What are the differences between"可以kěyǐ，会huì，能néng“?
‘会’(huì)，‘能’(néng)， ‘可以’(kěyǐ) all mean ‘can,’ but what exactly the differences between them, why sometimes I see someone use“可以kěyǐ” when other people use“能néng”?
I hope this article will help you to master them. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me on Verbling( https://www.verbling.com/teachers/rosalu ), one of the best platform for learning languages.^^
Note: This grammar summary is for all levels.
会huì:
1.Know how to(Emphasizes skills acquired through learning.)
E. g.:我会说汉语wǒ huì shuō hàn yǔ
--I can speak Chinese。
2.Likely to Happen(emphasize the subjective possibility)
E.g., 我喝咖啡会睡不着Wǒ hē kāfēi huì shuì bùzháo。
--I can't sleep when I drink coffee.
E.g.:我觉得明天会下雨wǒ jué dé mínɡ tiān huì xià yǔ。
--I suppose it will rain tomorrow.
能nénɡ :
1. Indicating an ability.
(1)Inborn ability doesn’t need to learn.
E.g:我有眼睛，所以我能看wǒ yǒu yǎnjīng, suǒyǐ wǒ néng kàn。
--I have eyes, so I can see.
(2) the ability is up to a level or Achieves a specific efficiency.
E.g:她一分钟能打70个字tā yì fēn zhōnɡ nénɡ dǎ 70 ɡè zì 。
--She can type 70 words a minute.
(3).lost some ability for the moment, because of some reasons or recover the ability.（not able to )
E.g., 他好多了，能下床了tā hǎo duō le ， nénɡ xià chuánɡ le.
--He's much better and can get up now.
2. Emphasize the objective possibility, usually used before a verb.
E.g：我今天有事，不能去你家wǒ jīn tiān yǒu shì ， bù nénɡ qù nǐ jiā。
--I have something to do today and can't go to your house。
E.g., 他认识很多人，他能帮你tā rènshi hěn duō rén, tā néng bāng nǐ
--He knows a lot of people, he can help you.
3.“能nénɡ....吗ma？”=“能不能nénɡ bu nénɡ” is often used to indicate a request or hope for
permission(here is equal to one of the meanings of“可以ké yǐ,” please check the end of the article).
E.g:我能坐这里吗？wǒ nénɡ zuò zhè lǐ mɑ ？
=我能不能坐这里？wǒ nénɡ bu nénɡ zuò zhè lǐ ？
--Can I sit here?
Note: The definite answer we usually use:可以ké yǐ ，Negative answer is:不能bù nénɡ.
可以ké yǐ :
1.“May” or to be allowed to (have been granted permission)
E.g:我可以进去吗？wǒ ké yǐ jìn qù mɑ ？
--May I come in?
E.g:妈妈，我可以吃糖果吗？mā mɑ ， wǒ ké yǐ chī tánɡ ɡuǒ mɑ ？
--Mom,Can I eat candy?
E.g:我可以坐这里吗？wǒ ké yǐ zuò zhè lǐ mɑ ？
=我可不可以坐这里？wǒ kě bu ké yǐ zuò zhè lǐ ？
--May I sit here?
2. advise
E.g., 如果你有问题，你可以问你的老师rúguǒ nǐ yǒu wèntí, nǐ kěyǐ wèn nǐ de lǎoshi.
--If you have questions, you can ask your teacher.
E.g., 现在不下雨了，我们可以出去玩了。Xiànzài bùxià yǔle, wǒmen kěyǐ chūqù wánle.
--It's not raining now, we can go out and play.
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可以 & 能 (kěyǐ/néng)
1.ask for possibility or permission – 可以kěyǐ/能néng
E.g: 我 可以/能 用你的书吗？wǒ kěyǐ/néng yòng nǐ de shū ma?
---May I use your book?
E·g: 我 可以/能 进来吗？wǒ kěyǐ/néng jìnlái ma?
--May I come in?
E·g: 你 可以/能 帮我吗？nǐ kěyǐ/néng bāng wǒ ma?
--Can you help me?
2. prohibition – 不能bùnéng/ 不可以bùkěyǐ
E·g: 你 不能/不可以 这样做nǐ bùnéng/bù kěyǐ zhèyàng zuò.
--You can’t do like that. (forbidden)
E·g: 你 不能/不可以 在这抽烟nǐ bùnéng/bù kěyǐ zài zhè chōuyān.
--You can’t smoke here.
Tips: ‘ 不可以’(bùkěyǐ) is only used to express prohibition. ‘不能’(bùnéng) is used to express impossibility because of some reasons.
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以上内容为Rosa(Danxia)Lu https://www.verbling.com/teachers/rosalu 编辑整理，如需转载请注明出处！(For reprint, please indicate the source)
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28. April 2020
