会, 能, and 可以: Three Useful Meanings of “Can”

English “can” covers several meanings. In Mandarin, huì会 (huì), néng能 (néng), and kěyǐ可以 (kěyǐ) help you express which meaning matters. They overlap in some situations, but clear examples make the basic differences easier to remember.

huì会: a learned skill

• wǒ我huì会yóuyǒng游泳。 — Wǒ huì yóuyǒng. — I can swim.
• tā她huì会shuō说Zhōngwén中文。 — Tā huì shuō Zhōngwén. — She can speak Chinese.

These statements concern skills acquired through learning or practice. wǒ我bù不huì会kāichē开车。 — Wǒ bú huì kāi chē. — I cannot drive / I do not know how to drive.

huì会 also has other uses, including predictions about what will happen. The skill meaning is a starting point, not its only meaning.

néng能: conditions or capacity

• wǒ我jīntiān今天bù不néng能qù去。 — Wǒ jīntiān bù néng qù. — I cannot go today.
• nǐ你néng能bāng帮wǒ我ma吗？ — Nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma? — Can you help me?

The first sentence does not mean you never learned how to go somewhere. It means the circumstances prevent you from going today. néng能 can also describe capacity, such as how much someone can carry or accomplish.

kěyǐ可以: permission or acceptability

• wǒ我kěyǐ可以zuò坐zhèlǐ这里ma吗？ — Wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèlǐ ma? — May I sit here?
• zhèlǐ这里kěyǐ可以pāizhào拍照。 — Zhèlǐ kěyǐ pāi zhào. — Photography is allowed here.

kěyǐ可以 can also express possibility or an acceptable option. Context matters; the words do not divide every English “can” into three perfectly separate boxes.

A useful contrast

wǒ我huì会kāichē开车，dànshì但是jīntiān今天bù不néng能kāichē开车。 — Wǒ huì kāi chē, dànshì jīntiān bù néng kāi chē. — I know how to drive, but I cannot drive today.

The first clause describes a skill. The second concerns today’s situation. If you are asking whether driving is allowed somewhere, kěyǐ可以 may be the more useful choice.

Practice choosing the meaning

Write one sentence about a skill you have, one about something your schedule prevents, and one asking permission. Before choosing the Chinese word, label your intention: skill, circumstances, or permission. Then read the complete sentence rather than memorizing a one-word translation.