Word: 得 (de) links a verb to a complement showing what is possible; can; able to

三钱银子买个老驴,自夸骑得

sān qián yínzi mǎi ge lǎolǘ,zìkuā qí de

buy an old donkey for three qian of silver and boast that it's good to ride

两手托刺猬，扔出去舍不得，捧在手里扎得痛

liǎngshǒu tuō cìwei, rēng chūqù shěbùde, pěng zài shǒulǐ zhā de tòng

holding a hedgehog in both hands: can't bear to throw it out, but it pricks when held

书是不会读得太多的。

Shū shì búhuì dú de tài duō de.

We cannot read too many books.

他们等得了。

Tāmen děng de le.

They can wait.

他就算带了眼镜也看得不很清楚。

Tā jiùsuàn dàile yǎnjìng yě kàn de bù hěn qīngchu.

Even with his glasses, he doesn't see very well.

他很聪明，但却不太帮得上忙。

Tā hěn cōngming, dàn què bú tài bāng de shàng máng.

He may be clever, but he is not very helpful.

他算得上一个作家。

Tā suàn de shàng yí gè zuòjiā.

He can be considered an author.

但我有能力烧得好菜。

Dàn wǒ yǒu nénglì shāo de hǎo cài.

But I am able to cook well.

但是没人帮得了我。

Dànshì méi rén bāng de liǎo wǒ.

But no man could help me.

你拎得动这么重的行李吗？

Nǐ līn de dòng zhème zhòng de xíngli ma?

Can you manage to carry such heavy luggage?

医得病，医不得命；医得身，医不得心

yī débìng, yī bùde ming; yī de shēn, yī bùdé xīn

can cure illness but not fate; can cure the body but not the heart

吃得筵席打得柴

chī de yánxí dǎ de chái

can eat at a banquet and can chop firewood

吃得苦中苦，方为人上人

chī de kǔ zhōng kǔ, fāng wéi rén shàng rén

only by eating the bitterest of bitter can you become a person above others

和他争论这件事得不出结果。

Hé tā zhēnglùn zhè jiàn shì de bù chū jiéguǒ.

It is no use arguing with him about it.

大胆天下去得，小心寸步难行

dàdǎn tiānxià qù de, xiǎoxīn cùnbùnánxíng

the bold can go anywhere under heaven, the timid can hardly move an inch

家常便饭吃得长，粗布衣裳穿得久

jiāchángbiànfàn chī de cháng, cūbù yīshang chuān de jiǔ

plain home meals can be eaten for long, coarse cloth clothes can be worn for long

容得虎挡道,不是好猎手

róng de hǔ dǎng dào,bú shì hǎo lièshǒu

one who tolerates a tiger blocking the road is no good hunter

惹不起，躲得起

rěbùqǐ, duǒ de qǐ

can't afford to provoke, can afford to avoid

我不是轻易吓得住的。

Wǒ bú shì qīngyì xià de zhù de.

I'm not that easily intimidated.

我不知道我能不能负担得起。

Wǒ bù zhīdào wǒ néng bùnéng fùdān de qǐ.

I'm not sure I can afford it.

我们怎么付得起这种地方的钱？

Wǒmen zěnme fù de qǐ zhèzhǒng dìfang de qián?

How can you afford a place like this?

我做得了。

Wǒ zuò de liǎo.

I can do it.

我只有戴眼镜的话才看得清楚。

Wǒ zhǐyǒu dài yǎnjìng dehuà cái kàn de qīngchu.

I can only see clearly if I wear my glasses.

我瘦了这么多，这条裤子我现在穿得了了。

Wǒ shòule zhème duō, zhè tiáo kùzi wǒ xiànzài chuān de liǎo le.

I've lost so much weight, I can wear these trousers now.

我觉得他们来得了。

Wǒ juéde tāmen lái de liǎo.

I think they'll be able to make it.

拿得住的是手，掩不住的是口

ná de zhù de shì shǒu, yǎn búzhù de shì kǒu

what you can hold is the hand; what you can't cover is the mouth

无才有志，成全半事；有才无志，白头了事；有才有志，做得大事

wú cái yǒuzhì, chéngquán bàn shì; yǒu cái wú zhì, báitóu liǎo shì; yǒu cái yǒuzhì, zuò de dàshì

no talent but ambition, half the job is done; talent but no ambition, you end with white hair and nothing; talent and ambition, you can do great things

没有人能猜得准她的年龄。

Méiyǒu rén néng cāi de zhǔn tā de niánlíng.

Nobody can guess her age.

没有人说得出来她在哪里。

Méiyǒu rén shuō de chūlái tā zài nǎlǐ.

No one could tell where she was.

没本钱的买卖，赚得起赔不起

méi běnqián de mǎimai, zhuàn de qǐ péi bù qǐ

a business without capital: can afford to profit, can't afford to lose

清水河里捞鱼虾,看得一清二楚

Qīngshuǐhé li lāo yúxiā,kàn de yìqīng'èrchǔ

catching fish and shrimp in a clear river: seen perfectly clearly

瓶口扎得住，人口扎不住

píngkǒu zhā de zhù, rénkǒu zhā búzhù

you can tie up a bottle's mouth, but not people's mouths

留得住人身，留不住人心

liú dé zhù rénshēn, liú búzhù rénxīn

you can keep a person's body, not their heart

癞蛤蟆躲端午,躲得了初一,躲不了十五

làiháma duǒ duānwǔ,duǒ de liǎo chūyī,duǒ bù liǎo shíwǔ

A toad dodging the Dragon Boat Festival: it can dodge the first, but not the fifteenth

看得清楚吗？

Kàn de qīngchu ma?

Can you see it well?

纸上画的饼，看得吃不得

zhǐ shang huà de bǐng, kàn de chībùdé

a cake drawn on paper: you can look at it but not eat it

还有几个小时才到得了？

Háiyǒu jǐ ge xiǎoshí cái dào de le?

How many hours left till arrival?

还算说得通。

Hái suàn shuō de tōng.

It's fair.

这么多菜，你吃得了吗？

Zhème duō cài, nǐ chī de liǎo ma?

There's so much food. Can you eat it all?

这么多饭 - 你能吃得完吗？

Zhème duō fàn - nǐ néng chī de wán ma?

There's so much food - can you eat it all?

这台洗碗机洗得干净吗？

Zhè tái xǐwǎnjī xǐ de gānjìng ma?

Does this dishwasher get things clean?

这箱子太重，你拎得动吗？

Zhè xiāngzi tài zhòng, nǐ līn de dòng ma?

This box is so heavy. Can you lift it?

这里头没有一件事说得通。

Zhèlǐ tóu méiyǒu yí jiàn shì shuō de tōng.

None of this makes any sense.

那个相当能说得通。

Nàge xiāngdāng néng shuō de tōng.

That actually makes a lot of sense.

那样说得通。

Nàyàng shuō de tōng.

It makes sense.

那算得上道歉吗？

Nà suàn de shàng dàoqiàn ma?

Does that count as an apology?

铁路上的枕木，经得住压

tiělù shàng de zhěnmù, jīng de zhù yā

Railway sleepers: they can take the pressure

饿得死懒汉，饿不死穷汉

è de sǐ lǎnhàn, è bù sǐ qiónghàn

a lazy man can starve, a poor man won't