Search from various English teachers...
noah
What is the difference between" 可以 "," 能 "and " 会 "? for instance, how to say cannot ? and how are these three words used in a sentence?
Mar 25, 2013 5:42 AM
Answers · 3
3
The differeces are subtle. But I can tell you the meanings of them. 可以- May, Can, Able 能- Able, Can 会- Will, Can Hope it helps!
March 25, 2013
2
Generally they are interchangeable, particularly when you want to tell others that you have a certain skill . For instance, wo hui you yong/ wo neng you yong/ wo ke yi you yong. (All of them are correct, meaning I can swim.) Another example, wo hui shuo hanyu/ wo neng shuo hanyu/ wo keyi shuo hanyu.(These sentences mean I can speak Chinese and they are surely all correct .) However, compared to the verb"hui", "keyi" and" neng" are used more widely in some other situations, such as giving a permission or a ban. For example, "ni keyi zai zhe li xi yan/ ni neng zai zhe li xi yan. " Either of them means smoking is ok here. While, "ni bu ke yi zai zhe li xi yan/ ni bu neng zai zhe li xi yan. " means smoking is forbidden here. "hui" is not usually used this way. " hui" mainly emphasizes "skill" as well as "possibility " sometimes. Let's say " ta keneng hui qu na ge juhui." (she will go to the party.) In this case, neither" keyi" nor " neng" can replace the verb "hui" properly. On a whole, each of these three verbs has a variety of meanings and functions. Identifying them according to the context could be a good idea in my oppinion.
March 25, 2013
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!