What are Chinese auxiliary verbs?
Chinese auxiliary verbs are words that come before a main verb to show desire, willingness, obligation, ability, permission, or possibility.
They are also called modal verbs or 能願動詞 néngyuàn dòngcí.
For beginners, remember this basic pattern first:
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + Auxiliary verb + Main verb | Subject wants to / can / should / must do something. |
For example:
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我想去台灣。 ♬ | wǒ xiǎng qù Táiwān | I want to go to Taiwan. |
| 我可以去台灣。 ♬ | wǒ kěyǐ qù Táiwān | I can go to Taiwan. / I may go to Taiwan. |
| 我應該去台灣。 ♬ | wǒ yīnggāi qù Táiwān | I should go to Taiwan. |
1. Three main meanings
This lesson groups Chinese auxiliary verbs into three beginner-friendly types.
| Type | Meaning | Common words |
|---|---|---|
| Willingness / desire | want, hope, be willing to | 想、想要、要、肯、願意、希望 |
| Obligation / necessity | should, have to, need to, must | 應該、得、需要、必須、須 |
| Ability / permission / possibility | can, may, be able to | 能、可以、會 |
The same English word “can” or “want” may have several Chinese translations. The correct word depends on the meaning and situation.
2. 想 xiǎng: want to / would like to
「想」is used before a verb to mean “want to” or “would like to.” It often sounds like a thought, wish, or plan that is still flexible.
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 想 + Verb phrase | Subject wants to do something. |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我想放棄。 ♬ | wǒ xiǎng fàngqì | I want to give up. |
| 我想學中文。 ♬ | wǒ xiǎng xué Zhōngwén | I want to learn Chinese. |
| 你想去哪裡？ ♬ | nǐ xiǎng qù nǎlǐ | Where do you want to go? |
Be careful:「想」can also mean “to miss someone” when it is followed by a person.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我想你。 ♬ | wǒ xiǎng nǐ | I miss you. |
3. 想要 xiǎngyào: want / want to
「想要」can be followed by a noun or a verb phrase. It clearly means “want.”
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 想要 + Noun | Subject wants something. |
| Subject + 想要 + Verb phrase | Subject wants to do something. |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我想要一個桃子。 ♬ | wǒ xiǎngyào yí ge táozi | I want a peach. |
| 我想要去美國旅行。 ♬ | wǒ xiǎngyào qù Měiguó lǚxíng | I want to travel to the United States. |
「想要」is a little more direct than「想」, but still softer than「要」in many situations.
4. 要 yào: want / be going to / need to
「要」has several meanings. It can mean “want,” “be going to,” or “need to / have to,” depending on context.
| Pattern | Possible meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 要 + Noun | want something |
| Subject + 要 + Verb phrase | want to / be going to / need to do something |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他要一個蘋果。 ♬ | tā yào yí ge píngguǒ | He wants an apple. |
| 我要去台灣。 ♬ | wǒ yào qù Táiwān | I want to go to Taiwan. / I am going to Taiwan. |
| 你要聽我的話。 ♬ | nǐ yào tīng wǒ de huà | You have to listen to me. |
Compared with「想」,「要」can sound more decided, direct, or necessary.
5. 想 vs 要 vs 想要
| Word | Feeling | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 想 ♬ | want to; softer; still thinking | 我想去台灣。 ♬ |
| 想要 ♬ | want; can take a noun or verb phrase | 我想要一個桃子。 ♬ |
| 要 ♬ | want / going to / need to; more direct | 我要去台灣。 ♬ |
For beginners, use「想 + verb」for “want to do,” and「想要 / 要 + noun」for “want something.”
6. 敢 gǎn: dare to
「敢」means “dare to.” It shows courage or willingness to do something risky, difficult, or challenging.
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 敢 + Verb phrase | Subject dares to do something. |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他敢挑戰權威。 ♬ | tā gǎn tiǎozhàn quánwēi | He dares to challenge authority. |
| 我不敢說。 ♬ | wǒ bù gǎn shuō | I do not dare to say it. |
7. 肯 kěn: be willing to
「肯」means “be willing to.” It often suggests that someone agrees to do something even though it may take effort, patience, or sacrifice.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他肯努力學習。 ♬ | tā kěn nǔlì xuéxí | He is willing to study hard. |
| 他不肯道歉。 ♬ | tā bù kěn dàoqiàn | He is unwilling to apologize. |
「不肯」is very common. It means “refuse to” or “be unwilling to.”
8. 願意 yuànyì: be willing to
「願意」also means “be willing to.” It sounds more direct and neutral than「肯」.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我願意幫你。 ♬ | wǒ yuànyì bāng nǐ | I am willing to help you. |
| 我願意與你度過一生。 ♬ | wǒ yuànyì yǔ nǐ dùguò yìshēng | I am willing to spend my whole life with you. |
「願意」is often used for personal willingness or agreement.
9. 希望 xīwàng: hope to / hope that
「希望」means “hope.” It can be followed by a verb phrase or a clause.
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 希望 + Verb phrase | Subject hopes to do something. |
| Subject + 希望 + Clause | Subject hopes that... |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我希望成為一個科學家。 ♬ | wǒ xīwàng chéngwéi yí ge kēxuéjiā | I hope to become a scientist. |
| 我希望你可以來。 ♬ | wǒ xīwàng nǐ kěyǐ lái | I hope you can come. |
10. 應該 yīnggāi: should
「應該」means “should.” It is useful for suggestions, expectations, or reasonable judgments.
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 應該 + Verb phrase | Subject should do something. |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你應該練習中文。 ♬ | nǐ yīnggāi liànxí Zhōngwén | You should practice Chinese. |
| 我們應該早點出門。 ♬ | wǒmen yīnggāi zǎo diǎn chūmén | We should leave earlier. |
For beginners,「應該」is the safest and most useful word for “should.”
11. 應當 yīngdāng / 應 yīng: formal “should”
「應當」and「應」also mean “should,” but they sound more formal. They are common in writing, rules, speeches, announcements, or serious advice.
| Word | Feeling | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 應該 ♬ | common and useful | 你應該練習中文。 ♬ |
| 應當 ♬ | formal; serious | 你應當早點起床。 ♬ |
| 應 ♬ | written; formal | 你應遵守規則。 ♬ |
In daily conversation, use「應該」first.
12. 得 děi: have to
「得」is pronounced「děi」when it means “have to” or “must.” It is common in spoken Chinese.
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 得 + Verb phrase | Subject has to do something. |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你得去醫院。 ♬ | nǐ děi qù yīyuàn | You have to go to the hospital. |
| 我得走了。 ♬ | wǒ děi zǒu le | I have to go now. |
Do not confuse「得 děi」with「得 de」in complements, such as「說得很好」.
13. 需要 xūyào: need / need to
「需要」means “need.” It can be followed by a noun or a verb phrase.
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 需要 + Noun | Subject needs something. |
| Subject + 需要 + Verb phrase | Subject needs to do something. |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 人類需要水。 ♬ | rénlèi xūyào shuǐ | Humans need water. |
| 你需要休息。 ♬ | nǐ xūyào xiūxí | You need to rest. |
14. 必須 bìxū: must / have to
「必須」means “must” or “have to.” It is stronger than「應該」and is often used for rules, requirements, or important obligations.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你必須上學。 ♬ | nǐ bìxū shàngxué | You must go to school. |
| 你必須戴安全帽。 ♬ | nǐ bìxū dài ānquánmào | You must wear a helmet. |
「須」is a formal written word meaning “must.” In beginner daily speech, use「必須」or「得」instead.
15. 能 néng: can / be able to
「能」means “can” or “be able to.” It often focuses on ability, conditions, or possibility.
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject + 能 + Verb phrase | Subject can do something. |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我能自己完成作業。 ♬ | wǒ néng zìjǐ wánchéng zuòyè | I can finish the homework by myself. |
| 你今天能來嗎？ ♬ | nǐ jīntiān néng lái ma | Can you come today? |
「能」often depends on whether the situation allows it or whether the person has the ability.
16. 可以 kěyǐ: can / may / be allowed to
「可以」means “can” or “may.” It often focuses on permission or whether something is allowed.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我可以進去嗎？ ♬ | wǒ kěyǐ jìnqù ma | May I go in? |
| 這裡可以拍照。 ♬ | zhèlǐ kěyǐ pāizhào | You can take photos here. / Taking photos is allowed here. |
When asking for permission,「可以」is usually more natural than「能」.
17. 會 huì: can / know how to / will
「會」has two important beginner meanings:
- can / know how to: learned ability
- will: future possibility or prediction
| Meaning | Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| learned ability | 我會說中文。 ♬ | wǒ huì shuō Zhōngwén | I can speak Chinese. |
| future / prediction | 我會去歐洲。 ♬ | wǒ huì qù Ōuzhōu | I will go to Europe. |
「我會說中文了」means “I can speak Chinese now.” The「了」shows a change of situation.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我會說中文了。 ♬ | wǒ huì shuō Zhōngwén le | I can speak Chinese now. |
18. 能 vs 可以 vs 會
| Word | Main meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 能 ♬ | ability / condition allows | 我能自己完成作業。 ♬ |
| 可以 ♬ | permission / allowed | 這裡可以拍照。 ♬ |
| 會 ♬ | learned skill / will | 我會說中文。 ♬ |
19. How to make auxiliary verbs negative
Most auxiliary verbs are negated with「不」before the auxiliary verb.
| Positive | Negative | English |
|---|---|---|
| 想去 ♬ | 不想去 ♬ | want to go / do not want to go |
| 可以去 ♬ | 不可以去 ♬ | can go / cannot go |
| 應該去 ♬ | 不應該去 ♬ | should go / should not go |
For ability with「會」, you can also add degree words before「會」.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我不太會游泳。 ♬ | wǒ bú tài huì yóuyǒng | I am not very good at swimming. / I cannot swim very well. |
In Chinese,「不太」modifies「會」directly: 不太會 = not very good at / not very able to.
20. Common grammar notes
Auxiliary verbs have some important grammar limits.
| Rule | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Most auxiliary verbs are followed by verbs, not nouns. | 我想去。 ♬ | 「想要」and「要」can be followed by nouns. |
| Auxiliary verbs usually do not repeat. | 我會說。 ♬ | Do not say「我會會」. |
| Auxiliary verbs usually do not take「了、著、過」directly. | 我會說中文了。 ♬ | Here「了」marks the whole situation, not just「會」. |
Some words can be auxiliary verbs in one sentence and normal verbs in another sentence. For example,「要了三個蘋果」means “asked for / ordered three apples,” not “wanted-ed three apples.”
Quick review
| Word | Main meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 想 | want to; would like to | 我想學中文。 ♬ |
| 想要 | want | 我想要一個桃子。 ♬ |
| 要 | want / be going to / have to | 我要去台灣。 ♬ |
| 敢 | dare to | 我不敢說。 ♬ |
| 肯 | be willing to | 他肯努力學習。 ♬ |
| 願意 | be willing to | 我願意幫你。 ♬ |
| 希望 | hope to / hope that | 我希望你可以來。 ♬ |
| 應該 | should | 你應該練習中文。 ♬ |
| 得 | have to | 我得走了。 ♬ |
| 需要 | need / need to | 你需要休息。 ♬ |
| 必須 | must | 你必須戴安全帽。 ♬ |
| 能 | can; condition allows | 你今天能來嗎？ ♬ |
| 可以 | can; may; be allowed to | 這裡可以拍照。 ♬ |
| 會 | know how to; will | 我會說中文。 ♬ |
Useful vocabulary
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 助動詞 ♬ | zhùdòngcí | auxiliary verb |
| 能願動詞 ♬ | néngyuàn dòngcí | modal verb; auxiliary verb |
| 想 ♬ | xiǎng | to want; to think; to miss |
| 想要 ♬ | xiǎngyào | to want |
| 要 ♬ | yào | to want; be going to; need to |
| 敢 ♬ | gǎn | to dare |
| 肯 ♬ | kěn | to be willing to |
| 願意 ♬ | yuànyì | to be willing to |
| 希望 ♬ | xīwàng | to hope; hope |
| 應該 ♬ | yīnggāi | should |
| 應當 ♬ | yīngdāng | should, formal |
| 得 ♬ | děi | have to; must |
| 需要 ♬ | xūyào | to need; need to |
| 必須 ♬ | bìxū | must; have to |
| 須 ♬ | xū | must; need to, formal/written |
| 能 ♬ | néng | can; be able to |
| 可以 ♬ | kěyǐ | can; may; be allowed to |
| 會 ♬ | huì | can; know how to; will |
| 放棄 ♬ | fàngqì | to give up |
| 桃子 ♬ | táozi | peach |
| 蘋果 ♬ | píngguǒ | apple |
| 旅行 ♬ | lǚxíng | to travel; travel |
| 挑戰 ♬ | tiǎozhàn | to challenge |
| 權威 ♬ | quánwēi | authority |
| 努力 ♬ | nǔlì | to work hard; hard-working |
| 練習 ♬ | liànxí | to practice |
| 醫院 ♬ | yīyuàn | hospital |
| 安全帽 ♬ | ānquánmào | helmet |
| 拍照 ♬ | pāizhào | to take photos |
| 游泳 ♬ | yóuyǒng | to swim |
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