LEARN + CHINESE / 27 of 300 HSK 2
Can, May, or Need To? 可以
Your friend wants to borrow your bike. 会 can tell them you know how to ride; 可以 asks whether they have your permission; 可能 leaves the plan uncertain. Each modal comes before the main verb, and the choice tells your listener what kind of “can” you mean.
Ability, Permission, and Possibility
会 can describe a learned ability or something expected to happen. 可以 often asks or gives permission. 可能 leaves the outcome uncertain.
他会用很多词语。
Tā huì yòng hěn duō cíyǔ.
He can use many words and expressions.
他会成为一个好队长。
Tā huì chéngwéi yí ge hǎo duìzhǎng.
He’ll become a good team captain.
我可以去吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ qù ma?
May I go?
他可能来。
Tā kěnéng lái.
He might come.
Advice and Willingness
该 and 应该 recommend an action; 愿意 says that the person is willing to do it. All three come before the main verb.
你看起来很累。你应该休息一两个小时。
Nǐ kànqǐlai hěn lèi. Nǐ yīnggāi xiūxi yì liǎng ge xiǎoshí.
You look tired. You ought to rest for an hour or two.
我愿意跟你一起去。
Wǒ yuànyì gēn nǐ yìqǐ qù.
I’m willing to go with you.
Hint · 힌트
会 and 能 can both translate as “can,” but they point to different things: 会 often means a learned skill or a likely future event, while 能 focuses on ability or whether circumstances allow it. 可以 commonly asks whether an action is permitted.
In Real Life
A short question with 可以吗? is a natural way to ask permission. For example, 我可以坐这儿吗？ means “May I sit here?”
Vocabulary
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
huì | can; to be able to |
néng | can; be able to |
kěyǐ | can; may |
kěnéng | possible; maybe |
gāi | should; ought to |
yīnggāi | should; ought to |
yuànyì | to be willing |
xiūxi | to rest |
qù | to go |
lái | to come |
zuò | to do; make |
yòng | to use |
cíyǔ | words and expressions |
xuéxí | to study |
shuō | to speak; say |
duìzhǎng | captain; team leader |
cānjiā | to participate; join |
xiān | first |
gōngzuò | to work; job |
shíjiān | time (duration) |
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