How to use 会
会 + Verb
会 can mark an ability acquired through learning or practice. It precedes the action describing the skill, such as speaking a language, cooking, or writing. In this use, “know how to” is often a clearer English guide than the broader word “can,” because the focus is on competence.
Put 不 before 会 to state that somebody lacks that skill. The verb following 会 does not change form, and an object can identify what the ability involves. Being unable to perform something because of a temporary obstacle is a different issue and often calls for 能. 会 also has predictive uses elsewhere, so identify the intended meaning from context.
Examples with pinyin and English
他会说中文。
He can speak Chinese.
我会写汉字。
I can write Chinese characters.
你会做饭吗？
Can you cook food？
狗会唱歌吗？
Can dogs sing？
What to remember
- Use 会 for learned competence.
- Put 不 before 会 for no skill.
- Temporary obstacles often call for 能.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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