Expressing ability or possibility with "neng"

A primer on using 能 to express ability or possibility.

Structure

The verb 能 is used to express either ability or possibility. The structure is:

Subject + 能 + Verb + Object

Examples

能 indicates ability when used with activities that are not consciously learnt or studied.

• 我 能 吃 四十 个 饺子。I can eat 40 dumplings.
• 我 能 听懂 东北话。I can understand Northeastern dialect.
• 我 不能 接受 这种 条件。I can't accept these conditions.
• 星期天 十 点 你 能 来 吗？Can you come at 10 o'clock on Sunday?

Examples

When used with activities that are consciously learnt or studied, 能 generally means that circumstances do not allow execution of the action.

• 上课 的 时候 不 能 说 英文。 (my teacher has forbidden me from speaking English)
• 我 不 能 游泳。(the speaker is ill)
• 我 能 买 这 个 玩具 吗？(the speaker is afraid his parents won't agree)

Other usages

From these examples we can see such circumstances might be obtaining someone's consent or the speaker's health. 会 can be used instead if the speaker wishes to express that they are able to execute an action requiring a consciously studied skill.

Because 能 can express possibility, it is often used to form polite questions, something like "would it be possible" in English:

• 你 能 帮 我 吗?Could you help me?
• 你 能 不 能 给 我 那 本书？Can you give me that book?
• 我 能 问 你 一 个 问题 吗？Can I ask you a question?

See also

• Expressing permission
• Expressing a learned skill
• Hui, keyi and neng

Sources and further reading

Websites

• Sinosplice: Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 219-20)　→buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (pp. 160-1) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 185-7) →buy