Modal Verbs: 会 and 能
会 (huì) and 能 (néng) both translate as 'can' but differ in meaning. 会 is a learned skill, as in 我会说中文, and 能 is ability or permission in the situation at hand.
会 = learned skill or acquired ability
- 我会说中文。(I can speak Chinese — because I learned it.)
- 她会开车。(She can drive — she knows how.)
- Also: 会 expresses future possibility: 他会来。(He will/might come.)
能 = situational ability — conditions currently allow it
- 我今天能来。(I can come today — circumstances permit.)
- 你能帮我吗？(Can you help me? — is it possible?)
Negation:
- 不会 = don't know how
- 不能 = unable to / not allowed to (right now)
Pattern: Subject + 会/能 + Verb (+ Object)
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我会写中文字。 | Wǒ huì xiě Zhōng wén zì. | I can write Chinese characters. | 会: a learned skill acquired through study. |
| 今天我不能去学校。 | Jīn tiān wǒ bù néng qù xué xiào. | I can't go to school today. | 能: situational — conditions today do not permit going. |
| 他不会做饭。 | Tā bù huì zuò fàn. | He doesn't know how to cook. | 不会: negation of a learned skill. |
| 你能帮我吗？ | Nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma? | Can you help me? | 能: asking if circumstances allow — not about learned skill. |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
会 (huì)
Says you know how to do something because you learned it, or that something will probably happen.
Structure: Subject + 会 + Verb (+ Object)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我会游泳。 | Wǒ huì yóu yǒng. | I can swim. |
| 她不会说日语。 | Tā bú huì shuō Rì yǔ. | She can't speak Japanese. |
| 明天会下雨。 | Míng tiān huì xià yǔ. | It will probably rain tomorrow. |
Not: 我会中文说。 The verb and its object stay together after 会: 我会说中文。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, verbs (能愿动词); level 2, complement (结果补语).
能 (néng)
Says conditions allow something, or that you are permitted to do it.
Structure: Subject + 能 + Verb (+ Object)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 这里能拍照吗？ | Zhè lǐ néng pāi zhào ma? | Can we take photos here? |
| 我今天头疼，不能上班。 | Wǒ jīn tiān tóu téng, bù néng shàng bān. | I have a headache today and can't go to work. |
| 你能说慢一点吗？ | Nǐ néng shuō màn yì diǎn ma? | Can you speak a bit slower? |
Not: 他不能做饭，没学过。 For a skill you never learned say 不会: 他不会做饭。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, verbs (能愿动词).
Compared side by side: 不会 vs 不能.
The same pattern at other levels
- Modal Verbs — HSK 1
- Modal Verbs — HSK 2
- Modal Verbs — HSK 3
Questions about Modal Verbs
What does 能愿动词 (Modal Verbs) mean in Chinese?
会 (huì) and 能 (néng) both translate as 'can' but differ in meaning. 会 is a learned skill, as in 我会说中文, and 能 is ability or permission in the situation at hand. It is an HSK 1 grammar point.
How do you use 能愿动词 (Modal Verbs) in a sentence?
我会写中文字。 — Wǒ huì xiě Zhōng wén zì. — I can write Chinese characters. 会: a learned skill acquired through study.
Where does 能愿动词 (Modal Verbs) come in the HSK sequence?
HSK 1, and none of its prerequisites are grammar points — nothing else on this reference has to come first, so you can start here.
Can I use 会 and 能 interchangeably for 'can'?
Not always. 会 is a learned skill and 能 is a situation that allows it: 我会游泳，但今天不能游泳。 means 'I can swim, but I can't today.'
What is the difference between 不会 and 不能?
不会 means you do not know how, or it will not happen. 不能 means you are not able to at the moment or you are not allowed to.
Modal Verbs is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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