Difference between revisions of "Expressing ability or possibility with "neng""
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The verb 能 is used to express either ''ability'' or ''possibility''. The structure is:
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{{Grammar Box}}
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能 (néng) is one of several Chinese words that is normally translated as "can" in English. However, 能 (néng) is used to emphasize one's ability or the possibility of something happening.
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== Expressing Ability ==
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能 (néng) indicates ability when used with activities that are not consciously learned or studied.  
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=== Structure ===
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The structure to use 能 (néng) to express "ability" is:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Subj. + 能 + Verb + Obj.
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</div>
  
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Subject + 能 + Verb + Object
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=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
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* 我 <em>能</em> 吃 四 十 个 饺子。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>néng</em> chī sìshí gè jiǎozi.</span><span class="trans">I can eat 40 dumplings.</span>
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* 他 <em>能</em> 工作 24 个 小时。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>néng</em> gōngzuò èrshí-sì gè xiǎoshí.</span><span class="trans">He can work 24 hours.</span>
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* 你 <em>能</em> 帮 我 找到 他 吗？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>néng</em> bāng wǒ zhǎodào tā ma?</span><span class="trans">Can you help me find him?</span>
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* 你 的 手机 <em>能</em> 上网 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de shǒujī <em>néng</em> shàngwǎng ma?</span><span class="trans">Can your cell phone go on the internet?</span>
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* 一 岁 的 宝宝 <em>能</em> 说话 吗？<span class="pinyin">Yī suì de bǎobao <em>néng</em> shuōhuà ma?</span><span class="trans">Can a one year old baby talk?</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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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.
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== Expressing Possibility ==
  
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Some examples:
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When used with activities that are consciously learned or studied, 能 (néng) generally means that circumstances do not allow execution of the action.  In other words, it's ''not possible.''
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=== Structure ===
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The structure to use 能 (néng) to express possibility is exactly the same:
 +
 
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + 能 + Verb + Obj.
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 +
* 开车 一 个 小时 <em>能</em> 到 家 吗？<span class="pinyin">Kāichē yī gè xiǎoshí <em>néng</em> dào jiā ma?</span><span class="trans">Is it possible to drive home in one hour?</span>
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* 他们 明天 <em>能</em> 早 点 来 吗？<span class="pinyin"> Tāmen míngtiān <em>néng</em> zǎo diǎn lái ma?</span><span class="trans">Would it be possible for them to come a little earlier tomorrow?</span>
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* 你们 <em>能</em> 小声 一点 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>néng</em> xiǎo shēng yīdiǎn ma?</span><span class="trans">Could you all lower your voices a bit?</span>
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* 你 <em>能</em> 告诉 我 她的 手机 号码 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>néng</em> gàosu wǒ tā de shǒujī hàomǎ ma?</span><span class="trans">Could you tell me her cell phone number?</span>
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* 一 千 块 <em>能</em> 买 一 个 手机 吗？<span class="pinyin">Yīqiān kuài <em>néng</em> mǎi yī gè shǒujī ma?</span><span class="trans">Is it possible to buy a cell phone with one thousand RMB?</span>
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</div>
  
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* 我 不 <em>能</em> 游泳。<span class="expl">(the speaker is ill)</span>
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== Other Usages ==
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* 我 <em>能</em> 买 吗？<span class="expl">(the speaker is afraid his girlfriend won't agree) </span>
 
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* 飞机 不 <em>能</em> 起飞。<span class="expl">(it is foggy at the airport)</span>
 
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* 我 不 能 说 英文。<span class="expl"> (my teacher has forbidden me from speaking English)</span>
 
  
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</div>
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From these examples we can see such circumstances might be pertaining to getting someone's consent or reliant on the speaker's health. If the speaker wishes to express that they are able to execute an action requiring a consciously studied skill, 会 (huì) can be used instead.
  
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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.
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Because 能 (néng) can express possibility, it is often used to form polite questions, something like "would it be possible" in English:
  
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Because 能 can express possibility, it is often used to as polite questions, something like "would it be possible" in English:
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 你 <em>能</em> 不 能 给 我 那 本书？
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* 我 <em>能</em> 问 你 一 个 问题 吗？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>néng</em> wèn nǐ yī gè wèntí ma?</span><span class="trans">Could I ask you a question?</span>
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* 你 <em>能</em> 帮 我 吗?
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* 我 <em>能</em> 坐 在 这里 吗？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>néng</em> zuò zài zhèlǐ ma?</span><span class="trans">Could I sit here?</span>
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* 这里 不 <em>能</em> 游泳。<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">It's not allowed, or not possible for other reasons.</span><span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ bù <em>néng</em> yóuyǒng.</span><span class="trans">You can't swim here.</span>
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* 上课 的 时候 不 <em>能</em> 说 英文。<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">My teacher has forbidden me from speaking English.</span><span class="pinyin">Shàngkè de shíhou bù <em>néng</em> shuō Yīngwén.</span><span class="trans">In class, you can't speak English.</span>
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* 工作 的 时候 不 <em>能</em> 玩 手机。<span class="pinyin">Gōngzuò de shíhou bù <em>néng</em> wán shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">When working, you can't play with your cell phone.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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*[[Expressing permission]]
 
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*[[Expressing a learned skill]]
 
  
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*[[Expressing permission with "keyi"]]
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*[[Expressing a learned skill with "hui"]]
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*[[Comparing "hui" "neng" "keyi"]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Websites ===
  
 
* Sinosplice: [http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2009/10/13/chinese-modal-verb-venn-diagram Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram]
 
* Sinosplice: [http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2009/10/13/chinese-modal-verb-venn-diagram Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram]
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=== Books ===
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|74}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|219-20}}
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)|160-1}}
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)|185-7}}
  
 
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}} <!-- HSK3 tag removed because it's actually about 反问句 -->
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{{Used for|Expressing ability}}
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{{Used for|Expressing possibility}}
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{{Basic Grammar|能|A1|能 + Verb|中文 这么 难，你  <em>能</em> 学 好 吗？|grammar point|ASG9PQ40}}
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{{Similar|Expressing permission}}
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{{Similar|Expressing a learned skill}}
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{{Similar|Hui, keyi and neng}}
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{{POS|Verbs}}
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{{Subprop|Auxiliary verbs}}
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{{Translation|Can}}
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{{Translation|Able}}

Latest revision as of 09:24, 20 April 2021

能 (néng) is one of several Chinese words that is normally translated as "can" in English. However, 能 (néng) is used to emphasize one's ability or the possibility of something happening.

Expressing Ability

能 (néng) indicates ability when used with activities that are not consciously learned or studied.

Structure

The structure to use 能 (néng) to express "ability" is:

Subj. + 能 + Verb + Obj.

Examples

  • 我 能 吃 四 十 个 饺子。Wǒ néng chī sìshí gè jiǎozi.I can eat 40 dumplings.
  • 他 能 工作 24 个 小时。Tā néng gōngzuò èrshí-sì gè xiǎoshí.He can work 24 hours.
  • 你 能 帮 我 找到 他 吗？ Nǐ néng bāng wǒ zhǎodào tā ma?Can you help me find him?
  • 你 的 手机 能 上网 吗？Nǐ de shǒujī néng shàngwǎng ma?Can your cell phone go on the internet?
  • 一 岁 的 宝宝 能 说话 吗？Yī suì de bǎobao néng shuōhuà ma?Can a one year old baby talk?

Expressing Possibility

When used with activities that are consciously learned or studied, 能 (néng) generally means that circumstances do not allow execution of the action. In other words, it's not possible.

Structure

The structure to use 能 (néng) to express possibility is exactly the same:

Subj. + 能 + Verb + Obj.

Examples

  • 开车 一 个 小时 能 到 家 吗？Kāichē yī gè xiǎoshí néng dào jiā ma?Is it possible to drive home in one hour?
  • 他们 明天 能 早 点 来 吗？ Tāmen míngtiān néng zǎo diǎn lái ma?Would it be possible for them to come a little earlier tomorrow?
  • 你们 能 小声 一点 吗？Nǐmen néng xiǎo shēng yīdiǎn ma?Could you all lower your voices a bit?
  • 你 能 告诉 我 她的 手机 号码 吗 ？Nǐ néng gàosu wǒ tā de shǒujī hàomǎ ma?Could you tell me her cell phone number?
  • 一 千 块 能 买 一 个 手机 吗？Yīqiān kuài néng mǎi yī gè shǒujī ma?Is it possible to buy a cell phone with one thousand RMB?

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. If the speaker wishes to express that they are able to execute an action requiring a consciously studied skill, 会 (huì) can be used instead.

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

Examples

  • 我 能 问 你 一 个 问题 吗？Wǒ néng wèn nǐ yī gè wèntí ma?Could I ask you a question?
  • 我 能 坐 在 这里 吗？Wǒ néng zuò zài zhèlǐ ma?Could I sit here?
  • 这里 不 能 游泳。It's not allowed, or not possible for other reasons.Zhèlǐ bù néng yóuyǒng.You can't swim here.
  • 上课 的 时候 不 能 说 英文。My teacher has forbidden me from speaking English.Shàngkè de shíhou bù néng shuō Yīngwén.In class, you can't speak English.
  • 工作 的 时候 不 能 玩 手机。Gōngzuò de shíhou bù néng wán shǒujī.When working, you can't play with your cell phone.

See also

Sources and further reading

Websites

Books

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