Level 2 · Elementary
Can: 能 and 可以
能 / 可以 + Verb
能 (néng) is "can" for circumstances and capacity: 我今天不能去 "I can't go today (something prevents me)". 可以 (kěyǐ) is "can" for permission: 这里可以坐吗？"May I sit here?" They overlap a lot in practice.
Remember the three-way split: 会 = learned skill, 能 = circumstances allow, 可以 = permission granted. "Can you help me?" (a request) is 你能帮我吗？
Examples
我今天不能去。
wǒ jīn tiān bù néng qù
I can't go today.
这里可以坐吗？
這裡可以坐嗎？
zhè lǐ kě yǐ zuò ma
Can I sit here?
你能帮我吗？
你能幫我嗎？
nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma
Can you help me?
我可以看看你的书吗？
我可以看看你的書嗎？
wǒ kě yǐ kàn kan nǐ de shū ma
May I take a look at your book?
Common mistakes
✗ 我会去你的家。
✓ 我能去你家。
会 is for learned skills — for "can" (circumstances/permission) use 能 or 可以.
Related grammar points
Practice this pattern in graded stories like I Think I Can (Part 4), The New Friend, Mifan Eats the Noodles inside the Literate Chinese app.
