"Hope we can see each other soon."
Translation:希望我们很快可以再见。
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1717
I can answer you briefly about this. Similar to English the concept about possibility and ability, and sometimes requests, is not entirely isolated. If we ask "Can you do this?” it can be interpreted as whether the listener is able to do it, or whether the listener will do it. There are also several ways in Chinese to express such related concept. 可以 by its radical meaning is about a possibility - whether it is possible that we see each other; 能 is more about an inherent capacity or ability acquired through training - whether we are able to see each other. In this sentence these 2 words can be used interchangeably.
In some other sentences they cannot. However, it's going to need a lot of pages to iterate all the possible variations. If you have a particular sentence that puzzles you, I can point out which words are acceptable.
It's not very comprehensive, but I hope it helps.
Thank you. Your explanations always help me understand those puzzling differences.
so does 很快 take the place of the day/time in the grammar of this sentence? i.e. goes after the subject before the object in the sentence.
- 1717
I would break down the syntax like this:
希望 (I) hope (that)
= Main clause
--> 我们 We
= Subject of sub-clause
-->> 可以 + 很快 --> 再见 can + quickly --> see each other again
= adverbial phrases and the verb of sub-clause
The term "adverbial phrases" may not be very well used, but anyway those are phrases that elaborate on the verb. Time can also be used like this.
- 1629
In this sentence, 很快 is its own adverb meaning "quickly" so it goes before the verb. It is not being used as a construction of "noun + 很 + adjective" or "verb + 得 + 很 + adjective."
Other adverbs like 很大 and 很少 could be used in a similar way.
我们很少见面 - We see each other very little.
you can check this out about the differences between 能，会 and 可以
That’s a great video, thanks!
Summary for those who can’t view it:
能 = to be able to (think possible/impossible) ETA: Inate ability
可以 = to be allowed to (a rule is involved. Could someone/circumstances tell you that you can’t do x?)
会 = (a learned skill, something you have to practise to be able to do) or (something that’s very probable or likely to happen) ETA statistics/probability
But you really should see the video, it’s great for getting into the nuances of usage.
I love the fact that they have a mandarin speaker naturally explaining things and then the English speaker rehashes it (makes it excellent practise for all levels of learning). Don’t worry if you don’t get everything that’s said, they go over everything multiple times and give multiple examples.
Thanks @JanZeze !
So it can’t be: 希望我们可以很快见? It has to be 再见？even with no “again” in English?
。。。or would it be ok if I used 见面？i.e. what if we haven’t met yet?
This looks like something I need to understand. Can 见 not stand alone in this sentence?
- 1717
It is also OK if you use 很快见面. Often Mandarin Chinese calls for 2-character words. Using 1-character word is less often, even though the 2-character word looks redundant.
I wrote: 希望我们能很快再见, and Duolingo didn't accept it. It says the correct answer is, "希望我们很快可以再见". Is the problem that I used 能 instead of 可以, or that I put the 能 before the 很快?
See Keith_APP's explanation near the top of the discussion. It looks like it is acceptable, but not what Duo wanted.
It is not common to say it that way. It would be more of an after thought, with a pause before you said it.
- 181
Hi, My answer was 希望我们快可以见面 and it was not accepted. Could someone explain what is wrong in my answer please. Thank you.
what is the role of 再见 here? It looks like the translation should be "Hope we can say good bye to each other soon"
再见 literally translates to: again see/meet => see (you) again.
It’s much more like au revoir than goodbye.
