会 / 能 / 可以: The Three Ways to Say “Can”
Mandarin has three words that all translate as “can” — 会 (huì), 能 (néng) and 可以 (kěyǐ). The trick is knowing which is which: a learned skill, a capacity, or permission. Audio on every example.
Why does Chinese have three words for “can”? Because English crams three different ideas into one word. The hui neng keyi trio splits them cleanly: 会 (huì) is a learned skill, 能 (néng) is a capacity or possibility, and 可以 (kěyǐ) is permission. 我会开车 (“I know how to drive”), 我能开车 (“I’m able to drive”), 我可以开车吗？ (“may I drive?”) — same English word, three different meanings.
The hui neng keyi cheat sheet
Three kinds of “can”: the hui neng keyi split
The reason “can” is tricky is that English uses it for three separate ideas: a skill (“I can swim”), an ability or possibility (“I can lift this”), and permission (“can I leave?”). Mandarin keeps them apart with the hui neng keyi trio, and the good news is that the dividing lines are clear. Learn what each one owns — skill, capacity, permission — and the choice almost always makes itself.
会 (huì) — a learned skill
会 is for things you’ve learned how to do — a skill acquired through study or practice. 我会游泳 (“I can swim”), 我会说中文 (“I can speak Chinese”), 他会弹钢琴 (“he can play piano”). If you could put “know how to” in the English sentence, 会 is your word. It has a useful second job too: future likelihood, as in 明天会下雨 (“it’ll rain tomorrow”) — context keeps the two apart.
能 (néng) — capacity & possibility
能 is about capacity and circumstantial possibility — whether something is physically or situationally possible right now. 我能跑十公里 (“I can run 10km”), 他能喝很多 (“he can drink a lot”), 今天我不能来 (“I can’t come today”). It often answers “are you able to, given the circumstances?” rather than “do you know how?”. 能 is also common for asking permission, where it overlaps with 可以.
可以 (kěyǐ) — permission
可以 is the word for permission — whether something is allowed. 我可以走了吗？ (“may I go now?”), 这里可以拍照 (“you can take photos here”), 你可以试试 (“you can give it a try”). When you’re asking whether something is OK, or telling someone they’re free to do it, 可以 is the natural choice. It also softens requests, which makes it the politest of the three.
Everyday sentences
Six hui neng keyi sentences you’ll use constantly. The Chinese Grammar Wiki compares them in more depth. Tap 🔊 to hear each.
Where they overlap
Two hui neng keyi overlaps are worth knowing. Permission: both 能 and 可以 work — 我能借你的笔吗？ and 我可以借你的笔吗？ both mean “may I borrow your pen?”, with 可以 sounding a touch more about permission and 能 about possibility. Ability: 会 and 能 can both describe being able to do something, but they stress different things — 我会开车 (“I know how to drive”, the skill) versus 我能开车 (“I’m able to drive”, right now). When in doubt, ask yourself: skill, capacity, or permission?
Saying “can’t”: 不会 / 不能 / 不可以
Each of the hui neng keyi trio has its own negative. 不会 = “don’t know how” (or “won’t”): 我不会游泳 (“I can’t swim”). 不能 = “unable” or “not allowed”: 今天我不能来. 不可以 = “not allowed”: 这里不可以抽烟. The key trap: for a prohibition (“you mustn’t”), use 不能 or 不可以 — never 不会, which would mean “doesn’t know how”.
Three rules that make hui neng keyi work
1. 会 is for learned skills. If you can say “know how to”, use 会 — 我会说中文.
2. 能 is for capacity and possibility. Physical ability or circumstances — 我能跑十公里, 今天不能来.
3. 可以 is for permission. Asking or granting it — 我可以走吗？ For a prohibition use 不能 / 不可以, never 不会.
Five common mistakes, fixed
| ✗ The error | ✓ The fix | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 我能说中文 (a learned skill) | 我会说中文 | A learned skill takes 会, not 能 |
| 我会跑十公里 | 我能跑十公里 | Physical capacity takes 能, not 会 |
| 我会坐这里吗？ | 我可以坐这里吗？ | Permission uses 可以 (or 能), never 会 |
| 这里不会抽烟 | 这里不能抽烟 | “Not allowed” is 不能 / 不可以, never 不会 |
| 我今天不会来 (meaning “can’t”) | 我今天不能来 | 不会 = “won’t / don’t know how”; for circumstance use 不能 |
Quick check — hui neng keyi
Pick the best answer for each:
“I can speak Chinese” (a skill you learned). 我 ___ 说中文。
“I can run 10km” (capacity). 我 ___ 跑十公里。
“May I sit here?” (permission). 我 ___ 坐这里吗？
“Smoking is not allowed here.” 这里 ___ 抽烟。
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Keep going
过 (guo) experience marker
“Have you ever…?” — saying you’ve done something at least once.
Read the guide →是…的 construction
Spotlight the when, where or how of a known, completed action.
Read the guide →想 / 要 / 需要 — want vs need
“Would like to”, “want / will”, or a real need — and the 不想/不要 trap.
Read the guide →吗 / 呢 / 吧 — question particles
Yes/no questions, “and you?”, suggestions and the question-word trap.
Read the guide →不 / 没 — the two negations
“Don’t” vs “didn’t” — which “not” to use, and why 有 takes 没.
Read the guide →