say 他打篮球打得很好. The verb 打 appears twice: once with the object 篮球 and once with the complement 得很好. This might feel redundant to English speakers, but it is a natural and essential pattern in Chinese. You will use it constantly to describe how well someone does activities, how long they do them, and what results their actions produce. It bridges the gap between the state complement (得 + adjective) and the duration complement (了 + time) when verbs have objects.
Key Points
- Chinese verbs cannot take an object and a complement simultaneously — so the verb is copied.
- First copy: verb + object. Second copy: verb + complement.
- State complement: 他打篮球打得很好 (He plays basketball very well).
- Duration complement: 我看电视看了两个小时 (I watched TV for two hours).
- Result complement: 她走路走累了 (She walked until she was tired).
- The copied verb is always identical to the first verb.
- An alternative is to front the object: 篮球他打得很好 — but copying is more common in speech.
- This pattern is very common in daily Chinese — practice it with activities you do regularly.
The verb-copying construction reflects how Chinese grammar handles the competing demands of objects and complements. Rather than creating complex clause structures like English ("He plays basketball so well that..."), Chinese elegantly repeats the verb. This simplicity-through-repetition is a hallmark of Chinese syntax.
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
他打篮球打得很好。
He plays basketball very well.
State complement
她游泳游得很快。
She swims very fast.
State complement
她走路走累了。
She walked until she was tired.
Result complement
我看电视看了两个小时。
I watched TV for two hours.
Duration complement
他唱歌唱得非常好听。
He sings very beautifully.
State complement with verb-object compound
弟弟踢足球踢了一下午。
My younger brother played soccer all afternoon.
Duration complement
我跑步跑得满头大汗。
I ran until I was drenched in sweat.
State complement
她学中文学了三年。
She has studied Chinese for three years.
Common Mistakes
You cannot put 得 directly after the object. The verb must be copied, and 得 goes after the copied verb.
The duration complement cannot go between the verb and object. Copy the verb instead.
The result complement (累了) needs the verb repeated before it. Without 走 before 累了, the sentence is structurally incomplete.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
Whenever you want to say "does X well/fast/long," check: does the verb have an object? If yes, copy the verb.
The formula is simple: V + Object + V + Complement. Never try to squeeze both after one verb.
This works with all complement types: state (得+adj), duration (了+time), and result (result word).
An alternative is to front the object: 篮球他打得很好 — but verb copying is more natural in conversation.
Homework
Write ten verb-copying sentences about hobbies and daily activities. Include at least three with state complements (得+adj), three with duration complements (了+time), and two with result complements. Use a variety of activities: sports, studying, cooking, gaming, reading.