Phrases
Greetings & Partings (7)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你食咗飯未？ | nei5 sik6 jo2 faan6 mei6? | How are you? (Have you eaten yet?) |
| 你點呀？ | nei5 dim2 a3? | How are you? |
| 你最近點呀？ | nei5 jeui3 gan6 dim2 a3? | How are you recently? |
| 好高興認識你！ | hou2 gou1 hing3 ying6 sik1 nei5! | Nice to meet you! |
| 你呢？ | nei5 ne1? | How about you? |
| 下次見 | ha6 chi3 gin3 | See you next time |
| 好耐冇見 | hou2 noi6 mou5 gin3 | Long time no see |
Responses (6)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我好好 | ngo5 hou2 hou2 | I am very good |
| 我麻麻哋 | ngo5 ma4 ma2 dei2 | I am so-so |
| 我唔好 | ngo5 m4 hou2 | I am not good |
| 我都好好 | ngo5 dou1 hou2 hou2 | I am good too |
| 我唔知道 / 我唔知 | ngo5 m4 ji1 dou6 / ngo5 m4 ji1 | I don't know |
| 冇嘢做 | mou5 ye5 jou6 | Nothing to do |
Asking Permission & Requests (5)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你可唔可以講多次？ | nei5 ho2 m4 ho2 yi5 gong2 do1 chi3? | Can you say it again? |
| 講多(一)次 | gong2 do1 (yat1) chi3 | Say it one more time |
| 你要唔要幫手？ | nei5 yiu3 m4 yiu3 bong1 sau2? | Do you need help? |
| 你想要啲咩？ | nei5 seung2 yiu3 di1 me1? | What do you need? |
| 你等我一陣 | nei5 dang2 ngo5 yat1 jan6 | Wait for me a moment |
Common Questions (12)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你叫咩名？ | nei5 giu3 me1 meng2? | What is your name? |
| 你係邊個？ | nei5 hai6 bin1 go3? | Who are you? |
| 你喺邊度？ | nei5 hai2 bin1 dou6? | Where are you? |
| 你想做咩？ | nei5 seung2 jou6 me1? | What do you want to do? |
| 你而家想做咩？ | nei5 yi4 ga1 seung2 jou6 me1? | What do you want to do now? |
| 你鐘意食咩？ | nei5 jung1 yi3 sik6 me1? | What do you like to eat? |
| 你有冇嘢想問？ | nei5 yau5 mou5 ye5 seung2 man6? | Do you have anything to ask? |
| 你幾多歲？ | nei5 gei2 do1 seui3? | How old are you? |
| 你生日係幾時？ | nei5 saang1 yat6 hai6 gei2 si4? | When is your birthday? |
| 幾多錢？ | gei2 do1 chin2? | How much? |
| 咩事呀？ | me1 si6 a3? | What happened? |
| 你邊度唔舒服？ | nei5 bin1 dou6 m4 syu1 fuk6? | Where does it not feel well? |
A/not-A Question Pattern (11)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你有冇…？ | nei5 yau5 mou5…? | Do you have…? (have-not have) |
| 你係唔係…？ | nei5 hai6 m4 hai6…? | Are you…? (is-not is) |
| 你鐘唔鐘意…？ | nei5 jung1 m4 jung1 yi3…? | Do you like…? |
| 你識唔識…？ | nei5 sik1 m4 sik1…? | Do you know (how to)…? |
| 你知唔知道…？ | nei5 ji1 m4 ji1 dou6…? | Do you know (fact)…? |
| 你想唔想…？ | nei5 seung2 m4 seung2…? | Do you want to…? |
| 你要唔要…？ | nei5 yiu3 m4 yiu3…? | Do you need…? |
| 你聽唔聽到？ | nei5 teng1 m4 teng1 dou2? | Can you hear? |
| 你睇唔睇到？ | nei5 tai2 m4 tai2 dou2? | Can you see? |
| 係唔係…？/ 係咪…？ | hai6 m4 hai6…? / hai6 mai6…? | Is it…? (yes/no) |
| …啱唔啱？ | …ngaam1 m4 ngaam1? | …correct? |
Commands & Advice (6)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 唔好 + verb / 咪 + verb | m4 hou2… / mai6… | Don't…! |
| 唔好遲到 / 咪遲到 | m4 hou2 chi4 dou3 / mai6 chi4 dou3 | Don't be late |
| 休息多啲 / 抖多啲 | yau1 sik1 do1 di1 / dau2 do1 di1 | Take more rest |
| 多啲瞓覺 | do1 di1 fan3 gaau3 | Sleep more |
| 食少啲煎炸嘢 | sik6 siu2 di1 jin1 ja3 ye5 | Eat less fried food |
| 出少啲街 | cheut1 siu2 di1 gaai1 | Go out less |
Wishes & Blessings (8)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 新年快樂 | san1 nin4 faai3 lok6 | Happy New Year |
| 聖誕快樂 | sing3 daan3 faai3 lok6 | Merry Christmas |
| 生日快樂 | saang1 yat6 faai3 lok6 | Happy Birthday |
| 中秋節快樂 | jung1 chau1 jit3 faai3 lok6 | Happy Moon Festival |
| 恭喜發財 | gung1 hei2 faat3 choi4 | Congratulations and prosperity |
| 身體健康 | san1 tai2 gin6 hong1 | Good health |
| 馬到功成 | ma5 dou3 gung1 sing4 | Instant success |
| 希望你快啲好返！ | hei1 mong6 nei5 faai3 di1 hou2 faan1! | Hope you have a speedy recovery! |
Useful Expressions (12)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我仲有一個問題 | ngo5 jung6 yau5 yat1 go3 man6 tai4 | I still have one question |
| 好耐冇食 | hou2 noi6 mou5 sik6 | Haven't eaten in a long time |
| 我聽唔到 | ngo5 ting1 m4 dou2 | I can't hear |
| 我睇唔到 | ngo5 tai2 m4 dou2 | I can't see |
| 我咩都聽唔到 | ngo5 me1 dou1 ting1 m4 dou2 | I can't hear anything |
| 我咩都睇唔到 | ngo5 me1 dou1 tai2 m4 dou2 | I can't see anything |
| 我咩都買到 | ngo5 me1 dou1 maai5 dou2 | I can buy anything |
| 我咩(嘢食)都鐘意食 | ngo5 me1 (ye5 sik6) dou1 jung1 yi3 sik6 | I like to eat everything |
| 好多嘢做 | hou2 do1 ye5 jou6 | Many things to do |
| 搵啲嘢做 | wan2 di1 ye5 jou6 | Find something to do |
| 花多啲時間陪屋企人 | fa1 do1 di1 si4 gaan3 pui4 uk1 kei2 yan4 | Spend more time with family |
| 講多啲廣東話 | gong2 do1 di1 gwong2 dung1 wa2 | Speak more Cantonese |
AABB Intensifier Pattern (3)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 開開心心 | hoi1 hoi1 sam1 sam1 | happily / full of joy |
| 高高興興 | gou1 gou1 hing3 hing3 | very happy |
| 舒舒服服 | syu1 syu1 fuk6 fuk6 | very cozy |