Vocab
Pronouns & People (13)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我 | ngo5 | I / me |
| 你 | nei5 | you |
| 佢 | keui5 | he / she / it |
| 我哋 | ngo5 dei6 | we |
| 你哋 | nei5 dei6 | you all |
| 佢哋 | keui5 dei6 | they |
| 人 | yan4 | person / people |
| 媽媽 | ma4 ma1 | mother |
| 朋友 | pang4 yau5 | friend(s) |
| 屋企人 | uk1 kei2 yan4 | family |
| 呀仔 | a3 jai2 | my son |
| 商人 | seung1 yan4 | businessman |
| 醫生 | yi1 sang1 | doctor |
Verbs (70)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 係 | hai6 | to be |
| 有 | yau5 | to have |
| 冇 | mou5 | to not have |
| 叫 | giu3 | to call |
| 食 | sik6 | to eat |
| 去 | heui3 | to go |
| 嚟 | lei4 | to come / arrive |
| 到 | dou3 | to arrive |
| 做 | jou6 | to do |
| 買 | maai5 | to buy |
| 講 | gong2 | to speak / to say |
| 聽 | teng1/ting1 | to listen / to hear |
| 睇 | tai2 | to see / to look / to visit (doctor) |
| 學 | hok6 | to learn |
| 知道 | ji1 dou6 | to know (a fact) |
| 識 | sik1 | to know (a skill) / to know (a person) |
| 想 | seung2 | to want to / would like to |
| 要 | yiu3 | to need |
| 可以 | ho2 yi5 | can / may |
| 鐘意 | jung1 yi3 | to like |
| 愛 | oi3 | to love |
| 認識 | ying6 sik1 | to meet (get to know) |
| 見 | gin3 | to meet / to see |
| 問 | man6 | to ask |
| 玩 | waan2 | to play (a game) |
| 揸車 | ja1 che1 | to drive a car |
| 搭飛機 | daap3 fei1 gei1 | to take an airplane |
| 探 | taam3 | to visit someone |
| 陪 | pui4 | to accompany / to stay with |
| 花 | fa1 | to spend (verb); flower (noun) |
| 送 | sung3 | to give as gift |
| 派 | paai3 | to give away |
| 等 | dang2 | to wait |
| 轉 | jyun3 | to change / to turn |
| 整 | jing2 | to fix |
| 過 | gwo3 | to pass |
| 返 | faan1 | to return (to familiar place) |
| 寫 | se2 | to write |
| 剪 | jin2 | to cut |
| 洗 | sai2 | to wash |
| 換 | wun6 | to change (clothes etc.) |
| 著 | jeuk3 | to wear |
| 慶祝 | hing3 juk1 | to celebrate |
| 祝 | juk1 | to wish (someone) |
| 介紹 | gaai3 siu6 | to introduce |
| 準備 | jeun2 bei6 | to prepare |
| 出發 | cheut1 faat3 | to depart |
| 畢業 | bat1 yip6 | to graduate |
| 溫書 | wan1 syu1 | to study |
| 返工 | faan1 gung1 | to go to work |
| 放工 | fong3 gung1 | to finish work |
| 返學 | faan1 hok6 | to go to school |
| 落堂 | lok6 tong4 | to finish class |
| 做嘢 | jou6 ye5 | to work / to work on things |
| 搵 | wan2 | to find |
| 游水 | yau4 seui2 | to swim |
| 騎 | ke4 | to ride |
| 揮手 | fai1 sau2 | to wave |
| 起身 | hei2 san1 | to wake up (get out of bed) |
| 醒 | sing2 | to wake up |
| 刷牙 | chaat3 nga4 | to brush teeth |
| 洗面 | sai2 min6 | to wash face |
| 瞓覺 | fan3 gaau3 | to sleep |
| 訓覺 | fan3 gok3 | to sleep |
| 休息 | yau1 sik1 | to rest (formal) |
| 抖 | dau2 | to rest (spoken) |
| 拜 | baai3 | to worship |
| 希望 | hei1 mong6 | to hope |
| 掛住 | gwa3 jyu6 | to miss (someone) |
| 諗 | nam2 | to think / to want |
Verb Particles & Grammar (20)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 咗 | jo2 | past tense marker (-ed) |
| 過 | gwo3 | experiential past (have done before) |
| 緊 | gan2 | progressive marker (-ing) |
| 到 | dou2 | able to (resultative complement) |
| 未 | mei6 | not yet |
| 唔 | m4 | not |
| 會 | wui5 | will (future) |
| 都 | dou1 | too / also / all |
| 仲 | jung6 | still |
| 嘅 | ge3 | possessive ('s) |
| 喺 | hai2 | in / on / at |
| 因為 | yan1 wai6 | because |
| 所以 | so2 yi5 | so / therefore |
| 同 | tung4 | and / with |
| 同埋 | tung4 maai4 | and also (for 3+ items) |
| 就 | jau6 | immediately / exactly / about to |
| 就嚟 | jau6 lai4 | almost / about to |
| 之後 | ji1 hau6 | after |
| 可能 | ho2 nang4 | maybe |
| 首先 | sau2 sin1 | first of all |
Negation & Degree (10)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 唔 | m4 | not |
| 冇 | mou5 | have not / don't have |
| 未 | mei6 | not yet |
| 少少 | siu2 siu2 | a tiny bit (~25%) |
| 有啲 | yau5 di1 | a bit (~40%) |
| Adj Adj 哋 | dei2 | quite (~60%) |
| 幾 | gei2 | quite (~75%) |
| 好 | hou2 | very |
| 真係 | jan1 hai6 | really |
| 太 | taai3 | too (excessive) |
Question Words (15)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 咩 | me1 | what |
| 邊 | bin1 | which / who / where |
| 邊個 | bin1 go3 | who / which one |
| 邊度 | bin1 dou6 | where |
| 點 | dim2 | how / why / how come |
| 點樣 | dim2 yeung2 | how (to do something) |
| 點解 | dim2 gaai2 | why |
| 幾 | gei2 | how many / when / how (number-related) |
| 幾多 | gei2 do1 | how many / how much |
| 幾時 | gei2 si4 | when |
| 幾點 | gei2 dim2 | what time (hourly) |
| 幾耐 | gei2 noi6 | how long (duration) |
| 幾長 | gei2 cheung4 | how long (length) |
| 幾多錢 | gei2 do1 chin2 | how much (money) |
| 幾錢 | gei2 chin2 | how much (money, short) |
Demonstratives (5)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 呢個 | ni1 go3 | this one |
| 嗰個 | go2 go3 | that one |
| 呢度 | ni1 dou6 | this place / here |
| 嗰度 | go2 dou6 | that place / there |
| 呢啲 | ni1 di1 | these |
Adjectives (26)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 好 | hou2 | good |
| 高興 | gou1 hing3 | happy |
| 開心 | hoi1 sam1 | happy (open heart) |
| 舒服 | syu1 fuk6 | comfortable |
| 出名 | cheut1 meng2 | famous |
| 健康 | gin6 hong1 | healthy |
| 辣 | laat6 | spicy |
| 甜 | tim4 | sweet |
| 忙 | mong4 | busy |
| 悶 | mun6 | boring / bored |
| 遠 | yun5 | far |
| 平 | peng4 | cheap |
| 難 | naan4 | difficult |
| 容易 | yung4 yi6 | easy |
| 早 | jou2 | early |
| 黑 | hak1 | black / dark |
| 大 | daai6 | big |
| 細 | sai3 | small |
| 多 | do1 | many |
| 唔同 | m4 tung4 | different |
| 啱 | ngaam1 | correct |
| 吉利 | gat1 lei6 | lucky |
| 唔吉利 | m4 gat1 lei6 | unlucky |
| 錯 | cho3 | wrong |
| 暈 | wan4 | dizzy |
| 痛 | tung3 | painful |
Food & Drink (28)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 飯 | faan6 | rice / meal |
| 米 | mai5 | rice (uncooked) |
| 河粉 | ho2 fan2 | rice noodles |
| 意粉 | yi3 fan2 | pasta |
| 粉 | fan2 | noodle |
| 漢堡包 | hon3 bou2 baau1 | hamburger |
| 包 | baau1 | bun |
| 菜 | choi3 | vegetable / cuisine |
| 嘢食 | ye5 sik6 | food |
| 食物 | sik6 mat6 | food (written) |
| 中國菜 | jung1 gwok3 choi3 | Chinese cuisine |
| 煎炸嘢 | jin1 ja3 ye5 | fried food |
| 煎 | jin1 | pan-fry |
| 炸 | ja3 | deep-fry |
| 提子 | tai4 ji2 | grape |
| 咖啡 | ga3 fe1 | coffee |
| 水 | seui2 | water |
| 酒 | jau2 | wine |
| 魚 | yu2 | fish |
| 蛋 | daan2 | egg |
| 糖 | tong2 | candy |
| 糖 | tong4 | sugar |
| 蠔 | hou4 | oyster |
| 豉油 | si6 yau4 | soy sauce |
| 髮菜 | faat3 choi3 | black moss |
| 年糕 | nin4 gou1 | new year cake |
| 出奇蛋 | cheut1 kei4 daan2 | kinder egg |
| 藥 | yeuk6 | medicine / pills |
Meals (4)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 早餐 | jou2 chaan1 | breakfast |
| 午餐 / 食晏 | ng5 chaan1 / sik6 aan3 | lunch |
| 晚餐 | maan5 chaan1 | dinner |
| 宵夜 | siu1 ye2 | midnight snack |
Time & Dates (35)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 而家 | yi4 ga1 | now |
| 今日 | gam1 yat6 | today |
| 琴日 | kam4 yat6 | yesterday |
| 聽日 | ting1 yat6 | tomorrow |
| 前日 | chin4 yat6 | day before yesterday |
| 後日 | hau6 yat6 | day after tomorrow |
| 今晚 | gam1 maan5 | tonight |
| 琴晚 | kam4 maan5 | last night |
| 聽晚 | ting1 maan5 | tomorrow night |
| 朝早 | jiu1 jou2 | morning |
| 上晝 | seung6 jau3 | morning (spoken) |
| 下晝 / 晏晝 | ha6 jau3 / aan3 jau3 | afternoon |
| 夜晚 | ye6 maan5 | night |
| 凌晨 | ling4 san4 | midnight |
| 通宵 | tung1 siu1 | overnight |
| 星期 | sing1 kei4 | week |
| 月 | yut6 | month |
| 年 | nin4 | year |
| 日 | yat6 | day |
| 號 | hou6 | date number |
| 今年 | gam1 nin4 | this year |
| 今個星期 | gam1 go3 sing1 kei4 | this week |
| 今個月 | gam1 go3 yut6 | this month |
| 上次 | seung6 chi3 | last time |
| 下次 | ha6 chi3 | next time |
| 下個星期 | ha6 go3 sing1 kei4 | next week |
| 下個月 | ha6 go3 yut6 | next month |
| 最近 | jeui3 gan6 | recently |
| 嗰陣 | go2 jan6 | at that time / during |
| 成日 | sing4 yat6 | always (the whole day) |
| 日日 | yat6 yat6 | every day |
| 好耐 | hou2 noi6 | a long time |
| 耐 | noi6 | long (duration) |
| 廿 | ya6 | twenty |
| 半 | bun3 | half |
Numbers & Money (16)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 一 | yat1 | one |
| 二 | yi6 | two |
| 三 | saam1 | three |
| 四 | sei3 | four |
| 五 | ng5 | five |
| 六 | luk6 | six |
| 七 | chat1 | seven |
| 八 | baat3 | eight |
| 九 | gau2 | nine |
| 十 | sap6 | ten |
| 百 | baak3 | hundred |
| 千 | chin1 | thousand |
| 零 | ling4 | zero |
| 兩 | leung5 | two (with measure words) |
| 錢 | chin2 | money |
| 蚊 | man1 | dollar ($) |
Measure Words (13)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 個 | go3 | general (people, things) |
| 度 | dou6 | places |
| 間 | gaan1 | indoor spaces (rooms, shops, companies) |
| 本 | bun2 | books |
| 支 | ji1 | bottles |
| 條 | tiu4 | long thin things (fish, roads) |
| 套 | tou3 | sets (movies) |
| 首 | sau2 | songs / poems |
| 種 | jung2 | types / kinds |
| 杯 | bui1 | cups |
| 粒 | lap1 | small round items (grapes, pills, rice) |
| 隻 | jek3 | animals, one of a pair, small objects |
| 啲 | di1 | some / plural marker |
Places (9)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 屋企 | uk1 kei2 | home |
| 商場 | seung1 cheung4 | shopping mall |
| 餐廳 | chaan1 teng1 | restaurant |
| 學校 | hok6 haau6 | school |
| 公司 | gung1 si1 | company / workplace |
| 地方 | dei6 fong1 | place |
| 街 | gaai1 | street |
| 洗手間 | sai2 sau2 gaan1 | washroom |
| 鄉下 | heung1 ha2 | hometown |
Countries & Geography (9)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 美國 | mei5 gwok3 | United States |
| 香港 | heung1 gong2 | Hong Kong |
| 中國 | jung1 gwok3 | China |
| 意大利 | yi3 daai6 lei6 | Italy |
| 多倫多 | do1 leun4 do1 | Toronto |
| 北美洲 | bak1 mei5 jau1 | North America |
| 國家 | gwok3 ga1 | country |
| 北 | bak1 | north |
| 洲 | jau1 | continent |
Body Parts & Health (22)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 身體 | san1 tai2 | body |
| 頭 | tau4 | head |
| 眼 | ngaan5 | eye |
| 耳 | yi5 | ear |
| 口 | hau2 | mouth |
| 鼻 | bei6 | nose |
| 手 | sau2 | hand |
| 腳 | geuk3 | foot |
| 肚 | tou5 | belly / stomach |
| 膊頭 | bok3 tau4 | shoulder |
| 頭髮 | tau4 faat3 | hair |
| 心 | sam1 | heart |
| 病 | beng6 | sick (adj/verb) / disease (noun) |
| 感冒 | gam2 mou6 | flu |
| 發燒 | faat3 siu1 | fever |
| 頭痛 | tau4 tung3 | headache |
| 頭暈 | tau4 wan4 | dizziness |
| 肚痛 | tou5 tung3 | stomachache |
| 打乞嗤 | da2 hat1 chi1 | sneeze |
| 咳 | kat1 | cough |
| 食物中毒 | sik6 mat6 jung3 duk6 | food poisoning |
| 好返 | hou2 faan1 | to recover |
Music & Arts (21)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 音樂 | yam1 ngok6 | music |
| 歌 | go1 | song |
| 詩 | si1 | poem |
| 樂器 | ngok6 hei3 | instrument |
| 鋼琴 | gong3 kam4 | piano |
| 結他 | git3 ta1 | guitar |
| 鼓 | gu2 | drum |
| 小提琴 | siu2 tai4 kam4 | violin |
| 爵士樂 | jeuk3 si6 ngok6 | jazz |
| 粵劇 | yut6 kek6 | Cantonese opera |
| 漫畫 | maan6 wa2 | comics |
| 雜誌 | jaap6 ji3 | magazine |
| 書 | syu1 | book |
| 樂譜 | ngok6 pou2 | music sheet |
| 食譜 | sik6 pou2 | recipe |
| 說明書 | syut3 ming4 syu1 | manual |
| 聲音 | sing1 yam1 | sound |
| 彈 | taan4 | to play (piano/guitar — touch) |
| 打 | da2 | to play (drums — hit) |
| 拉 | laai1 | to play (violin — pull) |
| 吹 | cheui1 | to play (wind instrument — blow) |
Games (2)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 遊戲 | yau4 hei3 | game |
| 麻雀 | ma4 jeuk2 | mahjong |
Holidays & Festivals (8)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 新年 | san1 nin4 | New Year |
| 中國新年 | jung1 gwok3 san1 nin4 | Chinese New Year |
| 農曆新年 | nung4 lik6 san1 nin4 | Lunar New Year |
| 聖誕節 | sing3 daan3 jit3 | Christmas |
| 中秋節 | jung1 chau1 jit3 | Moon Festival |
| 節 | jit3 | festival |
| 生日 | saang1 yat6 | birthday |
| 考試 | haau2 si3 | exam |
New Year Items & Customs (10)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 揮春 | fai1 cheun1 | red banner |
| 全盒 | chyun4 hap6 | candy box |
| 利是 | lei6 si6 | red pocket |
| 金幣朱古力 | gam1 bai6 jyu1 gu1 lik1 | gold coin chocolate |
| 開心果 | hoi1 sam1 gwo2 | pistachio |
| 瓜子 | gwa1 ji2 | melon seeds |
| 糖蓮子 | tong4 lin4 ji2 | candied lotus seeds |
| 派利是 | paai3 lei6 si6 | give red pockets |
| 團年飯 | tyun4 nin4 faan6 | reunion dinner |
| 去拜年 | heui3 baai3 nin4 | visit relatives for New Year |
Seasons & Weather (3)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 春天 | cheun1 tin1 | spring |
| 冬天 | dung1 tin1 | winter |
| 天 | tin1 | sky / day |
Daily Life & Objects (9)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 電腦 | din6 nou5 | computer |
| 枱 | toi2 | table |
| 畫面 | wa2 min2 | screen |
| 衫 | saam1 | clothes |
| 房 | fong2 | room |
| 鞋 | haai4 | shoes |
| 鍾 | jung1 | clock |
| 車 | che1 | car |
| 飛機 | fei1 gei1 | airplane |
Language (5)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 語言 | yu5 yin4 | language |
| 廣東話 | gwong2 dung1 wa2 | Cantonese |
| 英文 | ying1 man2 | English |
| 廣東 | gwong2 dung1 | Canton |
| 話 | wa2 | speech / language |
Other Nouns (13)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 嘢 | ye5 | thing |
| 所有 | so2 yau5 | all |
| 問題 | man6 tai4 | question / problem |
| 事 / 事情 | si6 / si6 ching4 | matter / case |
| 時間 | si4 gaan3 | time |
| 名 | meng2 | name |
| 目標 | muk6 biu1 | objective / goal |
| 行程 | haang4 ching4 | route / journey |
| 旅行 | leui5 hang4 | travel |
| 中間 | jung1 gaan1 | middle |
| 出奇 | cheut1 kei4 | surprise |
| 團圓 | tyun4 yun4 | reunion |
| 成功 | sing4 gung1 | success |
Misc Adverbs & Modifiers (9)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 好多 | hou2 do1 | many / a lot |
| 多啲 | do1 di1 | more |
| 少啲 | siu2 di1 | less |
| 另一個 | ling6 yat1 go3 | another one |
| 大約 | daai6 yeuk3 | around / approximately |
| 晏啲 / 遲啲 | aan3 di1 / chi4 di1 | later |
| 遲到 | chi4 dou3 | late (delayed arrival) |
| 快 | faai3 | fast |
| 好叻 | hou2 lek1 | very smart / talented |
Courtesies & Interjections (4)
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English |
|---|---|---|
| 哈囉 | ha1 lo1 | hello |
| 多謝 | do1 je6 | thank you |
| 唔好意思 | m4 hou2 yi3 si1 | excuse me / sorry |
| 唉 | aai4 | sigh |