Modal Verb 会 - Learned Ability

Using 会 is surprisingly simple. You do not need to change the word for different people. Unlike English verbs, Chinese verbs stay the same. You just place 会 right before the action verb. It acts like a helper. It tells the listener that the following action is a skill. For example, if you say 我吃 (wǒ chī), you are saying "I eat." If you say 我会吃 (wǒ huì chī), you are saying "I know how to eat." Use this carefully though! Saying you "know how to eat" might make people wonder if you just discovered food. Usually, we use it for complex things. Use it for 写汉字 (xiě hànzì) which means "write Chinese characters." You place it after the person and before the skill. It is like a bridge between you and your talent.

1. 1For positive statements: Subject + 会 + Verb + Object.
2. 2Example: 我会做饭。 (Wǒ huì zuòfàn.) - "I can cook."
3. 3For negative statements: Subject + 不会 + Verb + Object.
4. 4Example: 我不会开车。 (Wǒ búhuì kāichē.) - "I can't drive."
5. 5Note: The 不 (bù) changes to a second tone bú before 会.
6. 6For basic questions: Subject + 会 + Verb + Object + 吗?
7. 7Example: 你会说英文吗？ (Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma?) - "Can you speak English?"
8. 8For "Yes/No" style questions: Subject + 会不会 + Verb + Object?
9. 9Example: 你会不会游泳？ (Nǐ huì bú huì yóuyǒng?) - "Can you swim or not?"

Use 会 when you want to talk about a skill that took time to master.

• Languages: 我会说汉语。 (Wǒ huì shuō Hànyǔ.)
• Physical Skills: 他会打篮球。 (Tā huì dǎ lánqiú.)
• Work Skills: 她会电脑。 (Tā huì diànnǎo.)
• Artistic Skills: 我会弹钢琴。 (Wǒ huì tán gāngqín.)

Imagine you are in a job interview. The boss asks if you can use Photoshop. You would answer with 会. It shows you have the training. If you are at a party and someone asks if you can play guitar, use 会. It implies you didn't just wake up knowing how to do it. You put in the hours. You practiced. Now, you have the ability. Even simple things like using chopsticks count. If you had to learn it as a kid, 会 is the right choice.

Do not use 会 for things that happen naturally. You don't "learn" to see or hear. So, you wouldn't say 我会听 to mean you have ears. Also, avoid using 会 for situational permission. If you want to ask "Can I go to the bathroom?", 会 is wrong. That sounds like you are asking if you have the mental skill to use a toilet. Use 可以 (kěyǐ) for permission instead. Another trap is physical possibility. If your leg is broken, you "cannot" walk. But you still "know how" to walk. In that case, you wouldn't use 不会. You would use 不能 (bùnéng). 会 is about the knowledge in your brain and the muscle memory in your body. It is not about whether you are allowed to do something right now.

One big mistake is adding 是 (shì) before 会. Beginners often say 我是会说中文. This is incorrect. You don't need "to be" here. Just say 我会说中文. Another classic error is the tone of 不. When you say "cannot," the 不 is usually 4th tone. But before 会 (also 4th tone), it must switch to 2nd tone: bú huì. It sounds much smoother this way. Also, don't forget the main verb. While you can sometimes skip it for languages (like 我会中文), for most skills, you need the action. Saying 我会饭 sounds like you are saying "I am a rice expert." You should say 我会做饭 (I can cook food). Lastly, don't use it for things that are happening right this second by chance. It is for a permanent or semi-permanent skill you possess.

In Chinese, there are three main ways to say "can": 会, 能, and 可以.

• 会 (huì) is for learned skills. You went to school or practiced for this.
• 能 (néng) is for physical ability or capacity. "I can lift this box" or "I can run 5 miles."
• 可以 (kěyǐ) is for permission. "Can I come in?" or "May I use this?"

Think of it this way: You 会 (know how to) drive a car. But if you drank too much wine, you 不能 (are not physically able/safe) to drive. And if you don't have a license, you 不可以 (are not permitted) to drive. It's like a grammar traffic light. Green is your skill (会), yellow is your physical state (能), and red is the law (可以).