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Level Foundations · HSK 1

想, 要, 会, 能, 喜欢 and 觉得: Wanting, Ability, Likes and Opinions

English has "want" and "can"; Chinese splits each in two. 想 and 要 both mean want, but differ in strength. 会 and 能 both mean can, but one is about skills you've learned and the other about whether you're able or allowed right now.

All of these go before the main verb, and all are negated with 不.

想 and 要: want

想 (xiǎng) + verb is "would like to": soft and polite. 要 (yào) is firmer and also takes a noun directly, which makes it the word for ordering. The negative of both is usually 不想, because 不要 means "don't!".

想 + a person (no verb) means "to miss": 我想你 is "I miss you".

  • 我想去中国。

    Wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó.

    I'd like to go to China.

  • 我要一杯咖啡。

    Wǒ yào yì bēi kāfēi.

    I'd like a coffee.

  • 我不想去。

    Wǒ bù xiǎng qù.

    I don't want to go.

会 and 能: can

会 (huì) is a skill you've learned: swimming, driving, a language. 能 (néng) is being able in the circumstances (time, health) or being allowed.

  • 我会游泳。

    Wǒ huì yóuyǒng.

    I can swim. (I know how.)

  • 我今天不能游泳。

    Wǒ jīntiān bù néng yóuyǒng.

    I can't swim today.

  • 你会说中文吗？

    Nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén ma?

    Can you speak Chinese?

  • 这儿能拍照吗？

    Zhèr néng pāizhào ma?

    Can I take photos here?

喜欢: like

喜欢 (xǐhuan) takes a noun or a verb phrase. Make it stronger with 很 or 最, or say 不太喜欢 for "don't really like".

  • 我喜欢茶。

    Wǒ xǐhuan chá.

    I like tea.

  • 我很喜欢看书。

    Wǒ hěn xǐhuan kàn shū.

    I really like reading.

  • 我最喜欢夏天。

    Wǒ zuì xǐhuan xiàtiān.

    I like summer best.

觉得: I think

觉得 (juéde) + a whole clause gives your opinion or feeling. The negative usually goes inside the clause: 我觉得不难 (I don't think it's hard).

  • 我觉得中文不太难。

    Wǒ juéde Zhōngwén bú tài nán.

    I don't think Chinese is that hard.

  • 你觉得怎么样？

    Nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng?

    What do you think?

Common mistakes

  • ✗我想咖啡。

    ✓我想喝咖啡。 / 我要咖啡。

    Wǒ xiǎng hē kāfēi. / Wǒ yào kāfēi.

    想 needs a verb after it. 想 + noun means "miss", so 我想咖啡 sounds like you're pining for coffee.

  • ✗我不要去。 (meaning "I don't want to go")

    ✓我不想去。

    Wǒ bù xiǎng qù.

    不要 + verb is a command: "don't go!". For "don't want to", use 不想.

  • ✗我觉得是很好。

    ✓我觉得很好。

    Wǒ juéde hěn hǎo.

    The clause after 觉得 follows the normal rules, so no 是 before an adjective.

Questions learners ask

Can 会 mean "will"?

Yes: 明天会下雨 means "it will (probably) rain tomorrow". That use of 会 for predictions is taught at A2.

Is 要 rude when ordering?

No. 我要… is the normal way to order in shops and restaurants. 我想要… is a touch softer, and 请给我… (please give me) is polite.

Practice this in lessons

The Foundations lessons teach this step by step, with exercises and review built in.

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