Traditional Chinese - Abilities

Lesson 70 of 152

A bright Taiwan Mandarin lesson scene with Traditional Chinese phrases about abilities on cards, including skills like swimming, cooking, and speaking languages.

Goal: Talk about what you can do, what’s tricky, and when you need a hand.

Free traditional Chinese lessons with Taiwan Mandarin audio and speaking practice.

Welcome to lesson 70! Today we’re talking about skills—the things you can do, sort of do, or would rather not do without help.

Keep it light: listen, repeat, and try saying each phrase like you’re chatting with a friend in Taiwan.

Level A2: In this lesson, you’ll practice saying 我會___ (Wǒ huì ___.), 我不會___ (Wǒ bú huì ___.), 我很擅長___ (Wǒ hěn shàncháng ___.), and ways to say something is easy or hard for you. You’ll also ask 你會___嗎？(Nǐ huì ___ ma?) and 你可以自己___嗎？(Nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ ___ ma?) so you can talk about abilities naturally. By the end, you’ll be ready to Yak about your talents—no superhero cape required.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Say what you can do with 我會___ (Wǒ huì ___.).
  • Say what you cannot do with 我不會___ (Wǒ bú huì ___.).
  • Describe strengths and weak spots with 我很擅長___ (Wǒ hěn shàncháng ___.) and 我不太擅長___ (Wǒ bú tài shàncháng ___.).
  • Ask if someone can do something using 你會___嗎？(Nǐ huì ___ ma?) and 你可以自己___嗎？(Nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ ___ ma?).
  • At A2, talk about simple personal abilities and whether you need help.
Two learners in Taiwan look at Traditional Chinese ability phrases on a phone while practicing how to say what they can and cannot do in Taiwan Mandarin.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

我會___

Wǒ huì ___.

I can ___.

Meaning: 我會___ (Wǒ huì ___.) means “I can ___.”

When to use: Use it for learned abilities or skills, like swimming, cooking, or speaking a language.

Tip: Use 會 (huì) for learned skills. It is not the same as 可以 (kěyǐ), which often means “may/can” because something is allowed or possible.

我會游泳

Wǒ huì yóuyǒng.

I can swim.
我會說一點中文。

Wǒ huì shuō yìdiǎn Zhōngwén.

I can speak a little Chinese.

我不會___

Wǒ bú huì ___.

I can't ___.

Meaning: 我不會___ (Wǒ bú huì ___.) means “I can’t ___.”

When to use: Use it when you do not have a learned skill yet.

Tip: Say 不會 (bú huì), not 不會 (bù huì) in pronunciation here, because 不 (bù) changes to bú before a fourth tone.

我不會開車

Wǒ bú huì kāichē.

I can’t drive.
我不會跳舞

Wǒ bú huì tiàowǔ.

I can’t dance.

我會___，但只會一點。

Wǒ huì ___, dàn zhǐ huì yìdiǎn.

I can ___ a little.

Meaning: 我會___，但只會一點。 (Wǒ huì ___, dàn zhǐ huì yìdiǎn.) means “I can ___ a little.”

When to use: Use it when you have limited ability and want to sound humble or realistic.

我會做菜，但只會一點。

Wǒ huì zuò cài, dàn zhǐ huì yìdiǎn.

I can cook, but only a little.
我會唱歌，但只會一點。

Wǒ huì chànggē, dàn zhǐ huì yìdiǎn.

I can sing, but only a little.

我會___

Wǒ huì ___.

I know how to ___.

Meaning: 我會___ (Wǒ huì ___.) can also mean “I know how to ___.”

When to use: Use it for a learned skill or know-how, especially when the English idea is “know how to.”

我會用筷子

Wǒ huì yòng kuàizi.

I know how to use chopsticks.
我會騎腳踏車

Wǒ huì qí jiǎotàchē.

I know how to ride a bike.

我不會___

Wǒ bú huì ___.

I don't know how to ___.

Meaning: 我不會___ (Wǒ bú huì ___.) can also mean “I don’t know how to ___.”

When to use: Use it when you lack the know-how for a skill or task.

我不會用這個App。

Wǒ bú huì yòng zhège App.

I don’t know how to use this app.
我不會修電腦

Wǒ bú huì xiū diànnǎo.

I don’t know how to fix computers.

我很擅長___。

Wǒ hěn shàncháng ___.

I'm good at ___.

Meaning: 我很擅長___ (Wǒ hěn shàncháng ___.) means “I’m good at ___.”

When to use: Use it to talk about a strength or something you do well.

Tip: After 擅長 (shàncháng), use an activity or skill, such as 做菜 (zuò cài) or 打籃球 (dǎ lánqiú).

我很擅長做甜點。

Wǒ hěn shàncháng zuò tiándiǎn.

I’m good at making desserts.
我很擅長記名字。

Wǒ hěn shàncháng jì míngzì.

I’m good at remembering names.

我不太擅長___。

Wǒ bú tài shàncháng ___.

I'm not good at ___.

Meaning: 我不太擅長___ (Wǒ bú tài shàncháng ___.) means “I’m not good at ___.”

When to use: Use it to soften a weak ability. It sounds more natural and polite than saying you are bad at something.

我不太擅長唱歌。

Wǒ bú tài shàncháng chànggē.

I’m not good at singing.
我不太擅長聊天。

Wǒ bú tài shàncháng liáotiān.

I’m not good at chatting.

___對我來說很簡單。

___ duì wǒ lái shuō hěn jiǎndān.

It's easy for me to ___.

Meaning: ___對我來說很簡單。(___ duì wǒ lái shuō hěn jiǎndān.) means “It’s easy for me to ___.”

When to use: Put the action or task before 對我來說 (duì wǒ lái shuō), then say 很簡單 (hěn jiǎndān).

煮咖啡對我來說很簡單。

Zhǔ kāfēi duì wǒ lái shuō hěn jiǎndān.

Making coffee is easy for me.
看地圖對我來說很簡單。

Kàn dìtú duì wǒ lái shuō hěn jiǎndān.

Reading maps is easy for me.

___對我來說很難。

___ duì wǒ lái shuō hěn nán.

It's hard for me to ___.

Meaning: ___對我來說很難。(___ duì wǒ lái shuō hěn nán.) means “It’s hard for me to ___.”

When to use: Use it when a task feels difficult for you personally.

早起對我來說很難。

Zǎoqǐ duì wǒ lái shuō hěn nán.

Getting up early is hard for me.
寫中文對我來說很難。

Xiě Zhōngwén duì wǒ lái shuō hěn nán.

Writing Chinese is hard for me.

你會___嗎

Nǐ huì ___ ma?

Do you know how to ___?

Meaning: 你會___嗎？(Nǐ huì ___ ma?) means “Do you know how to ___?”

When to use: Use it to ask whether someone has a skill or ability.

你會游泳嗎

Nǐ huì yóuyǒng ma?

Do you know how to swim?
你會說台語嗎

Nǐ huì shuō Táiyǔ ma?

Do you know how to speak Taiwanese?

你可以自己___嗎？

Nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ ___ ma?

Can you ___ by yourself?

Meaning: 你可以自己___嗎？(Nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ ___ ma?) means “Can you ___ by yourself?”

When to use: Use it to ask whether someone can do something independently, without help.

你可以自己回家嗎？

Nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ huí jiā ma?

Can you go home by yourself?
你可以自己搬嗎？

Nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ bān ma?

Can you move it by yourself?

我可以自己來

Wǒ kěyǐ zìjǐ lái.

I can do it by myself.

Meaning: 我可以自己來。 (Wǒ kěyǐ zìjǐ lái.) means “I can do it by myself.”

When to use: Use it when you want to say you can handle something without help.

不用擔心，我可以自己來。

Bú yòng dānxīn, wǒ kěyǐ zìjǐ lái.

Don’t worry, I can do it by myself.
謝謝你，可是我可以自己來。

Xièxie nǐ, kěshì wǒ kěyǐ zìjǐ lái.

Thank you, but I can do it by myself.

沒有人幫忙的話，我做不來。

Méiyǒu rén bāngmáng de huà, wǒ zuò bù lái.

I can't do it without help.

Meaning: 沒有人幫忙的話，我做不來。 (Méiyǒu rén bāngmáng de huà, wǒ zuò bù lái.) means “I can’t do it without help.”

When to use: Use it when a task is too much for you alone and you need assistance.

這個櫃子太重了，沒有人幫忙的話，我做不來。

Zhège guìzi tài zhòng le, méiyǒu rén bāngmáng de huà, wǒ zuò bù lái.

This cabinet is too heavy. I can’t do it without help.
這個表格很複雜，沒有人幫忙的話，我做不來。

Zhège biǎogé hěn fùzá, méiyǒu rén bāngmáng de huà, wǒ zuò bù lái.

This form is complicated. I can’t do it without help.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna and David are getting ready for a weekend activity with friends.

Anna and David chat in a cozy Taiwanese café, using Traditional Chinese phrases to ask about abilities, strengths, and doing things without help.

Who says they can handle something by themselves?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

David，你會游泳嗎？

David, nǐ huì yóuyǒng ma?

David, do you know how to swim?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

我會游泳，但只會一點。

Wǒ huì yóuyǒng, dàn zhǐ huì yìdiǎn.

I can swim, but only a little.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

沒關係，我很擅長游泳。

Méi guānxi, wǒ hěn shàncháng yóuyǒng.

That’s okay. I’m good at swimming.

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

太好了。可是早起對我來說很難。

Tài hǎo le. Kěshì zǎoqǐ duì wǒ lái shuō hěn nán.

Great. But getting up early is hard for me.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

你可以自己準備早餐嗎？

Nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ zhǔnbèi zǎocān ma?

Can you prepare breakfast by yourself?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

可以，我可以自己來。

Kěyǐ, wǒ kěyǐ zìjǐ lái.

Yes, I can do it by myself.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase means “I’m not good at singing”?

You want to ask, “Do you know how to drive?” Which one fits?

Which phrase means “I can do it by myself”?

Which phrase says “Writing Chinese is hard for me”?

I can swim.

我每個週末都去泳池，所以我___游泳。

I’m not good at cooking.

我做的菜常常不好吃，所以我___擅長做菜。

I can’t do it without help.

這件事有點難，沒有人幫忙的話，我___。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

我會___

Wǒ huì ___.

I know how to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我不會___

Wǒ bú huì ___.

I don't know how to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我會___，但只會一點。

Wǒ huì ___, dàn zhǐ huì yìdiǎn.

I can ___ a little.

Say this phrase out loud:

我會___

Wǒ huì ___.

I know how to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我不會___

Wǒ bú huì ___.

I don't know how to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我很擅長___。

Wǒ hěn shàncháng ___.

I'm good at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我不太擅長___。

Wǒ bú tài shàncháng ___.

I'm not good at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___對我來說很簡單。

___ duì wǒ lái shuō hěn jiǎndān.

It's easy for me to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___對我來說很難。

___ duì wǒ lái shuō hěn nán.

It's hard for me to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

你會___嗎

Nǐ huì ___ ma?

Do you know how to ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

你可以自己___嗎？

Nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ ___ ma?

Can you ___ by yourself?

Say this phrase out loud:

我可以自己來

Wǒ kěyǐ zìjǐ lái.

I can do it by myself.

Say this phrase out loud:

沒有人幫忙的話，我做不來。

Méiyǒu rén bāngmáng de huà, wǒ zuò bù lái.

I can’t do it without help.