How to express ability in Mandarin Chinese?

To express ability in Mandarin Chinese, you can use the words 会 (huì), 能 (néng), and 可以 (kěyǐ). These words may seem familiar, as they can also be used to express possibility in different situations.

Let us first look at the following sentences. Can you spot the differences between when to use 会 (huì), 能 (néng), and 可以 (kěyǐ)?

• 你会说汉语吗？

  (Nǐ huì shuō hànyǔ ma?)

  Can you speak Chinese?

• 他能吃辣的。

  (Tā néng chī làde.)

  He can eat spicy food.

• 妈妈，我能/可以吃甜点吗？

  (Māma, wǒ néng/kěyǐ chī tiándiǎn ma?)

  Mom, can I have dessert?

In the examples given above, the three “can” words in Mandarin are not interchangeable. 会 (huì), 能 (néng), and 可以 (kěyǐ) all indicate ability, but they are used differently. Keep on reading and you will find out why and how!

Use 会 (huì) to express ability related to a skill that someone needs to spend time to learn and get. In other words, an ability that you were not born with. 会 (huì) indicates that someone has experience and knows how to do something. When you need to express that you don’t have the skill to do something, simply add 不 (bù, not) before 会 (huì). Look at the following examples:

• 我原来不会游泳， 可是我现在会了。

  (Wǒ yuánlái bù huì yóuyǒng, kěshì wǒ xiànzài huì le.)

  Before I couldn't swim, but now I can.

  • → Swimming is a skill that you need to learn to get. Not everyone can swim, right?

• 这道数学题很简单，我会做。

  (Zhè dào shùxué tí hěn jiǎndān, wǒ huì zuò.)

  This math problem is simple, and I can do it.

  • → If you didn’t learn math, you probably cannot solve the problem.

• 马桶坏了，谁会修？

  (Mǎtǒng huì le, shuí huì xiū?)

  The toilet is broken. Who can fix it?

  • → Plumbers can fix a toilet without any effort, but can you?

Please note that 会 (huì) not only express abilities, but also possibility. Let us give you a heads up on the differences of 会 (huì) for expressing ability versus for expressing possibility.

• To express ability:

  • 去中国以前，她已经会说一点儿汉语了。

    (Qù zhōngguó yǐqián, tā yǐjīng huì shuō yìdiǎnr hànyǔ le.)

    Before going to China, she was able to speak a bit of Chinese.

• To express possibility:

  • 明天会下雨吗？

    (Míngtiān huì xiàyǔ ma?)

    Will it rain tomorrow?

能 (néng) is used to express a physical ability and/or an ability that is not necessary for someone to learn to possess. It can also be used to express permission. Adding 不 (bù, not) before 能 (néng) creates the negative form. Let us take a look at some examples:

• 你能做几个引体向上？

  (Nǐ néng zuò jǐge yǐntǐxiàngshàng?)

  How many pull-ups can you do?

  • → Many people can physically do pull-ups, but the difference is how strong you are and how many you can do, right?

• 我弟弟一次能吃30个饺子。

  (Wǒ dìdi yícì néng chī sānshí ge jiǎozi.)

  My younger brother can eat 30 dumplings at once.

  • → Good appetite! Can you?

• 他在写作业，现在不能看电视。

  (Tā zài xiě zuòyè, xiànzài bùnéng kàn diànshì.)

  He is doing homework and he can't watch TV now.

Have you noticed that in the last example above, 不能 (bùnéng) indicates both physical ability (since he is doing homework now, he can’t move his eyes to the TV) and a permission (he is not allowed to watch TV because he is doing homework.) Keep reading for more details.

The differences between 会 (huì) and 能 (néng) are that 会 (huì) indicates a skill that has been learned, while 能 (néng) expresses a physical ability or a permission. Can you tell the difference in meaning between these two sentences below?

• 这个小婴儿还不会走路呢！

  (Zhège xiǎo yīngér hái búhuì zǒulù ne!)

  This little baby still can't walk!

• 他摔断了腿，现在还不能走路呢！

  (Tā shuāiduàn le tuǐ, xiànzài hái bùnéng zǒulù ne!)

  He broke his leg, and he still can't walk now!

会 (huì) is used in the first sentence to indicate that the baby hasn’t learned how to walk. While, in the second sentence, 能 (néng) expresses a physical disability because of a broken leg.

Let’s look at more examples and you can try to tell the difference between 会 (huì) and 能 (néng).

• 他16岁了，已经会开车了。

  (Tā shíliù suì le, yǐjīng huì kāichē le.)

  He is 16 and he knows how to drive.

• 我忘了带驾照，所以不能开车。

  (Wǒ wàngle dài jiàzhào, suǒyǐ bùnéng kāichē.)

  I forgot to bring my driving license, so I can't drive.

可以 (kěyǐ) is used to express permission. It is equivalent to “may” in English. In this case, it is interchangeable with 能 (néng). The negative form is 不可以 (bù kěyǐ) or 不能 (bù néng). 可以 (kěyǐ) is used to show more respect and politeness, while 能 (néng) is more casual and is not commonly used in an answer of giving permission. A helpful tip for answering an affirmative permission question: we can simply use 可以 (kěyǐ) or we can answer using an imperative sentence with 吧 (ba) at the end of the sentence to indicate a polite command.

• A: 我可以/能进来吗？

  (Wǒ kěyǐ/néng jìnlái ma? )

  May I come in?

  B: 可以/进来吧。

  (Kěyǐ/jìnlái ba. )

  You can. / Come in.

• 你现在还不可以/不能打开礼物。

  (Nǐ xiànzài hái bùkěyǐ/bùnéng dǎkāi lǐwù.)

  You still can’t open the gift now.

• 我可以/能买一双新鞋吗？

  (Wó kěyǐ/néng mǎi yì shuāng xīnxié ma. )

  Can I buy a pair of new shoes?

• A: 这儿可以/能刷卡吗？

  (Zhèr kěyǐ/néng shuākǎ ma?)

  Can I pay by credit card here?

  B: 不可以 / 不能。

  (Bù kěyǐ / bù néng.)

  You can't.

可以 (kěyǐ) and 能 (néng) are interchangeable when they both indicate permission, but when 能 (néng) is used to express a physical ability, 可以 (kěyǐ) and 能 (néng) are no longer interchangeable and will convey different meanings. Let’s look at the following two sentences:

• 他的腿摔坏了，医生说他不可以/不能下床走路。

  (Tāde tuǐ shuāihuài le, yīshēng shuō tā bùkěyǐ/bùnéng xiàchuáng zǒulù.)

  His leg is broken and the doctor said he can’t get out of bed and walk.

  • → This is permission, so 可以 (kěyǐ) and 能 (néng) are interchangeable. They can both be translated as “(not) be allowed”.

• 他的腿摔坏了, 已经一个月了, 他还不能走路。

  (Tāde tuǐ shuāihuài le, yǐjīng sānge yuè le tā hái bùnéng zǒulù.)

  His leg is broken. It's been three months and he still can’t walk.

  • → This is not about permission but physical ability (if he can walk or not due to a broken leg). So, 可以 (kěyǐ) and 能 (néng) are not interchangeable in this sentence.

In Mandarin, we use words 会 (huì), 能 (néng), and 可以 (kěyǐ) to express abilities.

• 会 (huì) indicates skills that require experience and learning:

  • 他终于会骑自行车了！

    (Tā zhōngyú huì qí zìxíngchē le!)

    Finally he learned how to ride bikes!

• 能 (néng) indicates a physical ability or a permission:

  • 他病好了，明天就能去上学了。

    (Tā bìnghǎo le, míngtiān jiù kěyǐ qù shàngxué le.)

    He has recovered well and he can go to school tomorrow.

    (→ physical ability)

  • 我能坐在你旁边吗？

    (Wǒ néng zuò zài nǐ pángbiān ma?)

    Can I sit next to you?

    (→ permission)

• 可以 (kěyǐ) is to ask for or give permission. It is interchangeable with 能 (néng) in this context:

  • 你可以/能坐在我旁边。

    (Nǐ kěyǐ/néng zuò zài wǒ pángbiān.)

    You can/may sit next to me.

Are you ready for some real practice to see how much you have learned from this post? Try these exercises to practice how to express ability in Mandarin Chinese! Here you go!