English–Chinese
“be able to” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyindé yǐ
Example
调整计划后，我们得以按时完成。tiáo zhěng jì huà hòu wǒ men dé yǐ àn shí wán chéng
After adjusting the plan, we were able to finish on time.
How to say “be able to” in Chinese
“Be able to” in Chinese is 得以 (dé yǐ).
A door to an action opens because an earlier change or condition makes it possible.
Example sentences with 得以
改革后，企业得以提高竞争力。gǎi gé hòu qǐ yè dé yǐ tí gāo jìng zhēng lì
After the reform, businesses were able to improve their competitiveness.
Tips for using 得以
- This form is common in formal writing when a result follows a change, decision, or other enabling condition, but casual speech often uses a simpler expression.