Introduction
会 (huì) means "can" in the sense of knowing how — a skill you acquired by learning. Swimming, driving, speaking a language, cooking a dish: all 会. English uses one word "can" for several different ideas, so the real work at this level is separating 会 from 能 (néng) and 可以 (kěyǐ).
Overview
Structure: Subject + 会 (huì) + Verb + Object
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| S + 会 + V + O | 我会说中文。(Wǒ huì shuō Zhōngwén.) | I can speak Chinese. |
| S + 不会 + V + O | 她不会开车。(Tā bú huì kāichē.) | She can't drive. |
| S + 会 + V + O + 吗？ | 你会游泳吗？(Nǐ huì yóuyǒng ma?) | Can you swim? |
| S + 会不会 + V + O？ | 你会不会做饭？(Nǐ huì bu huì zuòfàn?) | Can you cook (or not)? |
| S + 很会 + V | 他很会做饭。(Tā hěn huì zuòfàn.) | He's really good at cooking. |
会 (huì) vs 能 (néng) vs 可以 (kěyǐ) — three ways to say "can":
- 会 = a learned skill: 我会游泳。(Wǒ huì yóuyǒng.) — I know how to swim.
- 能 = capable right now / physically possible: 我今天不能游泳，我生病了。(Wǒ jīntiān bù néng yóuyǒng, wǒ shēngbìng le.) — I can't swim today, I'm ill.
- 可以 = allowed: 这里可以游泳吗？(Zhèlǐ kěyǐ yóuyǒng ma?) — Is swimming permitted here?
- All three in one situation: 我会游泳，但是今天不能游泳，因为这里不可以游泳。(Wǒ huì yóuyǒng, dànshì jīntiān bù néng yóuyǒng, yīnwèi zhèlǐ bù kěyǐ yóuyǒng.) — I know how to swim, but I can't today, because swimming isn't allowed here.
Examples
我会说中文。
Wǒ huì shuō Zhōngwén.
I can speak Chinese.
你会游泳吗？
Nǐ huì yóuyǒng ma?
Can you swim?
她不会开车。
Tā bú huì kāichē.
She can't drive.
我们都会用电脑。
Wǒmen dōu huì yòng diànnǎo.
We can all use a computer.
我哥哥很会做饭。
Wǒ gēge hěn huì zuòfàn.
My older brother is a really good cook.
我不会写这个字。
Wǒ bú huì xiě zhège zì.
I can't write this character.
Usage Notes
- Negation is 不会 (bú huì), never 没会 (méi huì). 没 does not combine with 会 in this meaning.
- 会 answers a yes/no question on its own: 你会开车吗？(Nǐ huì kāichē ma?) — 会。(Huì.) ／ 不会。(Bú huì.)
- 很会 (hěn huì) does not mean "very can" — it means good at: 他很会说话。(Tā hěn huì shuōhuà.) — He has a way with words.
- 会 has a second meaning, "likely to happen": 明天会下雨。(Míngtiān huì xià yǔ.) — It will probably rain tomorrow. You will meet it at HSK 2; at Level 1, treat 会 as skill.
- Tone change: 会 is fourth tone, so 不 in front becomes bú — 不会 is pronounced bú huì.