Chinese phrase
我不能〜 wǒ bù néng 〜
Meaning
I can't ___
When to use it
It says that the speaker cannot do something. A following verb phrase names the action that is not possible; the tone is usually direct and can be softened by an apology or reason.
Example dialogue
你能帮我把行李搬上楼吗？ nǐ néng bāng wǒ bǎ xíng lǐ bān shàng lóu ma
Can you help me carry the luggage upstairs?
对不起，我不能帮你把行李搬上楼。 duì bù qǐ wǒ bù néng bāng nǐ bǎ xíng lǐ bān shàng lóu
Sorry, I can't help you carry the luggage upstairs.