Can Skills 会 huì

Two Functions of huì

Posted on by tiffany

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, the character 会 huì can have two main functions: indicating capability or skill (can) and indicating future actions (will).

Skill (can)

会 huì emphasizes a skill that you have learned or been trained to do. It refers to the ability to do something that has been acquired through training or education, and is often used to describe skills, such as speaking a language or playing a musical instrument. It is more like “knowing how to do something.“

我wǒ会huì开车kāichē
I can drive
(I know how to drive.)

我wǒ不会búhuì说shuō中文Zhōngwén
I can’t (don’t) speak Chinese.
(Because I didn’t learn it.)

不会búhuì打dǎ篮球lánqiú
I don’t know how to play basketball.

那nà孩子háizi还hái不会búhuì走路zǒulù
That child still can’t walk.
(Because he is too young to learn how to walk.)

你nǐ会不会huìbúhuì写xiě你的nǐde中文zhōngwén名字míngzi？
Can you write your Chinese name?

他tā只zhǐ会huì抱怨bàoyuàn， 不会búhuì做事zuòshì
He only knows how to complain and doesn’t know how to get things done.

Future actions (will)

This is not a matter of your willingness or decision, it is simply a statement about a future fact.

我wǒ明年míngnián会huì去qù上海shànghǎi工作gōngzuò
I will be working in Shanghai next year.
(It is more of a strictly factual expression. Not about my decision.)

他tā下xià星期三xīngqīsān不会búhuì来lái公司gōngsī
He will not come to the office next Wednesday.
(It is not like he is available, but he doesn’t want to come.)

你nǐ买mǎi的de东西dōngxi下xià个ge月yuè会huì到dào
Your purchase will arrive next month.
(It’s not like you can decide the date you want it to arrive. It’s also not about your willingness. Just a simple fact.)

明天míngtiān会huì下雨xiàyǔ
It’s going to rain tomorrow.
(Again, you cannot decide whether tomorrow is raining or not. It’s also not about your willingness. Just a simple fact.)

你nǐ明天míngtiān会huì去qù他的tāde生日shēngrì派对pàiduì吗ma？
Are you going to his birthday party tomorrow?
(It is a more neutral question, simply asking whether you will attend the party or not.)

Do you like it? 🙂