| SECTION: CAN (to be able) |
| English: | Can | |
| Pinyin: | k臎-y菒 |
| English: | Is it okay? | |
| Pinyin: | k臎-y菒 ma | |
| Literally: | can? |
| English: | I can go | |
| Pinyin: | w菕 k臎-y菒 q霉 | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| English: | Can you go? | |
| Pinyin: | n菒 k臎-y菒 q霉 ma | |
| Literally: | you can go +? |
| English: | Can you come? | |
| Pinyin: | n菒 k臎-y菒 l谩i ma | |
| Literally: | you can come +? |
| English: | May I sit down? | |
| Pinyin: | w菕 k臎-y菒 zu貌 ma | |
| Literally: | I can sit +? |
| English: | I cannot eat this | |
| Pinyin: | w菕 b霉 k臎-y菒 ch墨 zh猫-ge | |
| Literally: | I not can eat this |
| There is more than one way of saying can in Mandarin. In general you'll find kuh-ee to involve permission issues. The following verb, nung, implies ability because of skills/knowledge. However, this is a very loose rule and these two verbs are often used interchangeably. |
| English: | Can (alternate) | |
| Pinyin: | n茅ng |
| English: | Can you speak English? | |
| Pinyin: | n菒 n茅ng shu艒 y墨ng-w茅n ma | |
| Literally: | you able to speak English? |
| English: | I cannot come | |
| Pinyin: | w菕 b霉 n茅ng l谩i | |
| Literally: | I not able come |
| SECTION: WHEN |
| English: | What | |
| Pinyin: | sh茅n-me |
| English: | When | |
| Pinyin: | sh茅n-me sh铆-h貌u | |
| Literally: | what times |
| English: | When are we going? | |
| Pinyin: | w菕-men sh茅n-me sh铆-h貌u q霉 | |
| Literally: | we when go? |
| English: | When are you going? | |
| Pinyin: | n菒 sh茅n-me sh铆-h貌u q霉 | |
| Literally: | you when go? |
| English: | When is he coming? | |
| Pinyin: | t膩 sh茅n-me sh铆-h貌u l谩i | |
| Literally: | he when come? |
| English: | When can you come? | |
| Pinyin: | n菒 sh茅n-me sh铆-h貌u k臎-y菒 l谩i | |
| Literally: | you when can come? |
| English: | When are we eating? | |
| Pinyin: | w菕-men sh茅n-me sh铆-h貌u ch墨 | |
| Literally: | we when eat? |
| English: | When do you want to eat? | |
| Pinyin: | n菒 xi菐ng sh茅n-me sh铆-h貌u ch墨 | |
| Literally: | you would like when to eat? |
