Verbs
会, 能 and 可以
English has one word for can. Chinese has three, split by skill, circumstances and permission.
会 is a skill you learned: a language, driving, swimming. 能 is whether the circumstances allow it right now, which is why it is also the polite way to ask someone for something. 可以 is permission, whether the rules or the person you are asking allow it. 能 and 可以 overlap in everyday speech, but when you are asking to be allowed to do something, 可以 is the safest.
Examples
我会说中文wǒ huì shuō ZhōngwénI can speak Chinesea learned skill
我今天不能去wǒ jīntiān bù néng qùI can't go todaysomething is in the way
可以刷卡吗kěyǐ shuā kǎ macan I pay by card?asking permission
我不会开车wǒ bú huì kāichēI can't drivenever learned it
Watch out
The mistake this causes
Saying 我不能开车 when you mean you never learned. That says something is stopping you today.