HSK 1
Correct

能 vs 会

/ néng vs huì /
Strokes

Formula

1
(很)(真)(非常)+ 会 + 做什么

Definition

能 and 会 both are Auxiliary Verbs (助动词) or Optative Verbs (能愿动词), means [able, can].

1, 能 refers to the inborn ability, 会 refers to the acquired ability

2, 能 means "to be good at doing something", 会 means to be skillful in something

3, 能 indicates an ability or a skill has reached a certain degree or level, 会 indicates the possibility, and 会 can be used as a verb to mean "can; to be able to".

Example

能 and 会 both can be used to indicate the ability to do something.
1) 能 refers to the inborn ability, while 会 refers to the acquired skill or ability;

2) Only 能 is used when indicating "to lose or regain a certain ability".
1
shì
zhèngchángrén
正常人
  
,
néng
shuōhuà
说话
  
Dànshì
但是
zhī
huì
shuō
hàn
汉语
  
,
huì
不会
shuō
biède
别的
yán
语言
  

He's a normal person. He can talk. But he only speaks Chinese, not any other language.

2
A
A
  
:
huì
huì
kāichē
开车
  
?
B
B
  
:
huì
  
(
huì
不会
  
)
  

A: Can you drive? B: Yes/No.

会 can be used to indicate being good at something.
"会 + Verb" means "one is very good at doing something". It is often preceded by 很, 真 or 非常, etc.
(很)(真)(非常)+ 会 + 做什么
3
ma
妈妈
hěn
huì
zuòfàn
做饭
  

Mom is good at cooking.

4
hěn
huì
chī
  
,
zài
xiǎo
de
鱼刺
néng
tiāo
chūlái
出来
  

He is good at eating fish, no matter how small the fishbone can be picked out.

能 is used to indicate the efficiency or the extent to which one does something.
5
hěn
néng
shuō
  
,
měi
每次
dōu
néng
shuō
hǎo
好几
ge
xiǎoshí
小时
  

She's a good talker and can speak for hours at a time.

6
hěn
néng
xiě
  
,
měinián
每年
dōu
néng
xiě
hǎo
好几
xiǎoshuō
小说
  

She is very good at writing, she can write several novels every year.

会 can be used as a verb by itself.
7
Zhège
这个
fāng
方法
huì
不会
  
,
huì
ma
  
?

I can't do that, can you?

8
Zhè
dào
huì
ma
  
?

Can you do this problem?

会 can also be followed by an object or a complement.
9
A
A
  
:
huì
shénme
什么
  
?
B
B
  
:
huì
diànnǎo
电脑
  

A: what can you do? B: I can use a computer.

10
A
A
  
:
huì
huì
hàn
汉语
  
?
B
B
  
:
huì
diǎnr  
一点儿
  
/
huì
不会
  

A: Can you speak Chinese? B: A little/No.

能 and 会 both can be used to indicate possibilities.
能 indicate objective possibilities, while 会 indicate subjective possibilities.

11
dìng
一定
huì
chénggōng
成功
de
  

I will make it.

12
A
A
  
:
míngtiān
明天
kàn
diànyǐng
电影
ma
  
?
B
B
  
:
hěn
huan
喜欢
diànyǐng
电影
  
,
huíqu
回去
  
A
A
  
:
shì
可是
míngtiān
明天
yǒu
  
,
néng
  

A: Will you go to watch that movie tomorrow ? B: I like that movie very much, I'll go. B: But I have lessons tomorrow, I can't go.

Exercise

Fill in the blanks with 能 or 会:

 

1. 他很( )喝啤酒,一次( )喝10瓶。

2. 这个司机很( )开车,大家都对他很放心。

3. 我的女朋友很( )打扮,总是能吸引大家的目光。

4. 如果他( )帮助你, 就一定( )帮的。

5. A:你( )唱京剧吗?  B:我( ),但是今天感冒了,所以不( )唱了。

6. A:回国以后,你( )忘了我吗 ?  B:永远不(  )。

7. 今晚他( )来参加晚会吗?

8. A:你们明年( )结婚吗 ?  B:我们结婚的时候一定( )邀请你的。