Level 2 Lesson 14.1 – Can You Teach Me Really Quick, Okay?

 GRAMMAR

Grammar 1: Modal Verb 可以 · HSK 2

Just like the Modal Verb 能, Modal Verb 可以 can suggest two meanings:

(1) the possibility to do something

For example,

• nín kě bu kěyǐ xiàng wǒ jièshào yíxià
  您可不可以向我介绍一下？
  Can you introduce to me really quick or not?
• nǐ kěyǐ chūlai ma
  你可以出来吗？
  Can you come out?

(2) the rationality to do something, like whether it is permitted, allowed, accepted or reasonable to do something

• shí liù suì zài Zhōngguó kěyǐ kāichē ma
  十六岁在中国可以开车吗？
  Can (a) 16-yar-old drive in China?
• wǒ kěyǐ hējiǔ ma
  我可以喝酒吗？
  Can I drink alcohol?

To answer questions with 可以, for short answers, we can say 可以 for yes, and 不行 for no.

For example,

• Q: qǐngwèn, wǒ kěyǐ jìnlai ma
        请问，我可以进来吗？
        Excuse me, can I come in?
  Y: kěyǐ
        可以。
        Yes.
  N: bùxíng
        不行。
        No.

Grammar 2: Modal Verb 可以 vs. 能· HSK 2

I. Interchangeable

When asking questions, no matter it is asking “possibility” or “rationality”, 可以 and 能 are interchangeable.

For example the two sentences in each group have the same meaning.

(1) asking the possibility to do something

• nín néng huídá yíxià ma
  您能回答一下吗？
  Can you answer really quick?
• nín kěyǐ huídá yíxià ma
  您可以回答一下吗？
  Can you answer really quick?

(2) asking the rationality to do something, like whether it is permitted, allowed, accepted or reasonable to do something

• wǒ míngtiān néng bú shàngkè ma
  我明天能不上课吗？
  Can I (be allowed to) not go to class tomorrow?
• wǒ míngtiān kěyǐ bú shàngkè ma
  我明天可以不上课吗？
  Can I (be allowed to) not go to class tomorrow?

II. Differences

The differences between Modal Verb 可以 vs. 能 are there mainly when answering questions with a full sentences.

There are situations where we cannot use 可以 or 能. The differences are as follows (* marks usages that are incorrect):

To sum up, just remember that 不可以 only means "cannot be allowed to" or "prohibited"; and 能 only means "can possibly".

Grammar 3: Yes or No Question with 可以吗？· HSK 2

We have learned ways to ask and answer Yes or No questions in Chinese before [See (I) and (II)]. In today's lesson we'll learn another way to ask a yes or no question with 可以吗？

Usually we make a request or suggestion, and then say “X吗？”. The X here can be an adjective or a Modal Verb.

Request/Suggestion + X 吗？

For example,

• nǐ jiāojiao wǒ, hǎo ma
  你教教我，好吗？
  You teach me really quick, okay?
• wǒ xiǎng zǒulù qù gōnggòng qīchē zhàn
  我想走路去公共汽车站，可以吗？
  I want to walk to the bus stop, okay?
• zhè bēi jiǔ shì nǐ de, duì ma
  这杯酒是你的，对吗？
  This cup of alcohol is yours, correct?

Grammar 4: Right and Wrong in Chinese · HSK 2

In Chinese 对 is correct, right, and 错 is incorrect or wrong.

The phrase 不对 is incorrect, however, the phrase 不错 is not bad, or not wrong. The phrase 没错 is not wrong, or correct.