SECTION: CAN (to be able)

English:	Can
Chinese:	kuh-ee

English:	Is it okay?
Chinese:	kuh-ee mah
Literally:	can?

English:	I can go
Chinese:	woh kuh-ee tchoo
Literally:	(same)

English:	Can you go?
Chinese:	nee kuh-ee tchoo mah
Literally:	you can go +?

English:	Can you come?
Chinese:	nee kuh-ee lie mah
Literally:	you can come +?

English:	May I sit down?
Chinese:	woh kuh-ee dzoh mah
Literally:	I can sit +?

English:	I cannot eat this
Chinese:	woh boo kuh-ee chih juh-guh
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)
Chinese:	nung

English:	Can you speak English?
Chinese:	nee nung shoh yeeng-wuhn mah?
Literally:	you able to speak English?

English:	I cannot come
Chinese:	woh boo nung lie
Literally:	I not able come

SECTION: WHEN

English:	What
Chinese:	shun-muh

English:	When
Chinese:	shun-muh-shih-hoh
Literally:	what times

English:	When are we going?
Chinese:	woh-men shun-muh-shih-hoh tchoo
Literally:	we when go?

English:	When are you going?
Chinese:	nee shun-muh-shih-hoh tchoo
Literally:	you when go?

English:	When is he coming?
Chinese:	tah shun-muh-shih-hoh lie
Literally:	he when come?

English:	When can you come?
Chinese:	nee shun-muh-shih-hoh kuh-ee lie
Literally:	you when can come?

English:	When are we eating?
Chinese:	woh-men shun-muh-shih-hoh chih
Literally:	we when eat?

English:	When do you want to eat?
Chinese:	nee see-ahng shun-muh-shih-hoh chih
Literally:	you would like when to eat?

• involve [in´vɔlv]   vt.卷缠；包括；使专注   (初中英语单词)
• permission [pə´miʃən]   n.允许；同意；许可   (初中英语单词)
• ability [ə´biliti]   n.(办事)能力；才干   (初中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ]   n.言语；言论；格言   (高中英语单词)