Mandarin Chinese reference
能
néng
can; be able to
Verb pattern · 4 form tables
Mandarin verbs do not change for tense. These tables show aspect, negation, questions and sentence patterns. Short phrases omit the subject; full examples retain theirs.
Audio requires a compatible voice in your browser.
Aspect
Plain statement
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | néngcan do it |
Negative
Not
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | bù néngcannot do it |
Questions
Yes no question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | néng ma?can you do it? |
A not A question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | néng bu néng?can you do it? |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Mandarin Chinese entries.