動詞A1
Ability: 可以/得
Permission and ability
Learning Goal
I can express ability and permission.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
我可以坐呢度嗎？
May I sit here?
我睇唔到，太遠喇。
I can't see, it's too far.
你食唔食得辣？
Can you eat spicy food?
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
可以 ho2 ji5 — Permission/Possibility
你可以坐呢度。(You can sit here.) — permission
V + 得 / V + 唔到 — Ability
我食得辣。(I can eat spicy food.) — ability
我做唔到。(I can't do it.) — inability
Negation
| Type | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Permission | 可以 | 唔可以 |
| Ability | V + 得 | V + 唔到 |
Using 可以 for physical ability.
我可以坐呢度嗎？
May I sit here?
可以 for permission. Polite request pattern.
我睇唔到，太遠喇。
I can't see, it's too far.
睇唔到 = can't see (inability). V + 唔到 pattern.
你食唔食得辣？
Can you eat spicy food?
食得辣 / 食唔得辣 — A-not-A for ability. 得 = can, 唔得 = can't.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises