会 (huì) vs. 能 (néng) vs. 可以 (kěyǐ): How to Say "Can" in Chinese

In English, the single word "can" does a lot of heavy lifting:

"I can speak Chinese." (Learned skill)
"I can lift that heavy box." (Physical ability)
"Can I borrow your phone?" (Permission)
"It can rain tomorrow." (Possibility)

In Mandarin Chinese, however, there is no single universal verb for "can." Instead, you must choose between three distinct modal verbs: 会 (huì), 能 (néng), and 可以 (kěyǐ).

Using the wrong one will not necessarily prevent a native speaker from guessing your meaning, but it will immediately sound unnatural. Here is the breakdown that will make the choice obvious every single time, complete with side-by-side examples and conversational dialogues.

For more fundamental sentence patterns, explore our comprehensive Chinese grammar for beginners guide.

1. Quick Summary of the 3 Types of "Can"

Here is the core distinction to keep in mind:

会 (huì): Learned skill or acquired knowledge (know how to do something through study, training, or practice). Also expresses future probability (will happen).
能 (néng): Physical capability, capacity, or current circumstances allowing an action (physically able to do it right now).
可以 (kěyǐ): Permission, social acceptability, or a polite suggestion (may I / allowed to).

2. 会 (huì): Learned Skills and Future Certainty

Meaning 1: Knowing How to Do Something Through Learning

Use 会 (huì) when the ability comes from education, training, practice, or effort:

Detailed Sentence Examples:

我会说一点儿普通话。
- Pinyin: Wǒ huì shuō yìdiǎnr Pǔtōnghuà.
- English: I can speak a little bit of Mandarin (I learned it).
弟弟六岁的时候就会游泳了。
- Pinyin: Dìdi liù suì de shíhou jiù huì yóuyǒng le.
- English: Little brother already knew how to swim when he was six years old.
你会用筷子吃面条吗？
- Pinyin: Nǐ huì yòng kuàizi chī miàntiáo ma?
- English: Can you eat noodles using chopsticks?

Rule of Thumb: If you had to practice, take lessons, or read instructions to acquire the ability, use 会.

Meaning 2: Future Possibility or Likelihood ("Will")

会 also doubles as a future auxiliary verb indicating that an event will happen:

今天天气预报表明天会下雪。
- Pinyin: Jīntiān tiānqì yùbào shuō míngtiān huì xià xuě.
- English: Today's weather forecast says it will snow tomorrow.
放心吧，老师一定会来的。
- Pinyin: Fàngxīn ba, lǎoshī yídìng huì lái de.
- English: Rest assured, the teacher will definitely come.

Negation of 会: 不会 (bú huì)

我不会做中国菜。 (Wǒ bú huì zuò Zhōngguó cài.) = I do not know how to cook Chinese food.
他今天很忙，不会去参加聚会。 (Tā jīntiān hěn máng, bú huì qù cānjiā jùhuì.) = He is very busy today and will not attend the gathering.

3. 能 (néng): Physical Ability, Capacity, and Circumstances

Meaning 1: Physical or Inherent Capability

Use 能 (néng) when discussing bodily ability, physical strength, or sensory capability that does not require formal study:

生病以后，他现在能慢慢走路了。
- Pinyin: Shēngbìng yǐhòu, tā xiànzài néng mànmàn zǒulù le.
- English: After his illness, he is now able to walk slowly.
这个行李箱很轻，我一个人就能搬上去。
- Pinyin: Zhège xínglixiāng hěn qīng, wǒ yí gè rén jiù néng bān shàngqu.
- English: This suitcase is light, I can carry it up by myself.

Meaning 2: Real-World Circumstances Permitting an Action

Even if you know how to do something (会), you might not be able to do it right now because of health, weather, or scheduling (能):

Compare these two sentences:

我会喝酒，但我今天开车，不能喝。
- Pinyin: Wǒ huì hē jiǔ, dàn wǒ jīntiān kāichē, bù néng hē.
- English: I know how to drink alcohol (会), but since I am driving today, circumstances do not permit me to drink (不能).
我发烧了，今天不能去公司上班。
- Pinyin: Wǒ fāshāo le, jīntiān bù néng qù gōngsī shàngbān.
- English: I have a fever, so I cannot go to work at the office today.

Meaning 3: Quantity, Capacity, and Thresholds

When expressing how much or how fast you can accomplish an action:

他一分钟能打一百二十个汉字。
- Pinyin: Tā yì fēnzhōng néng dǎ yìbǎi èrshí gè Hànzì.
- English: He can type 120 Chinese characters in one minute.
今天晚上你能喝几杯啤酒？
- Pinyin: Jīntiān wǎnshang nǐ néng hē jǐ bēi píjiǔ?
- English: How many glasses of beer can you handle tonight?
- Measure Word Note: Notice the classifier 杯 (bēi). For a full breakdown of classifiers, check out our guide to Chinese measure words.

4. 可以 (kěyǐ): Permission and Suggestions

Meaning 1: Asking for or Granting Permission ("May I?")

Use 可以 (kěyǐ) when asking if something is socially acceptable, legally permitted, or polite:

请问，我可以用一下这台电脑吗？
- Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, wǒ kěyǐ yòng yíxià zhè tái diànnǎo ma?
- English: Excuse me, may I use this computer for a moment?
对不起，博物馆里面不可以拍照。
- Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, bówùguǎn lǐmiàn bù kěyǐ pāizhào.
- English: Sorry, taking photos is not permitted inside the museum.
完成了考试的同学现在可以离开了。
- Pinyin: Wánchéng le kǎoshì de tóngxué xiànzài kěyǐ líkāi le.
- English: Students who have finished the exam may leave now.

Meaning 2: Feasible Suggestions ("Could / We Can")

When offering a practical idea or option:

如果你觉得累，我们明天可以去看电影。
- Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ juéde lèi, wǒmen míngtiān kěyǐ qù kàn diànyǐng.
- English: If you feel tired, we could go see a movie tomorrow instead.
遇到生词，你可以在手机上查字典。
- Pinyin: Yùdào shēngcí, nǐ kěyǐ zài shǒujī shàng chá zìdiǎn.
- English: When you run into new vocabulary, you can look it up in a dictionary on your phone.

5. The "Swimming" Contrast Test: All Three in Action

To lock these three words into your memory, look at how each one applies to swimming (游泳, yóuyǒng):

我会游泳 (Wǒ huì yóuyǒng):
- Meaning: I know how to swim. I took lessons when I was seven.
我今天不能游泳 (Wǒ jīntiān bù néng yóuyǒng):
- Meaning: I have an ear infection and the pool is closed for cleaning, so I am physically unable to swim today, even though I know how.
我可以在这里游泳吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ zài zhèli yóuyǒng ma?):
- Meaning: Is swimming permitted in this lake, or is there a safety rule against it?

6. Master Decision Chart: Which "Can" to Pick?

Context / Situation	Use 会 (huì)	Use 能 (néng)	Use 可以 (kěyǐ)	Example Sentence
Learned skill (guitar, languages, driving)	Yes	No	No	我会弹吉他。
Future certainty ("It will rain tomorrow")	Yes	No	No	明天会下雨。
Physical capability (lifting weights, seeing clearly)	No	Yes	No	我能搬动这箱书。
External circumstance (traffic, illness, schedule)	No	Yes	No	我今天生病不能来。
Capacity threshold (drinking 3 beers, typing fast)	No	Yes	No	他能喝三瓶啤酒。
Asking permission ("May I sit here?")	No	Acceptable	Yes	我可以坐这里吗？
Helpful suggestion ("We could take the subway")	No	No	Yes	我们可以坐地铁。

7. Real-Life Conversational Dialogues

Dialogue 1: At a Chinese Restaurant

Customer: 服务员，我们可以坐在窗户旁边吗？ (Fúwùyuán, wǒmen kěyǐ zuò zài chuānghu pángbiān ma? - Waiter, may we sit next to the window? -> Permission: 可以)
Waiter: 当然可以！请问你们能吃辣吗？ (Dāngrán kěyǐ! Qǐngwèn nǐmen néng chī là ma? - Of course! May I ask, can you handle spicy food? -> Capacity: 能)
Customer: 我会吃一点儿，我朋友一点儿都不能吃。 (Wǒ huì chī yìdiǎnr, wǒ péngyou yìdiǎnr dōu bù néng chī. - I know how to enjoy a little, but my friend physically cannot eat any.)

Dialogue 2: Planning a Weekend Trip

A: 周末我们去爬山吧，你会去吗？ (Zhōumò wǒmen qù páshān ba, nǐ huì qù ma? - Let us go mountain climbing this weekend, will you go? -> Future possibility: 会)
B: 我很想去，但我脚受伤了，不能走路。 (Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù, dàn wǒ jiǎo shòushāng le, bù néng zǒulù. - I would love to, but my foot is injured, so I cannot walk. -> Physical limitation: 不能)
A: 没关系，那我们可以去咖啡馆聊天。 (Méi guānxi, nà wǒmen kěyǐ qù kāfēiguǎn liáotiān. - No problem, in that case we could go to a cafe and chat. -> Suggestion: 可以)

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 能 to ask for permission?

Yes! In polite daily conversation, you will often hear native speakers say:

我能用一下你的笔吗？ (Wǒ néng yòng yíxià nǐ de bǐ ma?) = Can I use your pen for a second? Both 能 and 可以 are completely acceptable in informal permission requests, though 可以 sounds slightly more explicitly about rules and etiquette.

What is the natural negative response to 可以?

If someone asks "我可以抽烟吗？" (May I smoke?), the direct refusal is usually 不行 (bù xíng) or 不能 (bù néng). While 不可以 exists, it sounds quite strict and disciplinary, like an adult reprimanding a child.

9. Practice Natural Mandarin Modals with learnchineseapp.com

Reading grammar rules is helpful, but choosing between 会, 能, and 可以 in live speech requires listening repetition.

At learnchineseapp.com, you can:

Test Your Contextual Intuition: Work through hundreds of real-life dialogue prompts to select the correct modal verb instantly.
Audio Sentence Drills: Hear native speakers nuance their tone when granting permission or talking about learned skills.
Connect More Grammar Rules: Combine modal verbs with Mandarin question structures and particles like 了.

Start practicing today to speak precise, natural Mandarin without hesitation.