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 could mean I'm physically unable to speak English or I may have been forbidden from speaking English,. If 能 is used to mean "can" in this sentence, it can only mean the latter. The speaker cannot speak English because of some external obstacle.

Some examples:

• 我 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 吗？(the speaker is afraid his girlfriend won't agree)
• 飞机 不 能 起飞。(it is foggy at the airport)

From these examples we can see such external obstacles might be the weather, obtaining someone's consent or the speaker's health. 会 can be used instead if the speaker wishes to express an acquired 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?
• 你 能 不 能 给 我 那 本书？
• 我 能 问 你 一 个 问题 吗？

See also

• Expressing permission
• Expressing a learned skill

Sources and further reading

• Sinosplice: Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram