Auxiliary modals time-related expressions in Chinese

The Chinese language has a vast gamut of auxiliary modals and it isn’t at all rare to find characters that can be translated in the same way but possess shades of meaning and context and slightly different ways of use.

To fully master the Chinese language it is good to examine it in detail, even if at times, when speaking about a language, it’s best not to think about things too much and let the words flow freely from our mouth.

The possibilities

Auxiliary modals, placed to the left of the verb, modify the meaning. Auxiliary modals are characters that express: to be able to, to want, to have intentions to, to have to, to need.

会 (huì) “to be able to”

It expresses the possibility that something will take place; it also expresses a capacity or acquired ability (something that you know how to do or learned to do). To conclude, it can serve as an indicator of the future.

明天会下雨。
Míngtiān huì xià yǔ.
Tomorrow it could rain / tomorrow it will rain.

明天我会忙。
Míngtiān wǒ huì máng.
Tomorrow I could be busy / tomorrow I will be busy.

她会做饭。
Tā huì zuòfàn.
She knows how to cook.

他会说中文。
Tā huì shuō zhōngwén.
He knows how to speak Chinese.

全诗然会教书。
Quán Shīrán huì jiāoshū.
Quan Shiran knows how to teach.

你会说法语吗？不，我不会说。
Nǐ huì shuō fǎyǔ ma? Bù, wǒ bù huì shuō.
Do you speak French? No, I don’t speak it.

会 (huì) can be preceded by 很 (hěn) “many”, 真 (zhēn) “truly”, 最(zuì) “the most”, to express an ability or innate talent.

我妈妈很会做饭。
Wǒ māma hěn huì zuòfàn.
My mother knows how to cook very well.

全老师最会教中文。
Quán Lǎoshī zuì huì jiāo zhōngwén.
Professor Quan is the best Chinese teacher.

我真不会喝酒。
Wǒ zhēn bù huì hējiǔ.
I really don’t manage to drink.

能 (néng) “to be able to”

It expresses the physical ability to do something; indicates the possession of permission to do something; also expresses the impossibility of doing something.

我的嗓子疼，不能说话。
Wǒ de sǎngzi téng, bù néng shuōhuà.
My throat hurts, I can’t speak.

现在在修路，他不能过。
Xiànzài zài xiūlù, tā bù néng guò.
Now they’re fixing the road, he can’t pass.

这里能吸烟吗？不能。
Zhèlǐ néng xīyān ma? Bù néng.
Can you smoke here? No, you can’t

可以 (kěyǐ) “to be able to”

It expresses a physical ability or one based on knowledge; also expresses the permission to do something or the possibility/capability to do something.

他已经八十岁了，不可以骑自行车了。
Tā yǐjing bāshí suì le, bù kěyǐ qí zìxíngchē le.
By now he’s eighty years old, he can’t ride a bike.

妈妈说我可以跟朋友去看电影。
Māma shuō wǒ kěyǐ gēn péngyou qù kàn diànyǐng.
Mamma said that I could see the movie with friends.

全诗然可以教你中文。
Quán Shīrán kěyǐ jiāo nǐ zhōngwén.
Quan Shiran can teach you Chinese.

我可以去厕所吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ qù cèsuǒ ma?
Can I go to the bathroom?

我可以问你问题吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ wèn nǐ wèntí ma?
Can I ask you a few questions?

可能 (kěnéng) “perhaps”

Quite often it is considered as an adverb. Seen from this perspective, 可能 can be put in front of an auxiliary modal.

明天不会下雨，但是可能会很冷。
Míngtiān bù huì xiàyǔ, dànshì kěnéng huì hěn lěng.
Tomorrow it won’t rain, but perhaps it could be cold.

他可能不会来。
Tā kěnéng bù huì lái.
Perhaps he won’t come.

Need and to have to

要 (yào) “to have to”

It expresses a need; also expresses an inevitable condition.

我妈妈要去超市买东西。
Wǒ māma yào qù chāoshì mǎi dōngxi.
My mom has to go to the supermarket to buy some things.

做人要诚实，做事要负责，学习要认真。
Zuòrén yào chéngshí, zuòshì yào fùzé, xuéxí yào rènzhēn.
When you deal with other people, you have to be honest; when you handle assignments you have to be responsible; when you study, you have to be diligent.

过马路的时候，要记得先看两边有车。
Guò mǎlù de shí hou, yào jìde xiān kàn liǎng biān yǒu chē.
When you cross the street, you must first remember to look both ways for cars.

应该 (yīnggāi) and 应当 (yīngdāng) “to have to”

They express a necessity or indicate a conjecture.

我朋友牙疼，他不应该吃糖。
Wǒ péngyou yá téng, tā bù yīnggāi chī táng.
My friend has a toothache, he shouldn’t eat sweets.

你应该学习。
Nǐ yīnggāi xuéxí.
You should study.

她应该休息。
Tā yīnggāi xiūxi.
She should rest.

这本书应该是我老师的。
Zhè běn shū yīnggāi shì wǒ lǎoshī de.
This book should be my professor.

得 (děi) “to have to”

It expresses a need.

我得休息一会。
Wǒ děi xiūxi yī huì.
I have to rest for a bit.

今天我得准备考试。
Jīntiān wǒ děi zhǔnbèi kǎoshì.
Today I have to prepare for a test.

需要 (xūyào) “to have to”

It expresses the need to, also expresses a personal need.

你需要吃药吗？
Nǐ xūyào chī yào ma?
Do you have to take medicine?

必须 (bìxū) “to have to”

It expresses a need at any cost and the objective necessity to be.

你必须去找校长。
Nǐ bìxū qù zhǎo xiàozhǎng.
You absolutely must go to the Principal.

To want to and have intentions to

要 (yào) “to want to”

It expresses an intention; it is also used as an indicator of the future.

我要学打篮球，他要学踢足球，她要学排球。
Wǒ yào xué dǎlánqiú, tā yào xué tīzúqiú, tā yào xué páiqiú.
I want to learn how to play basketball, he wants to learn how to play soccer, she wants to learn to play volleyball.

明天要下雨。
Míngtiān yào xià yǔ.
Tomorrow it will rain.

他明天要去书店。
Tā míngtiān yào qù shūdiàn.
Tomorrow I’ll go to the library.

明年二月我要去重庆。
Míngnián èr yuè wǒ yào qù Chóngqìng.
Next February I’ll go to Chongqing.

老师要我们学习。
Lǎoshī yào wǒmen xuéxí.
The professor wants us to study.

想 (xiǎng) “to want to”

It expresses a desire, or having an intention to.

我想去中国饭店吃中国菜。
Wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó fàndiàn chī zhōngguó cài.
I intend to go to the Chinese restaurant and eat Chinese food.

我也想去中国学习。
Wǒ yě xiǎng qù Zhōngguó xuéxí.
I also want to go to China to study.

我想在朋友那里看日本漫画。
Wǒ xiǎng zài péngyou nàli kàn Rìběn mànhuà.
I want to read Japanese manga at my friends house.

愿意 (yuànyi) “to want to”

It expresses a desire, or having a desire to.

小孩子不愿意关上电视。
Xiǎo háizi bù yuànyi guānshang diànshì.
The kids don’t want to shut off the television.

他愿意跟我合作。
Tā yuànyi gēn wǒ hézuò.
He wants to collaborate with me.

Photo Credits: Chinese Modal Verbs: A Venn Diagram by John Pasden