Difference between revisions of "Expressing ability or possibility with "neng""
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* 星期天 十 点 你 <em>能</em> 来 吗？<span class="trans">Can you come at 10 o'clock on Sunday?</span> | * 星期天 十 点 你 <em>能</em> 来 吗？<span class="trans">Can you come at 10 o'clock on Sunday?</span> | ||
* 我 不 <em>能</em> 那么 早 上班。<span class="trans">I can't work that early.</span> | * 我 不 <em>能</em> 那么 早 上班。<span class="trans">I can't work that early.</span> | ||
| − | * 你 <em>能</em> 帮 我 买 个 东西 吗？<span class="trans">Can you help me buy | + | * 你 <em>能</em> 帮 我 买 个 东西 吗？<span class="trans">Can you help me buy something?</span> |
| − | * 一 千 块 <em>能</em> 买 一 个 手机 吗？ | + | * 一 千 块 <em>能</em> 买 一 个 手机 吗？<span class="trans">Can one thousand kuai buy a cellphone?/Can I buy a cellphone with one thousand kuai?</span> |
| − | * 这里 不 <em>能</em> 打车。 | + | * 这里 不 <em>能</em> 打车。<span class="trans">I can't get a taxi here.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 06:20, 25 February 2014
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能 (néng) is another Chinese word that is often translated as "can." However, it has a slightly different meaning than the others. 能 is used to express ability or possibility of doing something. This article will further explain its use.
Contents
Expressing Ability
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 learned or studied.
- 我 能 吃 四 十 个 饺子。I can eat 40 dumplings.
- 你 能 做 什么？What can you do?
- 我 的 老板 能 工作 24 个 小时。My boss can work 24 hours.
- 一 岁 的 宝宝 能 跑？Can a one year old baby run?
- 你 能 喝 十 杯 啤酒？Can you drink 10 glasses of beer?
- 我 能 帮 你。 I can help.
- 我 的 手机 能 上网。My cellphone can have internet.
- 你 能 学 好 中文 吗？Can you study Chinese well?
- 这 个 包 能 放 Ipad 吗？Can you put an iPad in this bag?
- 你 能 自己 做 这 些 事 吗？Can you do these things by yourself?
Expressing Possibility
The structure is exactly the same.
Examples
When used with activities that are consciously learned or studied, 能 generally means that circumstances do not allow execution of the action. In other words, it's not possible. Sometimes this is a bit of an exaggeration and actually just means it's "not allowed." It can be instead of "可以".
- 上课 的 时候 不 能 说 英文。 (my teacher has forbidden me from speaking English.)In class, you can't speak English.
- 在 这里 不 能 游泳。(it's not allowed, or not possible for other reasons)You can't swim here.
- 我 能 买 这 个 玩具 吗？(the speaker is afraid his parents won't agree, or that it's not for sale) Can I buy this toy?
- 我 不 能 给 你 钱。I can't give you money.
- 明天 你 能 做 完 吗？Can you finish tomorrow?
- 星期天 十 点 你 能 来 吗？Can you come at 10 o'clock on Sunday?
- 我 不 能 那么 早 上班。I can't work that early.
- 你 能 帮 我 买 个 东西 吗？Can you help me buy something?
- 一 千 块 能 买 一 个 手机 吗？Can one thousand kuai buy a cellphone?/Can I buy a cellphone with one thousand kuai?
- 这里 不 能 打车。I can't get a taxi here.
Other usages
From these examples we can see such circumstances might be pertaining to getting someone's consent or reliant on 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
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
