可以 is about permission — whether something is allowed. It’s what you reach for to ask “may I…?” or “could you…?”, and to say what is or isn’t permitted somewhere.
一 Asking For and Giving Permission
Subject + 可以 + Verb + (嗎吗)
可以 goes in front of the verb. Add 嗎吗 at the end to turn it into a request or a question.
我可以說说英文嗎吗？
May I speak English?
請問请问可以借借我手機手机嗎吗？
May I borrow your cell phone?
不可以拍照拍照
No photos allowed.
You’ll see this one on signs everywhere.
二 Where 能 and 可以 Overlap
Intermediate
For asking whether something is possible, 能 (néng) and 可以 are interchangeable — either one works, with no real change in meaning.
你今天能能 / 可以來来我家嗎吗？
Can you come to my place today? (Is it possible for you?)
你能能 / 可以把把鹽盐遞递給给我嗎吗？
Can you pass the salt to me?
你能能 / 可以說说慢一點一点嗎吗？
Can you say it a little slower?
They also both work for saying an ability has come back.
經過经过手術手术後后，我又能能 / 可以走路走路了！
After the surgery, I could walk again!
三 The Key Difference: Saying You Can’t
Here’s where they split apart. To say something isn’t possible, 不能不能 is the only correct choice. 不可以不可以 means something different: that you’re not allowed.
不能 — not possible
我今天很忙，不能不能去你家
I’m quite busy today, so I can’t come over. (It’s just not possible for me.)
不可以 — not allowed
我媽妈說说太晚了，今天不可以不可以去你家
My mom said it’s too late, so I can’t come over today. (Someone won’t let me.)
So if you’re busy and say 我不可以去你家我不可以去你家, it sounds like somebody has forbidden you from going — not that your schedule is full. For that, you want 不能不能.
四 Common Mistakes
❌ 我今天很忙，不可以不可以去你家
✅ 我今天很忙，不能不能去你家
Being busy is about what’s possible, not about permission — so it takes 不能不能.
❌ 我說说可以英文嗎吗？
✅ 我可以說说英文嗎吗？
可以 goes in front of the verb, not after it.
❌ 可以不可以拍照拍照？ (as a written sign)
✅ 不可以拍照拍照
A sign states a rule, so it just needs the plain negative form — no question pattern.
五 Practice
Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like — or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck.
Question 1 of 10
“May I sit here?”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我可以坐這裡这里嗎吗？
可以 sits between the subject and the verb, with 嗎吗 at the very end.
“May I borrow your pen?”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
可以借借我筆笔嗎吗？
Here 我 is the person receiving, so it follows 借借 — “lend me a pen.”
“No smoking.” (a sign — it’s not allowed)
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
不可以抽菸抽烟
不 goes in front of 可以 to make the “not allowed” form.
“I’m sick, so I can’t go to school.” (it’s not possible)
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我生病生病不能不能去學校学校
Being sick is about possibility, so 不能不能 is right — the 不可以不可以 tile would wrongly mean someone forbade you.
“The teacher said we can’t use our phones.” (not allowed)
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
老師老师說说不可以不可以用用手機手机
The teacher is the one forbidding it, so this is permission — 不可以不可以, not 不能不能.
“Can you help me?” (asking if it’s possible)
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
你能能幫帮我嗎吗？
For a possibility question like this, 可以 would work here just as well.
“Excuse me, may I ask a question?”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
請問请问可以問问問題问题嗎吗？
請問请问 opens the sentence politely, then 可以 comes before the verb.
“I can run again now.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我又可以跑步跑步了
又 (“again”) comes before 可以, and 了 at the end signals the change.
“Could you speak a little slower?”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
你可以說说慢一點一点嗎吗？
一點一点 (“a little”) goes after 慢, softening the request.
“I’m busy tonight, so I can’t come.” (it’s not possible)
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我今晚今晚很忙不能不能來来
Being busy is a matter of possibility, so this takes 不能不能.
