Expressing ability or possibility with "neng"

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

Subject + 能 + Verb + Object

In English, if we say "I can't speak English" this can have two meanings. It may mean I have been forbidden by my Chinese teacher, or it could mean I'm physically unable to speak English. If 能 is used to mean can in this sentence, it can only mean the former. This has the potential to create a lot of problems for an English speaker of Chinese.

Some examples:

• 我 不 能 游泳。(the speaker is ill)
• 我 能 买 吗？(the speaker is afraid his girlfriend won't agree)
• 飞机 不 能 起飞。(it is foggy at the airport)
• 我 不 能 说 英文。 (my teacher has forbidden me from speaking English)

From these examples we can see that 能 is used when there are external obstacles like the weather, obtaining someone's consent, the speaker's health etc. which may prevent the speaker from doing the action in question. In this sense, it is similar to 可以. 会 can be used instead if the speaker wishes to express an acquired skill.

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

• 你 能 不 能 给 我 那 本书？
• 你 能 帮 我 吗?

See also

• Expressing permission
• Expressing a learned skill

Sources and further reading

• Sinosplice: Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram