Grammar · Chapter 7
来得及 and 来不及: in time or not
来得及 + verb · 来不及 + verb
来得及 means “there's still time”, 来不及 “too late, can't make it”; the action goes right after: 来不及吃饭. The “not” is already inside the word, so it's 来不及, never 不来得及. “We can still make it” is 还来得及.
Examples
- 你还来得及。 Nǐ hái láidejí. You still have time.
- 我来不及吃饭。 Wǒ láibují chī fàn. I don't have time to eat.
- 快走吧，要来不及了。 Kuài zǒu ba, yào láibují le. Let's hurry, or we'll be too late.