Difference between revisions of "Comparing "hui," "neng," "keyi""
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*你们 <em>会</em> 结婚 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>huì</em> jiéhūn ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you going to get married?</span> | *你们 <em>会</em> 结婚 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>huì</em> jiéhūn ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you going to get married?</span> | ||
*我 不 <em>会</em> 这么 做 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù <em>huì</em> zhème zuò.</span><span class="trans">I won't do it like this.</span> | *我 不 <em>会</em> 这么 做 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù <em>huì</em> zhème zuò.</span><span class="trans">I won't do it like this.</span> | ||
| − | *你 <em>会</em> | + | *你 <em>会</em> 生 我 的 气 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>huì</em> shēng wǒ de qì ma?</span><span class="trans">Will you be mad at me?</span> |
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== Using Adverbs to Add Emphasis == | == Using Adverbs to Add Emphasis == | ||
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By placing 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." | By placing 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. | 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. Other adverbs like 真(), 太 (), 这么() etc. can also be used. | + | '''Note:''' 很可以 is not a phrase and therefore can not be used with 会 to add emphasis. Other adverbs like 真 (zhēn), 太 (tài), 这么 (zhème) etc. can also be used. |
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
Revision as of 09:55, 13 September 2017
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Keywords
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.
Contents
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:
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
会／能 + Verb
Examples
- 我们 都 会 游泳 。We all can swim.
- 他 不 会 修 电脑 。He doesn't know how to fix computers.
- 你 真的 能 吃 三 碗 米饭 吗 ？Are you really able to eat three bowls of rice?
Example dialogue:
- A: 你 会 说 中文 吗 ？Can you speak Chinese?
- B: 不 好意思 ，我 只 能 说 一点 。Sorry, I can only speak a little.
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
可以 / 能 + Verb
Examples
- 我 可以 走 了 吗 ？Am I allowed to leave now?
- 你 能 不 能 帮 我 一下 吗 ？Could you help me a bit?
- 动物 不 能 进 。Animals are not allowed to come in.
Example dialogue:
- A: 我 能 在 这里 抽烟 吗 ？Can I smoke here?
- B: 不 可以 。No, you can't.
Expressing Possibility
能 and 可以 can also be used to express possibility.
Structure
可以 / 能 + Verb
Example
- 明天 你 能 早点 来 吗 ？Is it possible for you to come al little earlier tomorrow?
- 可 不 可以 换 一 个 ？Is it possible to change it?
- 能 不 参加 吗 ？Is it possible to not attend?
Example dialogue:
- A: 能 不 能 取消 今天 的 课 ？Is it possible to cancel today's lesson?
- B: 不 能 。Impossible.
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.
Examples
- 你们 会 结婚 吗 ？Are you going to get married?
- 我 不 会 这么 做 。I won't do it like this.
- 你 会 生 我 的 气 吗 ？Will you be mad at me?
Example dialogue:
- A: 今天 会 下雨 吗 ？Is it going to rain today?
- B: 我看 不 会 。I don't think it will.
Using Adverbs to Add Emphasis
By placing 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. Other adverbs like 真 (zhēn), 太 (tài), 这么 (zhème) etc. can also be used.
Structure
很 + 会／能 + Verb
Examples
- 这个 女生 很 会 打扮 。This girl knows how to dress up really well.
- 我 妈妈 很 会 做饭 。My mom cooks very well.My mother really knows how to cook.
- 他 很 会 说话 。The subject has good speaking skills.He's a smooth talker.
- 他 很能 说 。He's quite a talker.
Examples used with other adverbs:
- 你 真能 吃 !The subject can eat a lot.Wow, you really can eat!
- 中国 人 真会 吃 !The subject has great knowledge about food and its culture, a true connoisseur.Chinese people really can eat.
- 他 太 能 睡 了 。The subject can sleep a lot, for many hours.He can really sleep.
- 没想到 你 这么能 吃苦 。I didn't expect you to be a person who can handle so many burdens.
- 她 很 可以 吃 。
- 他 很可以 说 。
Similar expression with different meanings
- 我 的 脚 好 了 ，现在 又 能 跳舞 了 。I am able to dance now since my foot is better. (The condition changed)
- 我 学 了 两 个 月 ，现在 我 会 跳舞 了 。I studied for two months. I know how to dance now. (It's a learned skill)
- 我 爸妈 同意 了 ，现在 我 可以 跳舞 了 。My parents agreed. I'm allowed to dance now. (The dad gave permission)
Note that none of the three can be followed by the aspectual particle 过.
For a good visualization on how these three overlap, check out the 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) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 219-20) →buy
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语词典（第5版） (能p.989， 可以p.773，会p.610) →buy
Websites
