区别辨析can与may

can与may这两个情态动词均含有“能、可能、可以”之意。

can 和 may 常被错用,应注意3点:

1. can 表示体力或智力方面的能力。may没有这种功能。

  • Can you drive?
    你会开车吗?
  • She can speak four languages.
    她会讲4门语言。
  • Can you read that sign from this distance?
    你从这么远的距离能看清楚那标牌上的东西吗?
  • The doctors are doing all that they can, but she's still not breathing properly.
    医生们在竭尽所能,可是她仍然不能正常呼吸。

2. can 和may 都可表示请求允许做某事,前者较口语化,最常用;may用于正式文体,多含尊敬之意。

  • If you see Brett, can you tell him I'm in town next weekend?
    如果你见到布雷特,能告诉他我下周末在伦敦吗?
  • Can you make a little less noise, please? I'm trying to work.
    请你别发出那么大声音好吗?我正在工作。

  • A reader may borrow up to six books at any one time.
    读者一次最多可借阅6本书。
  • "May I help myself to some more food?" "Yes, of course."
    “我能再取些吃的吗?”“好的,当然可以。”
  • Hi, my name's Tiffany. How may I help you?
    “你好,我叫蒂法尼,能帮你做些什么吗?”

3. can 和 may 都可能表示可能性,前者表理论上的可能性,而后者表示现实的可能性。在这种用法中,can一般不能用来表将来的可能性,多用在否定和疑问句中表现在的可能性,而may既可表现在又可表将来的可能性。

  • You can get stamps from the local newsagents.
    你可以在当地的报刊销售店买到邮票。
  • You can get very nasty skin diseases from bathing in dirty water.
    在脏水里洗澡会得严重的皮肤病。
  • Smoking can cause cancer.
    吸烟可能会导致癌症。
  • Noise can be quite a problem when you're living in a flat.
    住公寓噪音会很成问题。
  • He can be really annoying at times (= he is sometimes very annoying).
    有时候他很烦人。

  • There may be other problems that we don't know about.
    可能有我们不知道的其他问题。
  • I may see you tomorrow before I leave.
    明天我走前也许还能见到你。
  • The cause of the accident may never be discovered.
    事故的原因也许永远无法查清。
  • The explosion may have been caused by a faulty electrical connection.
    爆炸可能是由电路连接错误引起的。
  • We'd better not interfere - she may not like it.
    我们最好别干涉——她可能会不高兴。
  • There may be some evidence to suggest she's guilty, but it's hardly conclusive.
    也许有迹象显示她有罪,但不怎么令人信服。