Result complements: 完 and 好
补语 / complements (结果补语)
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
Verb + 完 / 好 (+ 了) / 没 + Verb + 完 / 好
Chinese often adds a second element to the verb showing the result of the action.
V + 完 = finish doing completely: 吃完 (finish eating), 做完 (finish), 用完 (use up).
V + 好 = do until it's ready / done properly: 准备好 (be ready), 写好 (have written), 说好 (agree on).
Negate with 没 (not 不): 我还没做完. Question: 做完了吗？/ 做完了没有？
Examples
你的工作做完了吗？
Nǐ de gōngzuò zuòwán le ma?Have you finished your work?
会议的材料我准备好了。
Huìyì de cáiliào wǒ zhǔnbèi hǎo le.I've got the meeting documents ready.
打印纸用完了。
Dǎyìnzhǐ yòngwán le.The printer paper has run out.
我还没吃完，等我一下。
Wǒ hái méi chīwán, děng wǒ yíxià.I haven't finished eating yet, wait for me.
Common mistakes
✗ 我不做完 → ✓ 我没做完.
✗ 我做了完 → ✓ 我做完了 (了 after the complement).