View source for Comparing "hui," "neng," "keyi"

{{Grammar Box}} 

This is one of the trickiest comparisons, as 会 (huì), 能 (néng), and 可以 (kěyǐ) are often translated as "can." Sometimes they are explained as: 会 means "know how to," 能 means "to be able to," and 可以 means "to have permission to." Actually, they overlap somewhat.

==Basic Meanings==

The words 会 (huì), 能 (néng), and 可以 (kěyǐ) actually overlap a little in meaning.  The first step is to understand their basic meanings, though:

# 会 (huì) can mean "know how to" and can express an action that you had to learn or be trained in to do. 
# 能 (néng) means "to be able to" and expresses having a certain ability or having obtained a certain minimum requirement.
# 可以 (kěyǐ) means "may" or "to be allowed to" and expresses having another person's permission.

As for overlap, this graphic helps explain nicely:

[[File:Hui-neng-keyi-venn-diagram.png]]

The regions marked by letters are explained in the sections below:

* A: ability in the sense of “know how to” (会 (huì) is more common than 能 (néng))
* B: permission/request (use 能 (néng) or 可以 (kěyǐ))
* C: possibility (use 能 (néng) or 可以 (kěyǐ))
* D: permission not granted (use 不可以 (bù kěyǐ))
* E: impossibility (use 不能 (bù néng))

==Expressing Ability==
Both 会 and 能  can be used to express ability in something. 

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">
会／能 + Verb
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
*我 <em>会</em> 跳舞 。<span class="trans">I know how to dance.</span>
*我 只 <em>会</em> 说 一点 汉语 。<span class="trans">I studied for two years before I knew how to speak a little Chinese.</span>
*他 不 <em>会</em> 修 电脑 。<span class="trans">He doesn't know how to fix computers.</span>
*你 真的 <em>能</em> 吃 三 碗 米饭 吗 ？<span class="trans">Are you really able to eat three bowls of rice?</span>
*你 <em>能</em> 记住 所有 学生 的 名字 吗 ？<span class="trans">Are you able to remember the names of all the students?</span>
</div>

==Expressing Permission==

可以 is used to ask for or give permission. However, 能 can also be used to replace 可以 interchangeably.

'''Note:''' When a question is asked using 能/可以 it can be answered with 不能/不可以, meaning no, and only 可以 meaning yes. Chinese don't really answer with just 能。 

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">
可以 / 能 + Verb
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
*我 <em>可以 </em> / <em>能</em> 进来 吗？ <span class="trans">Am I allowed to enter?</span>
*你 <em>可以 </em> / <em>能</em> 帮 我 一下 吗？ <span class="trans">Could you help me a bit?</span> 
*不 <em>可以 </em> / <em>能</em> 带 危险 物品 上车。 <span class="trans">You're not allowed to bring dangerous things in the car.</span>
</div>

=== Example Dialogue ===
<div class="liju">
* A: 我 <em>能</em> 在 这里 抽烟 吗？ <span class="trans">Can I smoke here? </span>
* B: 不 <em>可以</em>。 <span class="trans"> No, you can't.</span>

</div>

==Expressing Possiblilty==
能 and 可以 can also be used to express possibility.

<div class="liju">
* 下 个 月 我们 就 要 结婚 了， 你 的 父母 <em>能/可以</em> 来 中国 吗？ <span class="trans"> Next month we're getting married, can your parents come to China?</span>

</div>

==Talking about the Future==

Only 会 can be used to mean something is going to happen. It expresses that something in the future will happen and is often used to express trends or possibilities.

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">
会 + Verb
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 明天 你 <em>会</em> 来 吗？ <span class="trans">Will you come tomorrow?</span>
* 你 太 过分 了，没有 人 <em>会</em> 这么 做。 <span class="trans">You're too excessive. No one will do it like this.</span>
* 一会儿 <em>会</em> 下雨 吗？ <span class="trans">Will it rain in a minute?</span>
</div>

==Adding 很 to create emphasis==
By placing the character 很 (hěn) before 会, it  adds emphasis to the level of ability and skill on the action presented. 很会 is commonly used to mean 'to be good at" and expresses being very skillful at something, or doing something very well. It can be translated as "really can," as in "you ''really'' can speak Chinese!," in other words, "you are good at speaking Chinese." 

When 很 is placed in front of 能, the meaning takes on a amazed/surprised tone on the action. Although more rarely used, it emphasis quantity and amount. 很能 is most commonly used with 吃(chī) to eat, and 睡 (shuì) to sleep. It's like the English equivalent of saying you "can really" do something. For example saying that someone "''can really'' sleep" means that they can sleep a lot. 

'''Note:''' 很可以 is not a phrase and therefore can not be used with 会 to add emphasis. 

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">
很会／很能 + Verb
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 这 个 女 孩子 <strong>很</strong> <em>会</em> 唱歌。 <span class="trans">This girl can sing really well.</span>
* 我 的 妈妈 <strong>很</strong> <em>会</em> 做饭。<span class="expl"> The mom cooks very well.</span><span class="trans">My mother really knows how to cook.</span>
* 他 <strong>很</strong> <em>会</em> 骗 人。 <span class="trans">He can really deceive people.</span>
* 你 <strong>很</strong><em>会</em> 打 羽毛球，以后 应该 当 个 专业 羽毛球 运动员。  <span class="trans"> You can really play badminton well. You should be a professional badminton player when you grow up.</span>
</div>

<div class="liju">
* 你 <strong>很</strong> <em>能</em> 吃 吗！<span class="expl"> The subject can eat a lot.</span><span class="trans"> Wow, you really can eat! </span>
* 你 <strong>很</strong> <em>能</em> 睡。<span class="expl"> The subject can sleep a lot, for many hours.</span><span class="trans"> You can really sleep.</span> 
* 他 今天 会 这么 成功 是 因为 他 是 一个 <strong>很</strong><em>能</em> 吃苦 的 人。<span class="trans"> The reason he is so successful today is because he is a person who can handle a lot of burdens.</span>
</div>

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o"> 他很会说话。<span class="expl"> The subject has good speaking skills, he speaks well with high level terms/sentence structure.</span><span class="trans"> He really knows how to talk.</span></li> 
<li class="o">他很能说话。<span class="expl"> The subjects talks a lot.</span><span class="trans"> He can really talk.</span></li> 
<li class="x">他很可以说话。</li>
</ul>
</div>

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o"> 她很会吃。<span class="expl"> The subject has great knowledge about food and its culture, a true connoisseur.</span><span class="trans"> She really knows how to eat.</span></li>
<li class="o">她很能吃。<span class="expl"> The subjects eats a lot, a great amount.</span><span class="trans"> She can really eat.</span></li>
<li class="x">她很可以吃。</li>
</ul>
</div>

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o"> 老师 很会 打篮球。<span class="expl"> The Is very skillful in basketball.</span><span class="trans"> The teacher really knows how to play basketball.</span></li>
<li class="x">老师 很能 打篮球。<span class="expl"> Although technically you can play a lot of basketball, this phrase would not be used.</span></li>
<li class="x">老师 很可以 打篮球。</li>
</ul>
</div>

== Examples of similar expressions, but with different meanings ==

<div class="liju">
*我 现在 <em>能</em> 跳舞 了，我 的 脚 伤 好 了。 <span class="trans">I am able to dance now, my foot is better. (The condition changed)</span>
*我 现在 <em>会</em> 跳舞 了，我 学 了 两 个 月。 <span class="trans">I know how to dance now, I studied for two months. (It's a learned skill)</span>
*我 现在 <em>可以</em> 跳舞 了，我 爸爸 同意 了。 <span class="trans">I'm allowed to dance now, my dad agreed. (The dad gave permission)</span>
</div>

<div class="liju">
*我 们 学 了 半 年 中文，现在 我<em>会</em>说 一 点 中 文。<span class="trans"> We have learned half a year of Chinese, now I know how to speak a little bit of Chinese (The speaker now knows a new language) </span> 
*你 <em>能</em> 用 中文 演讲 吗？<span class="trans"> Can you use Chinese to make a speech? (The speaker is asking if that person has the ability to) </span>
*我 们 已 经 说 了 两 个 小 时 英文，现在 <em>可 以</em> 说 中文 吗？<span class="trans"> We have already spoken two hours of English, can we speak Chinese now? (The speaker is asking for permission)</span>
</div>

<div class="liju">
*我 <em>会</em> 做 中国 菜。<span class="trans"> I know how to make Chinese food.</span>
*你 <em>能</em> 吃 辣 的 中国 菜 吗？<span class="trans">Can you eat (do you have the ability to) eat spicy Chinese food? </span>
*我 们 <em>可以</em> 去 吃中国 菜 吗？<span class="trans">Can we go eat Chinese food? (Asking for permission) </span>
</div>

==Similarities==

会， 能， 可以 share a few  essential rules. The first common rule shared by these three is that none of them can be followed by an [[aspectual particle]]. 

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o"> 他会做饭。</li> <span class="trans"> He knows how to eat.</span>
<li class="x">他会过做饭。</li>
</ul>
</div>

Secondly, 会, 能, and 可以 have to come before any [[prepositional phrase|prepositional phrases]] or descriptive [[adverbial]] modifiers in the sentence. 

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o">你可以把课本再看一次，看完以后再来考试。<span class="trans">You can read over the textbook again, when you're done come back to take the test.</span></li>
<li class="x">你把课本可以再看一次， 看完以后再来考试。</li>
<li class="o">他们会努力地读一读。<span class="trans">They will seriously read it over.</span></li>
<li class="x">他们努力地会读一读。</li>
</ul>
</div>

== Example dialog ==

<div class="liju">
* A: 我 <em>可以</em> 和 他们 一起 踢 足球 吗？ <span class="trans">Can I play soccer with them? (Am I allowed?)</span>
* B: 你 的 腿 还 没 好，现在 你 不 <em>能</em> 踢。 <span class="trans">Your foot still isn't better. You can't go right now. (His rule prohibits it)</span>
* A: 它 <em>会</em> 好 吗？ <span class="trans">Will it get better? (会 indicates the future)</span>
* B: 嗯，你 放 心 吧，很 快 就 <em>会</em> 好 的。 <span class="trans"> Yes, don't worry, it will get better soon.</span>
</div>

For a good visualization on how these three overlap, check out the [http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2009/10/13/chinese-modal-verb-venn-diagram| Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram].

== See Also ==
* [[Auxiliary verb "hui" for "will"]]
* [[Expressing a learned skill]]
* [[Expressing ability or possibility]]
* [[Expressing permission]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===
*[[对外汉语教学语法释疑201例]] (p.55,p.65) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 219-20) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]

=== Dictionaries ===
* [[现代汉语词典（第5版）]] (能p.989， 可以p.773，会p.610) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
=== Websites ===
* [http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2009/10/13/chinese-modal-verb-venn-diagram Sinosplice: Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram]

[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|会|B1|会 vs 能 vs 可以|我 <em>会</em> 跳舞。我 <em>能</em> 跳舞。我 <em>可以</em> 跳舞。|grammar point|ASGZL717}}
{{Rel char|能}}
{{Rel char|可以}}
{{Rel char|可}}
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
{{Used for|Expressing ability}}
{{Used for|Expressing possibility}}
{{Used for|Expressing permission}}
{{Used for|Requesting}}
{{Translation|can}}
{{Translation|able}}
{{Comparison|Auxiliary Words}}