Expressing ability or possibility with "neng"

能 (néng) is another Chinese word that is often translated as "can." However, it has a slightly different meaning than the others. 能 (néng) is used to express ability or possibility of doing something. This article will further explain its use.

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.
• 我 的 老板 能 工作 24 个 小时。Wǒ de lǎobǎn néng gōngzuò èrshísì gè xiǎoshí.My boss can work 24 hours.
• 你 能 帮 我 买 个 东西 吗？Nǐ néng bāng wǒ mǎi gè dōngxī ma?Can you help me buy something?
• 你 的 手机 能 上网 吗？Nǐ de shǒujī néng shàngwǎng ma?Can your cellphone go on the internet?
• 一 岁 的 宝宝 能 说话 吗？Yī suì de bǎobǎo 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. Sometimes this is a bit of an exaggeration and actually just means it's "not allowed."

Structure

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

Subj. + 能 + Verb + Obj.

Examples

• 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.
• 在 这里 不 能 游泳。(it's not allowed, or not possible for other reasons)Zài zhèlǐ bù néng yóuyǒng.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) Wǒ néng mǎi zhè ge wánjù ma?Can I buy this toy?
• 我 不 能 给 你 钱。Wǒ bù néng gěi nǐ qián.I can't give you money.
• 明天 你 能 做 完 吗？Míngtiān nǐ néng zuò wán ma?Can you finish tomorrow?
• 星期天 十 点 你 能 来 吗？Xīngqítiān shí diǎn nǐ néng lái ma?Can you come at 10 o'clock on Sunday?
• 我 不 能 那么 早 上班。Wǒ bù néng nàme zǎo shàngbān.I can't work that early.
• 你 能 帮 我 买 个 东西 吗？Nǐ néng bāng wǒ mǎi gè dōngxī ma?Can you help me buy something?
• 一 千 块 能 买 一 个 手机 吗？Yīqiān kuài néng mǎi yīgè shǒujī ma?Can one thousand kuai buy a cellphone?/Can I buy a cellphone with one thousand kuai?
• 这里 不 能 打车。Zhèlǐ bù néng dǎchē.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 (huì) 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 (néng) can express possibility, it is often used to form polite questions, something like "would it be possible" in English:

Examples

• 你 能 帮 我 吗?Nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma?Could you help me?
• 你 能 不 能 给 我 那 本书？Nǐ néng bùnéng gěi wǒ nà běn shū?Could you give me that book?
• 我 能 问 你 一 个 问题 吗？Wǒ néng wèn nǐ yīgè wèntí ma?Could I ask you a question?

See also

• Expressing permission with "keyi"
• Expressing a learned skill with "hui"
• Comparing "hui" "neng" "keyi"

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