How to use 到
Verb + 到
到 after a verb often emphasizes attainment: the action has reached a target, obtained something, or produced an intended result. A plain verb can name the activity, while the compound makes success more explicit. Depending on the verb, the target may be an object, a person contacted, information learned, or a standard actually met. The meaning is not always physical arrival.
Read the verb and 到 together before deciding how to translate the sentence. Some combinations are familiar vocabulary, while others reveal a clear contrast between trying and achieving. A negative with 没 reports nonattainment; a potential form with 不到 describes inability or lack of availability. The distinction matters when explaining what happened versus what is possible.
Examples with pinyin and English
我还没有做。
I haven‘t done it.
我下个星期可以做。
I can do it next week.
我相信你一定能做到。
I believe you will be able to do it.
我还没有买。
I haven't bought it yet.
What to remember
- Look for the result or target that was reached.
- Contrast the plain activity with successful attainment.
- Keep 没 + verb到 distinct from verb不到.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.