Chinese Verb "会" (huì)

can (learned skill) / will

Auxiliary / Modal verb

Basic Usage

Ability

Subject + 会 + verb

我会游泳。

Wǒ huì yóuyǒng.

I can swim.

Future

Subject + 会 + verb

明天会下雨。

Míngtiān huì xià yǔ.

It will rain tomorrow.

Completed Action (了 (le))

Past with context

Time word + 就 + 会 + 了

他五岁就会骑自行车了。

Tā wǔ suì jiù huì qí zìxíngchē le.

He could ride a bike when he was five.

Experience (过 (guò))

Not applicable

会 as modal doesn't take 过

以前他不会说中文。

Yǐqián tā bù huì shuō Zhōngwén.

He couldn't speak Chinese before.

Ongoing Action (在/着)

Current ability

会 expresses ability, not ongoing action

现在我会说一点中文了。

Xiànzài wǒ huì shuō yìdiǎn Zhōngwén le.

Now I can speak a little Chinese.

Future / Intent (会/要/想)

Prediction

Subject + 会 + verb

一切都会好的。

Yíqiè dōu huì hǎo de.

Everything will be fine.

Negation (不/没)

Negative with 不

Subject + 不会 + verb

我不会做饭。

Wǒ bù huì zuòfàn.

I can't cook.

Common Compounds & Related Words

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning
开会	kāi huì	to have a meeting
机会	jīhuì	opportunity
社会	shèhuì	society
不会吧	bù huì ba	no way! / really?

Example Sentences

你会不会开车？

Nǐ huì bu huì kāichē?

Can you drive?

他不会来了。

Tā bù huì lái le.

He won't come.

会说中文的人越来越多。

Huì shuō Zhōngwén de rén yuè lái yuè duō.

More and more people can speak Chinese.