In English, we can use “afford to do something” to express that one has enough money to pay for something. In Chinese, the suffix 得起 has the equivalent use.
Formula of the suffix 得起
verb + 得起 = afford/afford to
吃 eat + 得起 = 吃得起 afford to eat
He used to be an economic vegetarian but then he got a better job and can afford to eat steak. 他原来是个经济素食者，但是现在他找到了一份更好的工作，也吃得起肉了。tā yuán lái shì gè jīng jì sù shí zhě , dàn shì xiàn zài tā zhǎo dào le yī fèn gèng hǎo de gōng zuò , yě chī de qǐ ròu le 。
买 buy + 得起 = afford/afford to buy
We will be grateful for whatever amount you can afford. 你买得起多少, 我们都欢迎. nǐ mǎi de qǐ duō shǎo, wǒ men dōu huān yíng.
请 hire + 得起 = afford/afford to hire
The controversy has revealed that laws without ethical underpinnings easily degenerate into a set of regulations that defend the interests of those who can afford to hire lawyers—in this case, the record companies.
这次事件表明法律没有伦理的支持很容易退化成一套规则, 只保护请得起律师的人的利益, 在这个案例中, 指那些唱片公司。
用 use + 得起 = afford/afford to use
According to the record, the cord was the oldest recorder the people could afford. 据记载, 绳子是人们用得起的最古老的记录器。jù jì zǎi, shéng zi shì rén men yòng de qǐ de zuì gǔ lǎo de jì lù qì.
住 live + 得起 =住得起 afford/afford to live
Good thing is we can afford to stay in a motel. 这下可好了，我们住得起汽车旅馆了。Zhè xià kě hǎo le, wǒ men zhù de qǐ qì chē lǚ guǎn le.
还 pay back + 得起 = 还得起 afford/afford to pay back
After agonizing over the pros and cons, he decided recently to stop making loan payments, even though he can afford them. 在利与弊之间痛苦地权衡后，他最近决定停止偿还贷款，虽然要还还是还得起的。 zài lì yǔ bì zhī jiān tòng kǔ de quán héng hòu , tā zuì jìn jué dìng tíng zhǐ cháng huán dài kuǎn , suī rán yào hái hái shì hái děi qǐ de 。