Difference between revisions of "Expressing ability or possibility with "neng""

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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Subject + 能 + Verb + Object
 
Subject + 能 + Verb + Object
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能 indicates ability when used with activities that are not consciously learnt or studied.  
 
能 indicates ability when used with activities that are not consciously learnt or studied.  
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 我 能 吃 四十 个 饺子。
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* 我 <em></em> 吃 四十 个 饺子。
* 我 能 听懂 东北话。
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* 我 <em></em> 听懂 东北话。
* 我 不能 接受 这种 条件。
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* 我 不<em>能</em> 接受 这种 条件。
  
 
</div>
 
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Revision as of 03:34, 24 November 2011

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.

  • 吃 四十 个 饺子。
  • 听懂 东北话。
  • 我 不 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 说 英文。 (my teacher has forbidden me from speaking English)
  • 我 不 游泳。(the speaker is ill)
  • 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:

  • 帮 我 吗?
  • 能 不 能 给 我 那 本书?
  • 问 你 一 个 问题 吗?

See also


Sources and further reading