How to use 会
会 + Verb
会 can express that an event is expected to happen. In this predictive use it stands before the main predicate, and time expressions may identify when the event is expected. It works with intentional actions and with events such as weather changes, where nobody is learning or choosing a skill.
不会 gives the corresponding negative prediction or assurance. The same form can mean lacking a learned ability in another context, so consider what the sentence is about. A future time reference or a discussion of likely consequences often supports the predictive reading. Mandarin does not require 会 in every sentence about the future; clear time context can already establish that reference without a special tense ending.
Examples with pinyin and English
明天你会来吗？
Will you come tomorrow?
他会来看你吗？
Will he come to see you?
明天会下雨吗？
Will it rain tomorrow?
我出去一下，很快会回来。
I'm going out for a little while. I'll come back very soon.
What to remember
- Use 会 before the predicted event.
- Negate the prediction with 不会.
- Future reference does not always require 会.
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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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