TongTongbeta同通
Sign in
Auxiliary VerbsHSK 4

Comparing 会, 能, 可以

会, 能, and 可以 all translate as 'can,' but they are not interchangeable. 会 indicates a learned skill, 能 denotes physical ability or possibility, and 可以 expresses permission or general possibility. The most common mistake is using 会 or 能 where 可以 is needed for asking permission.

Structure

会 / 能 / 可以 + Verb
each modal expresses a different type of 'can'

Examples

  • 我们都会游泳。
    Wǒmen dōu huì yóuyǒng.
    We all know how to swim.
  • 他不会修电脑。
    Tā bù huì xiū diànnǎo.
    He doesn't know how to fix computers.
  • A:你会说中文吗？
    Nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén ma?
    Can you speak Chinese?
  • A:你能吃三碗米饭吗？
    Nǐ néng chī sān wǎn mǐfàn ma?
    Are you able to eat three bowls of rice?
  • B:不能。
    Bù néng .
    I can't.

Words that use this