Chinese for English speakers Office · Lesson 2

Be able

Chinese 会 for learned ability — 你会打网球吗? (Can you play tennis?) — 会 = know how to.

Conversation

  1. Yaya Yaya

    你会打网球吗？

    nǐ huì dǎ wǎng qíu ma?

    Can you play tennis?

    Tip: 会 <huì> = can, be able, have the skill to do something

  2. PX296 PX296

    我不会打球，

    wǒ bú huì dǎ qíu.

    I can't play,

  3. Yaya Yaya

    但是我会看球。

    dàn shì wǒ huì kàn qíu.

    but I can watch games.

    Tip: 但是 <dànshì> = but, yet, still 看球 <kànqiú> = watch ball sport games

  4. PX296 PX296

    哈哈哈，谁都会看球。

    hā hā hā, shéi dōu huì kàn qíu.

    Ha ha ha, anyone can watch games.

    Tip: 都 <dōu> = all (adverb). This is one of the devices Chinese language uses to make a noun plural. 谁都 <shéidōu> = everyone, anyone

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

会 vs 能 vs 可以?

会 = know how to (learned skill). 能 = able to (situation-specific). 可以 = may/allowed. Three different 'can' nuances.

What does 打 mean for sports?

'Hit / play (with hands)'. 打网球 (play tennis), 打篮球 (basketball), 打乒乓球 (ping pong). For foot sports: 踢 (kick).

Common Chinese sports?

网球 (tennis), 篮球 (basketball), 足球 (soccer), 乒乓球 (ping pong), 羽毛球 (badminton), 跑步 (running).

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Chinese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

Next lesson in Office Star and finish →