能夠

Be Able to (Formal)

Level 4Sounds Like nang4 gau3

能夠 (nang4 gau3) is the formal way to say 'can' or 'be able to' in Cantonese. While you'll hear 識 (sik1) or 可以 (ho2 ji5) in daily life, 能夠 is reserved for news, speeches, and formal documents.

How It Works

1. Usage and Register
能夠 (nang4 gau3) is a formal modal verb. It is rarely used in casual conversation with friends. Instead, it appears in news broadcasts, formal speeches, and professional writing. In Cantonese, the two-syllable 能夠 (nang4 gau3) is the usual form in formal speech; unlike Mandarin, the single character 能 (nang4) is almost never used alone as a modal verb in speech.

2. Meaning Nuance
Unlike 識 (sik1), which implies a learned skill, or 可以 (ho2 ji5), which often implies permission, 能夠 (nang4 gau3) emphasizes that the conditions or the subject's power allow the action to happen.

3. Sentence Structure and Negation
The structure is: Subject + 能夠 + Verb + Object.
To negate it, use 唔 (m4) to form 唔能夠 (m4 nang4 gau3) (unable to).

4. Question Form (A-not-A)
In formal interviews or surveys, you can form a question using the A-not-A pattern: 能唔能夠 (nang4 m4 nang4 gau3). For example: 你能唔能夠準時出席？ (Nei5 nang4 m4 nang4 gau3 zeon2 si4 ceot1 zik6? - Are you able to attend on time?)

5. Comparison with Potential Complements
In spoken Cantonese, we usually use potential complements like 睇得見 (tai2 dak1 gin3 - can see). In formal contexts, this becomes 能夠看見 (nang4 gau3 hon3 gin3). Note that when using 能夠, the verb often shifts toward more formal vocabulary (e.g., using 看 hon3 instead of 睇 tai2).

Examples (3)

  1. 希望閣下能夠出席本次會議。

    I hope that you will be able to attend this meeting.

    Word by Word: Hope / you (formal) / able to / attend / this / time / meeting

    This uses the formal pronoun 閣下 (gok3 haa6) and 能夠 (nang4 gau3) to maintain a professional tone suitable for a business invitation.

  2. 唯有透過合作，我哋才能夠解決呢個問題。

    Only through cooperation can we solve this problem.

    Word by Word: Only / through / cooperation / we / then / able to / solve / this / classifier / problem

    才 (coi4) is often used before 能夠 to emphasize that the ability is only possible under certain conditions.

  3. 佢因為身體不適，唔能夠參加比賽。

    Due to physical discomfort, he is unable to participate in the competition.

    Word by Word: He / because / body / not / comfortable / not / able to / participate / competition

    唔能夠 (m4 nang4 gau3) is the formal negation. In casual speech, one might say '參加唔到' instead.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'Double Potential' (Redundancy).

    我能夠聽得明。
    我能夠聽明。 / 我聽得明。

    Learners often combine 能夠 with the potential marker 得 (dak1). You should use one or the other. 能夠聽明 is formal; 聽得明 is natural spoken Cantonese.

  • Using it in casual conversation.

    Different Meaning你能夠唔能夠幫我買支水呀？
    你可唔可以幫我買支水呀？

    Using 能夠 while asking a friend for a favor sounds unnaturally stiff. Use 可以 (ho2 ji5) for daily requests.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

能夠Level 4Be Able to (Formal)

Learn This First

能夠 is a formal modal verb meaning 'to be able to'. To understand it, learners should already be familiar with the basic concept of 'can' (可以) and the general differences between spoken Cantonese and the more formal written register.

Words in This Pattern

能够