Expressing ability or possibility with "neng"

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

Subject + 能 + Verb + Object

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

• 我 能 吃 四十 个 饺子。
• 我 能 听懂 东北话。
• 我 不能 接受 这种 条件。

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

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)

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 they able to execute an action requiring a consciously studied skill. So although 我会说中文 and 我能说中文 both mean "I can speak Chinese", they actually have different meanings.

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