Expressing ability or possibility with 能 (néng)

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Expressing ability or possibility with 能 (néng) - HSK 1 Grammar

能 (néng) is one of several Chinese words that is normally translated as "can" in English. However, 能 (néng) is used to emphasize one's ability or the possibility of something happening.

Expressing ability
能 (néng) indicates ability when used with activities that are not consciously learned or studied.

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.

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. If the speaker wishes to express that they are able to execute an action requiring a consciously studied skill, 会 (huì) can be used instead.

Because 能 (néng) can express possibility, it is often used to form polite questions, something like "would it be possible" in English:

Which following sentence is grammatically correct? *

2 points

我能吃四十个饺子。 Wǒ néng chī sìshí gè jiǎozi.

我吃能四十个饺子。 Wǒ chī néng sìshí gè jiǎozi.

我吃四十个能饺子。 Wǒ chī sìshí gè néng jiǎozi.

我吃四十个饺子能。 Wǒ chī sìshí gè jiǎozi néng.

Which following sentence is grammatically correct? *

2 points

你帮我找到他能吗？ Nǐ bāng wǒ zhǎodào tā néng ma?

你能帮我找到他吗？ Nǐ néng bāng wǒ zhǎodào tā ma?

你帮我能找到他吗？ Nǐ bāng wǒ néng zhǎodào tā ma?

你帮能我找到他吗？ Nǐ bāng néng wǒ zhǎodào tā ma?

Which following sentence is grammatically correct? *

2 points

能开车一个小时到家吗？ Néng kāichē yī gè xiǎoshí dào jiā ma?

开车一个小时能到家吗？ Kāichē yī gè xiǎoshí néng dào jiā ma?

开车一个小时到家能吗？ Kāichē yī gè xiǎoshí dào jiā néng ma?

开车一个小时到家吗能？ Kāichē yī gè xiǎoshí dào jiā ma néng?

Which following sentence is grammatically correct? *

2 points

你告诉能我她的手机号码吗？ Nǐ gàosu néng wǒ tā de shǒujī hàomǎ ma?

你告诉我能她的手机号码吗？ Nǐ gàosu wǒ néng tā de shǒujī hàomǎ ma?

你能告诉我她的手机号码吗？ Nǐ néng gàosu wǒ tā de shǒujī hàomǎ ma?

你告诉我她的手机号码能吗？ Nǐ gàosu wǒ tā de shǒujī hàomǎ néng ma?

Choose the most accurate answer of this sentence: 工作的时候不能玩手机。Gōngzuò de shíhou bù néng wán shǒujī. *

2 points

When not working, you can't play with your cell phone.

When not working, you can play with your cell phone.

When working, you can't play with your cell phone.

When working, you can play with your cell phone.

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