Expressing Ability or Possibility with “能 (néng)”

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

The verb 能 (néng) is a fundamental word in Mandarin Chinese, usually translated as “can” in English. It is used to indicate someone’s ability or the possibility of something happening. This blog will explain how to use 能 (néng) to express ability and possibility, with detailed grammar explanations in both English and Hindi, and some humorous examples to make learning fun.

Expressing Ability

能 (néng) indicates ability when used with activities that are not consciously learned or studied, such as eating, working, or physical capabilities.

Structure

English: Subj. + 能 + Verb + Obj.
Hindi: विषय + 能 + क्रिया + वस्तु

Examples

Here are some examples with a humorous twist, including pronunciation, English translations, and Hindi translations.

1. 我 能 吃 四 十 个 饺子。
   
   Wǒ néng chī sìshí gè jiǎozi.
   
   I can eat 40 dumplings.
   
   मैं 40 मोमो खा सकता हूँ।
2. 他 能 工作 24 个 小时。
   
   Tā néng gōngzuò èrshí-sì gè xiǎoshí.
   
   He can work 24 hours.
   
   वह 24 घंटे काम कर सकता है।
3. 你 能 帮 我 找到 他 吗？
   
   Nǐ néng bāng wǒ zhǎodào tā ma?
   
   Can you help me find him?
   
   क्या आप मेरी मदद कर सकते हैं उसे ढूंढने में?

Expressing Possibility

When used with activities that are consciously learned or studied, 能 (néng) generally means that circumstances do not allow the execution of the action. In other words, it’s not possible.

Structure

English: Subj. + 能 + Verb + Obj.

Hindi: विषय + 能 + क्रिया + वस्तु

Examples

Here are more examples with a humorous twist, pronunciation, English translations, and Hindi translations.

1. 开车 一 个 小时 能 到 家 吗？
   
   Kāichē yī gè xiǎoshí néng dào jiā ma?
   
   Is it possible to drive home in one hour?
   
   क्या एक घंटे में घर पहुंचना संभव है?
2. 他们 明天 能 早 点 来 吗？
   
   Tāmen míngtiān néng zǎo diǎn lái ma?
   
   Would it be possible for them to come a little earlier tomorrow?
   
   क्या वे कल थोड़ा जल्दी आ सकते हैं?
3. 你们 能 小声 一点 吗？
   
   Nǐmen néng xiǎo shēng yīdiǎn ma?
   
   Could you all lower your voices a bit?
   
   क्या आप लोग थोड़ा धीरे बोल सकते हैं?

Other Usages

能 (néng) can also be used to form polite questions, similar to “would it be possible” in English. This can be useful for requesting permission or checking if something is possible.

Examples

1. 我 能 问 你 一 个 问题 吗？
   
   Wǒ néng wèn nǐ yī gè wèntí ma?
   
   Could I ask you a question?
   
   क्या मैं आपसे एक सवाल पूछ सकता हूँ?
2. 我 能 坐 在 这里 吗？
   
   Wǒ néng zuò zài zhèlǐ ma?
   
   Could I sit here?
   
   क्या मैं यहाँ बैठ सकता हूँ?
3. 这里 不 能 游泳。
   
   Zhèlǐ bù néng yóuyǒng.
   
   You can’t swim here.
   
   यहाँ तैरना संभव नहीं है।

Exceptions

While 能 (néng) is versatile, it cannot express learned skills or talents. For such cases, 会 (huì) is used instead. For example, “I can play the piano” would be “我会弹钢琴” (Wǒ huì tán gāngqín).

Grammar Explanation in English and Hindi

Using 能 (néng):

• English: The verb 能 (néng) means “can” and is used to indicate ability or possibility. It follows the structure: Subject + 能 + Verb + Object.
• Hindi: क्रिया 能 (néng) का अर्थ है “सकता हूँ” और इसका उपयोग क्षमता या संभावना को व्यक्त करने के लिए किया जाता है। यह संरचना का पालन करता है: विषय + 能 + क्रिया + वस्तु।