Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

52 expressing ability and possibility

52.1 Expressing ability

52.1.1 expressing a learned ability

To express a learned or acquired ability or skill, something that you know how to do or have

learned how to do, use the modal verb 会/會 huì.

Q: 你会说英文吗？ A: 我会说一点儿英文。

你會說英文嗎？ 我會說一點兒英文。

Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma? Wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎr Yīngwén.

Do you know how to speak English? I know how to speak a little English.

Q: 你会开车吗？ A: 我还不会开车呢。

你會開車嗎？ 我還不會開車呢。

Nǐ huì kāi chē ma? Wǒ hái bù huì kāi chē ne.

Do you know how to drive? I don’t know how to drive yet.

C12.2.1

52.1.2 expressing an innate ability or talent

To express a skill or talent or an innate ability, use the modal verb 会/會 huì. When expressing

this meaning, 会/會 huì may be preceded by the intensifiers 很 hěn ‘very,’ 真 zhēn ‘really,’

or 最 zuì ‘the most.’

我妹妹很会跳舞。你请她跳吧。

我妹妹很會跳舞。你請她跳吧。

Wǒ mèimei hěn huì tiào wǔ. Nǐ qǐng tā tiào ba.

My little sister dances very well. Ask her to dance with you.

王教授最会教数学了。

王教授最會教數學了。

Wáng jiàoshòu zuì huì jiāo shùxué le.

Professor Wang is the best at teaching math.

王： 来，干杯！ 林： 我真不会喝酒。

來，乾杯！ 我真不會喝酒。

Wáng: Lái, gānbēi! Lín: Wǒ zhēn bù huì hē jiǔ.

Wang: Bottoms up! Lin: I really can’t drink.

C10.3, 12.2.1