可以
Can / May (Permission)
可以 (ho2 ji5) means 'can', 'may', or 'allowed to' in Cantonese. Put it directly before a verb to ask for or grant permission (e.g., 你可以走喇 nei5 ho2 ji5 zau2 laa3 - 'You may leave now').
How It Works
1. Structure and Placement
As a modal verb, 可以 (ho2 ji5) sits immediately before the main verb phrase:
Subject + 可以 + Verb Phrase
2. Core Meanings
• Permission: 你可以去 (nei5 ho2 ji5 heoi3) = 'You may go.'
• Situational Possibility: 呢度可以泊車 (nei1 dou6 ho2 ji5 bok3 ce1) = 'You can park here.'
• Acceptability: 都可以 (dou1 ho2 ji5) = 'That's fine / passable.'
3. Negation & Questions
• Negation: 唔可以 (m4 ho2 ji5) expresses prohibition ('not allowed to / must not').
• Question: Formed using the condensed A-not-A pattern 可唔可以 (ho2 m4 ho2 ji5, 'can or cannot?'). Usually only the first syllable 可 (ho2) is repeated; 可以唔可以 is also heard.
4. Key Distinctions
• Use 識 (sik1) for acquired physical or mental skills (e.g., 我識游水 (ngo5 sik1 jau4 seoi2) = 'I know how to swim').
• Use 得 (dak1) after the verb (e.g., 食得 'edible / allowed to eat'), whereas 可以 sits before the verb.
• Aspect markers like 咗 (zo2) cannot attach directly to 可以; place them on the main verb instead.
Examples (5)
- 你可以走喇。
You can leave now.
Word by Word: You can leave [particle]
可以 (ho2 ji5) goes before the verb 走 (zau2, leave) to give permission.
- 你可唔可以幫我？
Can you help me?
Word by Word: You can-not-can help me?
The question form uses the condensed A-not-A pattern 可唔可以 (ho2 m4 ho2 ji5).
- 呢度唔可以影相。
You are not allowed to take photos here.
Word by Word: Here not can take photo.
唔可以 (m4 ho2 ji5) expresses prohibition ('must not / not allowed to').
- 呢個煲仔飯都可以啦。
This claypot rice is acceptable / okay.
Word by Word: This [classifier] claypot rice also okay [particle].
When modified by 都 (dou1), 可以 means passable or acceptable.
- 聽日我哋可以去睇戲。
We can go watch a movie tomorrow.
Word by Word: Tomorrow we can go watch movie.
Indicates situational possibility / opportunity in a given context.
Common Mistakes
Thinking 可以唔可以 is wrong.
Different Meaning你可以唔可以幫我？你可唔可以幫我？可唔可以 (ho2 m4 ho2 ji5) is the short, common form, and 可以唔可以 is also used. Both are fine.
Using 可以 (ho2 ji5) when you mean a learned skill.
Different Meaning我可以用廣東話傾偈。我識用廣東話傾偈。Use 識 (sik1) when talking about an acquired skill or ability ('know how to'). Use 可以 (ho2 ji5) for permission or situational feasibility.
Attaching aspect markers directly to 可以.
我可以咗去。我可以去喇。可以 is a modal verb and cannot take aspect markers like 咗 (zo2). Aspect markers attach to the main verb instead.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use '可以' (can/may), you need to understand basic sentence structure and pronouns to identify the subject. Additionally, since '可以' is often used in conversational contexts to grant permission, understanding the softening particle '啦' helps in natural expression.
Related Patterns
- 識Know How to
識 (sik1) indicates acquired skills ('know how to'), whereas 可以 (ho2 ji5) indicates permission or situational possibility.
Level 1 - 會Will / Would
會 (wui5) expresses future likelihood or natural tendency ('will'), whereas 可以 expresses permission or present opportunity ('can/may').
Level 1 - 得（許可）OK / Can Do
得 (dak1) is a post-verbal particle for permission or feasibility (placed after the verb), whereas 可以 sits before the verb.
Level 1 - 唔得No Good / Not Allowed
唔得 (m4 dak1) expresses post-verbal prohibition or inability ('cannot / not okay'), serving as the post-verbal counterpart to pre-verbal 唔可以.
Level 1 - A唔ABA-not-A with Two-syllable Words
The A-not-A question structure explains why two-syllable modal verbs like 可以 shorten to 可唔可以.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice 可以 in Bubblegum
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