One English word, "can," does at least three unrelated jobs — "I can swim" (I learned how), "I can't come today" (circumstances stop me), "you can go now" (you're allowed) — and Chinese assigns a different verb to each. 会 is a learned skill: something you acquired by studying or practising. 能 is capacity or circumstance: whether you're physically or situationally able right now, or up to some level. 可以 is permission or an available option: whether it's allowed or on the table. Mix them up and you'll say things like "am I skilled at smoking here?" This page is the decision grid; each verb's full behaviour lives on 会 the learned ability, 能 capability, and 可以 permission.
The three-way decision grid
Ask which kind of "can" you mean, and the verb picks itself.
| Which "can"? | Verb | Core question | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| learned skill | 会 (huì) | Did you learn how to? | 我会游泳 (I can swim) |
| capacity / circumstance / level | 能 (néng) | Are you able to right now / to that extent? | 我今天不能来 (I can't make it today) |
| permission / option | 可以 (kěyǐ) | Is it allowed / on the table? | 这儿可以抽烟吗 (can I smoke here?) |
会: a skill you learned (and predictions)
会 means you acquired an ability — a language, a sport, an instrument, driving. It always implies training or practice. It has a second, unrelated job too: marking likelihood ("it'll probably…"), a prediction about the future.
我会说一点中文，但说得不太好。
wǒ huì shuō yìdiǎn Zhōngwén, dàn shuō de bú tài hǎo
I can speak a little Chinese, but not very well. (informal) — a learned skill, so 会.
你会不会用筷子？
nǐ huì bu huì yòng kuàizi?
Can you use chopsticks? (informal) — asking about an acquired skill.
明天会下雨，记得带伞。
míngtiān huì xià yǔ, jìde dài sǎn
It's going to rain tomorrow — remember your umbrella. (informal) — 会 marking likelihood, not skill.
能: able right now, or up to a level
能 asks whether the situation allows it — your physical capacity, your availability, the circumstances — or how far you can go (a quantity, a limit). It's the "can" of "I'm able to this time" and "he can run ten kilometres."
他一顿能吃三碗饭。
tā yí dùn néng chī sān wǎn fàn
He can put away three bowls of rice in one sitting. (informal) — capacity up to a level, so 能.
我今天不能来，家里有点事。
wǒ jīntiān bù néng lái, jiā li yǒudiǎn shì
I can't make it today, something's come up at home. (informal) — circumstance blocks it, so 能.
声音太小了，你能大点声吗？
shēngyīn tài xiǎo le, nǐ néng dà diǎn shēng ma?
It's too quiet — can you speak up a bit? (informal) — asking whether it's possible / you're willing.
可以: allowed, or an available option
可以 asks whether something is permitted or on the table — by rules, by the other person, by circumstance framed as an option. It's the "can" of "you're allowed to" and "you may."
这儿可以抽烟吗？
zhèr kěyǐ chōu yān ma?
Can I smoke here? (informal) — asking permission, so 可以.
你可以开我的车，钥匙在桌上。
nǐ kěyǐ kāi wǒ de chē, yàoshi zài zhuō shang
You can take my car — the keys are on the table. (informal) — granting permission/an option, so 可以.
Where 能 and 可以 blur — and the tie-breaker
For asking permission or possibility, 能 and 可以 often both work: 这儿能抽烟吗？and 这儿可以抽烟吗？are both fine. The lean is subtle: 能 foregrounds possibility ("is it feasible?"), 可以 foregrounds permission ("is it allowed?"). When you're clearly asking a rule-keeper for the OK, 可以 is the safest. When you're asking whether circumstances make it feasible, 能 fits better. 会 never enters this zone — it's only ever about a learned skill or a prediction.
我会开车，但今天喝酒了，不能开。
wǒ huì kāichē, dàn jīntiān hē jiǔ le, bù néng kāi
I know how to drive, but I've been drinking today, so I can't. (informal) — 会 = the skill, 不能 = circumstance blocks it. One sentence, both verbs.
会议室现在没人，你们可以用。
huìyìshì xiànzài méi rén, nǐmen kěyǐ yòng
The meeting room's free now, you can use it. (neutral) — an available option, so 可以.
Negation is where they split hardest
The negatives don't line up with the positives, and this is where learners give themselves away. 不会 = lack of skill ("can't, don't know how") or a prediction ("won't happen"). 不能 = not able / not allowed. 不可以 = not allowed (a firm "you may not"). For a prohibition, reach for 不能 or 不可以 — never 不会, which would only say someone lacks the skill.
我不会游泳，一下水就慌。
wǒ bú huì yóuyǒng, yí xià shuǐ jiù huāng
I can't swim — I panic the moment I'm in the water. (informal) — 不会 = no skill.
这里不能停车，会被贴条。
zhèlǐ bù néng tíngchē, huì bèi tiē tiáo
You can't park here — you'll get ticketed. (informal) — a prohibition, so 不能 (and 会 marks the likely outcome).
别担心，不会有事的。
bié dānxīn, bú huì yǒu shì de
Don't worry, nothing's going to go wrong. (informal) — 不会 as a prediction ('won't happen'), not skill.
Common Mistakes
1. Using 会 to ask permission. Permission is 可以 (or 能); 会 would ask about a skill.
❌ 这儿会抽烟吗？
Wrong — 会 asks 'is it skilled at smoking?'; for permission use 可以: 这儿可以抽烟吗？
✅ 这儿可以抽烟吗？
zhèr kěyǐ chōu yān ma?
Can I smoke here? — 可以 for permission.
2. Using 能 or 可以 for a learned skill. A skill you studied for is 会. 我可以说中文 means "I'm allowed to speak Chinese," not "I know how."
❌ 我可以说中文。（想说
This means 'I'm allowed to speak Chinese'; for the skill, use 会: 我会说中文.
✅ 我会说中文。
wǒ huì shuō Zhōngwén
I can speak Chinese. — 会 for the learned skill.
3. Prohibiting with 不会. "You can't / mustn't" as a rule is 不能 or 不可以; 不会 only denies skill.
❌ 这里不会停车。（想说
This says 'this place doesn't know how to park'; a prohibition is 不能/不可以: 这里不能停车.
✅ 这里不可以停车。
zhèlǐ bù kěyǐ tíngchē
You can't park here. — 不可以 for the prohibition.
4. Using 不会 for a circumstantial 'can't make it.' 我今天不会来 means "I won't be coming today" (intention/prediction); for "unable due to circumstances," use 不能.
❌ 我今天不会来。（想说
This means 'I won't come today' (a plan); for 'I can't make it', use 不能: 我今天不能来.
✅ 我今天不能来，改天吧。
wǒ jīntiān bù néng lái, gǎitiān ba
I can't make it today — some other day. — 不能 for circumstantial inability.
Key Takeaways
- 会 = a learned skill (我会游泳) — and, separately, likelihood for predictions (明天会下雨).
- 能 = capacity or circumstance: able right now, or up to a level (他一顿能吃三碗饭; 我今天不能来).
- 可以 = permission or an available option (这儿可以抽烟吗; 你可以用我的车).
- 能 and 可以 overlap for permission/possibility — 能 leans "feasible," 可以 leans "allowed"; for a rule-keeper's OK, prefer 可以.
- Negation splits them: 不会 = no skill / won't happen; 不能 = unable / not allowed; 不可以 = not allowed. Prohibitions use 不能/不可以, never 不会.
- To sort out wanting rather than canning — 想 vs 要 vs 会 — see 想 vs 要 vs 会.
Now practice Chinese
Reading grammar gets you part of the way. The exercises are where it sticks — free, no signup needed.
Start learning Chinese→Related Topics
- 想 vs 要 vs 会 — Want, Will, LikelyHSK 2 — English 'want' and 'will' blur volition and prediction; Chinese keeps them apart. 想 (xiǎng) = a soft wish, 'would like to / feel like.' 要 (yào) = a firm intention, demand, or near-future plan, 'want to / going to.' 会 (huì) = a prediction about what will happen, 'will (likely).' Decide by whether you're stating a desire or forecasting an outcome.