For autodidact students of Cantonese, the first thing to know about "the" is that Cantonese has no article at all, neither "the" nor "a". What Cantonese has instead is the classifier. Every counted noun takes a small word of its kind between the number and the noun: 一本書 (jat1 bun2 syu1) is "one volume book", 一隻狗 (jat1 zek3 gau2) is "one animal dog", 一條河 (jat1 tiu4 ho4) is "one long-thing river".
The classifier is also how Cantonese says "the". Drop the number and keep the classifier, and the noun becomes a particular one that speaker and hearer know: 本書 (bun2 syu1) is "the book", 隻狗 (zek3 gau2) is "the dog", 條河 (tiu4 ho4) is "the river". Grammarians such as Matthews and Yip, and Cheng and Sybesma, describe this classifier-plus-noun as the usual way of making a noun definite in Cantonese. A bare noun with no classifier, such as 貓 (maau1), most often names the kind: 我鍾意貓 (ngo5 zung1 ji3 maau1) is "I like cats". After a verb the bare classifier is ambiguous, so 我買咗本書 may mean "I bought a book" or "I bought the book", and the context chooses.
The word of this lesson, 嗰 (go2), is the pointing word "that". It stands before a classifier and its noun, 嗰本書 (go2 bun2 syu1), and it is the word an English translator turns into "the" when it points back to something already named: "the book we were speaking of". Its partner is 呢 (ni1), "this". The family is large and is used constantly: 嗰度 (go2 dou6) "there", 嗰邊 (go2 bin1) "over there", 嗰日 (go2 jat6) "that day", 嗰啲 (go2 di1) "those, the (plural)".
Two things are easy to confuse. The headword 嗰 (go2) has the mid-rising tone, while the generic classifier 個 (go3) has the mid-level tone: they are both "go", and 嗰個人 (go2 go3 jan4), "that person", puts them side by side. The second is the habit of an English speaker, who wants "the" before every known noun. Cantonese does not point at every noun: it uses the classifier, and 嗰 only when it needs to say "that one, the one we both know".
Script note: 嗰 is a character made for spoken Cantonese, built from the mouth radical 口 on the left and the classifier 個 on the right. Many everyday Cantonese words are written in this way, with 口 added to a character of similar sound or sense: 呢 (ni1), 嘅 (ge3), 咗 (zo2), 嚟 (lai4), 啲 (di1). Standard written Chinese writes "that" as 那 and does not use these. This course writes the characters of Cantonese as they are used in Hong Kong, in traditional form, and gives the sounds in Jyutping. A Jyutping syllable ends with a tone number from 1 to 6: 1 high level, 2 mid rising, 3 mid level, 4 low falling, 5 low rising, 6 low level. The respelling in brackets is for English readers and does not show the tone.
Key Takeaways: - Cantonese has no articles; a bare noun usually names a kind or something not yet particular - Classifier + noun is "the": 本書 (the book), 隻狗 (the dog), 條河 (the river) - "A" is 一 + classifier + noun: 一本書. After a verb, a bare classifier may be "a" or "the" - 嗰 (go2) is "that", and it is the pointing word that becomes "the" in English: 嗰 + classifier + noun - 嗰 (go2, "that") is not 個 (go3, the generic classifier); 呢 (ni1) is "this" - Common words made from 嗰: 嗰度 (there), 嗰邊 (over there), 嗰日 (that day), 嗰啲 (those, the) - The classifier depends on the noun: 個 for people, 隻 for animals, 本 for books, 條 for rivers and roads, 間 for shops
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1.1a 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 好 very 貴 expensive
1.1b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book hou2 (hoe) very gwai3 (gwai) expensive
1.2a 嗰 that 隻 (CL) 狗 dog 好 very 大 big
1.2b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST zek3 (dzek) CL.ANIMAL gau2 (gow) dog hou2 (hoe) very daai6 (dye) big
1.3a 嗰 that 間 (CL) 店 shop 好 very 細 small
1.3b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST gaan1 (gahn) CL.SHOP dim3 (dim) shop hou2 (hoe) very sai3 (sai) small
1.4a 嗰 that 條 (CL) 河 river 好 very 長 long
1.4b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST tiu4 (tyoo) CL.LONG ho4 (haw) river hou2 (hoe) very coeng4 (tsurng) long
1.5a 嗰 that 個 (CL) 人 person 係 is 我 my 老師 teacher
1.5b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON jan4 (yan) person hai6 (hai) COP ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG lou5 si1 (low see) teacher
1.6a 嗰 that 個 (CL) 學生 student 琴日 yesterday 去 go 咗 (done) 學校 school
1.6b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON hok6 saang1 (hawk saang) student kam4 jat6 (kam yat) yesterday heoi3 (hoy) go zo2 (dzaw) PFV hok6 haau6 (hawk haow) school
1.7a 嗰 that 位 (CL) 老師 teacher 嘅 of 書 book 喺 at 嗰 that 張 (CL) 枱 table 上面 top
1.7b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST wai2 (wai) CL.POLITE lou5 si1 (low see) teacher ge3 (geh) GEN syu1 (sew) book hai2 (hai) at go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST zoeng1 (dzurng) CL.FLAT toi2 (toy) table soeng6 min6 (surng meen) top
1.8a 我 I 買 buy 咗 (done) 一 one 本 (CL) 書 book 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 好 very 有趣 interesting
1.8b ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG maai5 (my) buy zo2 (dzaw) PFV jat1 (yat) one bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book hou2 (hoe) very jau5 ceoi3 (yow tsoy) interesting
1.9a 嗰 that 日 day 落 fall 大 big 雨 rain
1.9b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST jat6 (yat) day lok6 (lawk) fall daai6 (dye) big jyu5 (yew) rain
1.10a 嗰 that 個 (CL) 細路 child 喺 at 嗰 that 棵 (CL) 樹 tree 下面 below 搵 look-for 到 (got) 一 one 隻 (CL) 貓 cat
1.10b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON sai3 lou6 (sai low) child hai2 (hai) at go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST fo1 (faw) CL.TREE syu6 (sew) tree haa6 min6 (hah meen) below wan2 (wan) look-for dou2 (doh) RES jat1 (yat) one zek3 (dzek) CL.ANIMAL maau1 (maow) cat
1.11a 有 there-is 個 (CL) 男人 man 嚟 come 到 arrive 嗰 that 條 (CL) 村 village
1.11b jau5 (yow) EXIST go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON naam4 jan4 (nahm yan) man lai4 (lai) come dou3 (doh) arrive go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST tiu4 (tyoo) CL.LONG cyun1 (tsoon) village
1.12a 嚟 come 到 arrive 嗰 that 條 (CL) 村 village 嘅 (which) 男人 man 係 is 一 one 位 (CL) 老師 teacher
1.12b lai4 (lai) come dou3 (doh) arrive go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST tiu4 (tyoo) CL.LONG cyun1 (tsoon) village ge3 (geh) REL naam4 jan4 (nahm yan) man hai6 (hai) COP jat1 (yat) one wai2 (wai) CL.POLITE lou5 si1 (low see) teacher
1.13a 嗰 that 個 (CL) 女人 woman 飲 drink 咗 (done) 嗰 that 杯 (CL) 水 water
1.13b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON neoi5 jan4 (noy yan) woman jam2 (yam) drink zo2 (dzaw) PFV go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bui1 (boy) CL.CUP seoi2 (soy) water
1.14a 嗰 that 條 (CL) 村 village 嘅 of 學校 school 喺 at 條 (CL) 河 river 隔離 next-door
1.14b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST tiu4 (tyoo) CL.LONG cyun1 (tsoon) village ge3 (geh) GEN hok6 haau6 (hawk haow) school hai2 (hai) at tiu4 (tyoo) CL.LONG ho4 (haw) river gaak3 lei4 (gaak lay) next-to
1.15a 嗰 that 位 (CL) 老師 teacher 送 give-as-gift 咗 (done) 一 one 本 (CL) 新 new 書 book 畀 to 嗰 that 個 (CL) 細路 child
1.15b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST wai2 (wai) CL.POLITE lou5 si1 (low see) teacher sung3 (soong) give-as-gift zo2 (dzaw) PFV jat1 (yat) one bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK san1 (san) new syu1 (sew) book bei2 (bay) to go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON sai3 lou6 (sai low) child
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1.1 嗰本書好貴。 (go2 bun2 syu1 hou2 gwai3.) "The book is very expensive." 1.2 嗰隻狗好大。 (go2 zek3 gau2 hou2 daai6.) "The dog is big." 1.3 嗰間店好細。 (go2 gaan1 dim3 hou2 sai3.) "The shop is very small." 1.4 嗰條河好長。 (go2 tiu4 ho4 hou2 coeng4.) "The river is very long." 1.5 嗰個人係我老師。 (go2 go3 jan4 hai6 ngo5 lou5 si1.) "That person is my teacher." 1.6 嗰個學生琴日去咗學校。 (go2 go3 hok6 saang1 kam4 jat6 heoi3 zo2 hok6 haau6.) "The student went to school yesterday." 1.7 嗰位老師嘅書喺嗰張枱上面。 (go2 wai2 lou5 si1 ge3 syu1 hai2 go2 zoeng1 toi2 soeng6 min6.) "The teacher's book is on the table." 1.8 我買咗一本書，嗰本書好有趣。 (ngo5 maai5 zo2 jat1 bun2 syu1, go2 bun2 syu1 hou2 jau5 ceoi3.) "I bought a book. The book is very interesting." 1.9 嗰日落大雨。 (go2 jat6 lok6 daai6 jyu5.) "It rained heavily that day." 1.10 嗰個細路喺嗰棵樹下面搵到一隻貓。 (go2 go3 sai3 lou6 hai2 go2 fo1 syu6 haa6 min6 wan2 dou2 jat1 zek3 maau1.) "The child found a cat under the tree." 1.11 有個男人嚟到嗰條村。 (jau5 go3 naam4 jan4 lai4 dou3 go2 tiu4 cyun1.) "A man came to the village." 1.12 嚟到嗰條村嘅男人係一位老師。 (lai4 dou3 go2 tiu4 cyun1 ge3 naam4 jan4 hai6 jat1 wai2 lou5 si1.) "The man who came to the village is a teacher." 1.13 嗰個女人飲咗嗰杯水。 (go2 go3 neoi5 jan4 jam2 zo2 go2 bui1 seoi2.) "The woman drank the glass of water." 1.14 嗰條村嘅學校喺條河隔離。 (go2 tiu4 cyun1 ge3 hok6 haau6 hai2 tiu4 ho4 gaak3 lei4.) "The village school is next to the river." 1.15 嗰位老師送咗一本新書畀嗰個細路。 (go2 wai2 lou5 si1 sung3 zo2 jat1 bun2 san1 syu1 bei2 go2 go3 sai3 lou6.) "The teacher gave a new book to the child."
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1.1 嗰本書好貴。 1.2 嗰隻狗好大。 1.3 嗰間店好細。 1.4 嗰條河好長。 1.5 嗰個人係我老師。 1.6 嗰個學生琴日去咗學校。 1.7 嗰位老師嘅書喺嗰張枱上面。 1.8 我買咗一本書，嗰本書好有趣。 1.9 嗰日落大雨。 1.10 嗰個細路喺嗰棵樹下面搵到一隻貓。 1.11 有個男人嚟到嗰條村。 1.12 嚟到嗰條村嘅男人係一位老師。 1.13 嗰個女人飲咗嗰杯水。 1.14 嗰條村嘅學校喺條河隔離。 1.15 嗰位老師送咗一本新書畀嗰個細路。
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These are the grammar rules for expressing "the" in Cantonese.
There is no article, and a bare noun is not the way to say "the". Cantonese has no word for "the" and none for "a". A noun with no classifier and no pointing word, such as 貓 (maau1) or 書 (syu1), most often names a kind or an unspecified thing: 我鍾意貓 is "I like cats". When a particular, known thing is meant, Cantonese puts a classifier before the noun or a pointing word before the classifier. The nouns of Section A all have one or the other.
Classifier + noun: "the". The classifier, with no number, makes the noun a particular one: 本書 (the book), 隻狗 (the dog), 條河 (the river). Example 1.14 has 喺條河隔離 (hai2 tiu4 ho4 gaak3 lei4), "next to the river", where 條河 has no 嗰: it is the river that both speakers know. Where the noun is the subject, the classifier alone is natural, and 嗰 is added when the speaker wants to point back: 嗰條河 (1.4). - Before a verb: 本書好貴 means "the book is expensive", and 嗰本書好貴 (1.1) is the same with the pointing word added - After a verb the bare classifier is ambiguous: 我買咗本書 may be "I bought the book" or "I bought a book"; the numeral makes "a" plain: 我買咗一本書 (1.8)
嗰: the pointing "the". 嗰 (go2) means "that". It comes first, then the classifier, then the noun: 嗰 + CL + N (1.1 to 1.15). It is used for something the speaker and the hearer both know, whether it was mentioned a moment ago (1.8: 一本書 and then 嗰本書) or is simply over there. An English translator writes "that" when it is a thing far away, and "the" when it points back at something already named. 呢 (ni1) is "this" and stands in the same place: 呢本書 (this book). - 嗰 needs a classifier after it, or a word of place or time: 嗰度 (go2 dou6, there), 嗰邊 (go2 bin1, over there, 1.23), 嗰日 (go2 jat6, that day, 1.9) - 嗰啲 (go2 di1) is "those" or "the" in the plural, 啲 (di1) standing in place of the classifier: 嗰啲書 (those books, 1.20) - 嗰個 (go2 go3) alone is "that one" - With a number it can mean "the" + the number: 最後嗰兩本 (zeoi3 hau6 go2 loeng5 bun2), "the last two" (1.21)
嗰 (go2) is not 個 (go3). 個 is the commonest classifier. 嗰個人 (1.5) has both: 嗰 "that", 個 the classifier for a person, 人 "person". The tones are different, mid rising for 嗰 and mid level for 個, and so are the characters, 嗰 with the mouth radical.
Classifiers. The classifier depends on the kind of noun: - 個 (go3): people, and many things; the general classifier (1.5, 1.6, 1.10, 1.13, 1.15) - 位 (wai2): people, polite: 嗰位老師 (1.7, 1.12, 1.15) - 隻 (zek3): animals, and some objects: 嗰隻狗 (1.2), 一隻貓 (1.10) - 本 (bun2): books: 嗰本書 (1.1, 1.8, 1.15) - 條 (tiu4): long things, such as rivers, roads, lines and villages: 嗰條河 (1.4), 嗰條村 (1.11, 1.12, 1.14) - 間 (gaan1): shops, houses and rooms: 嗰間店 (1.3), 旺角嗰間分店 (1.22) - 張 (zoeng1): flat things, such as tables: 嗰張枱 (1.7) - 棵 (fo1): trees: 嗰棵樹 (1.10) - 杯 (bui1): a cup or glass of something: 嗰杯水 (1.13) - 啲 (di1): plural or "some", for any noun: 嗰啲書 (1.20)
"A": the number one. 一 + classifier + noun is "a": 一本書 (1.8), 一隻貓 (1.10), 一位老師 (1.12). The existential 有 (jau5) can bring a new person in with 個 alone: 有個男人 (jau5 go3 naam4 jan4), "there is a man" (1.11). A thing that is new takes the number, and a thing that is known takes 嗰: 一本書 (1.8) and then 嗰本書.
The order of the noun phrase. Everything that describes a noun comes before it. A possessor takes 嘅 (ge3): 嗰位老師嘅書 (1.7), "the teacher's book". A clause also comes before the noun it describes, and 嘅 marks its end: 嚟到嗰條村嘅男人 (1.12), "the man who came to the village". Where something is placed, it follows 喺 (hai2, "at") and takes a word of place such as 上面 (soeng6 min6, "on top") or 下面 (haa6 min6, "below"): 喺嗰張枱上面 (1.7).
Adjectives and 好. An adjective stands alone as the predicate: 好貴 (hou2 gwai3), "very expensive" (1.1 to 1.4). The 好 (hou2) is a degree word, "very", and it is also the usual support of a predicate adjective: 嗰本書貴 would sound like a comparison ("that book is the expensive one"), and 好貴 is the plain statement. 係 (hai6) links two nouns (1.5, 1.12) and is not used before an adjective.
Verbs do not change; small words after them do. Cantonese verbs have no tense. After the verb come markers of aspect: - 咗 (zo2): the action is done: 去咗學校 (1.6), 買咗 (1.8), 飲咗 (1.13), 送咗 (1.15) - 過 (gwo3): it has happened at some time: 睇過 (1.18) - 到 (dou2): the action reached its goal: 搵到 (1.10), 買到 (1.30) - 晒 (saai3): all of it: 賣晒 (1.19)
Questions and answers. Questions are made with a question word or with a repeated verb or adjective: - 邊度 (bin1 dou6), "where": 嗰本書喺邊度呀 (1.16), 嗰個地鐵站喺邊度呀 (1.26) - 有冇 (jau5 mou5), "do you have": 有冇嗰本書呀 (1.22) - 遠唔遠 (jyun5 m4 jyun5), "is it far": 嗰邊遠唔遠呀 (1.24); 可唔可以 (ho2 m4 ho2 ji5), "can": 可唔可以幫我留住 (1.28) - 唔 (m4) is "not" for verbs and adjectives, and 冇 (mou5) is "not have"
Final particles. A Cantonese sentence often ends with a small word that adds mood: 呀 (aa3) softens a question, 喇 (laa3) says the situation is new (1.19, 1.27), 㗎 (gaa3) says "you know" (1.20), 嘅 (ge3) closes a statement of fact (1.18). They have no English words, and they are glossed as PRT.
Common Mistakes: - Looking for "the" and "a" in every sentence. Cantonese has no article; use the classifier, 嗰 or the number. - Putting 嗰 before a noun with no classifier: 嗰書 is wrong. Say 嗰本書. - Using the wrong classifier: 一個狗 and 一個書 are wrong for a careful speaker. Say 一隻狗 and 一本書. - Confusing 嗰 (go2, "that") with 個 (go3, the classifier); the first has a rising tone and the second a level tone. - Saying 嗰 where an English speaker would only say "a": 我買咗嗰本書 is "I bought that book", not "I bought a book". - Leaving out 好 before a short adjective: 嗰本書貴 sounds like a contrast. Say 嗰本書好貴. - Putting the number after the noun, as in 書一本. The number comes before the classifier: 一本書.
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Cantonese is two things at the same time: a spoken language in which a very large number of people live their daily lives, and a written language with a different standing. Hong Kong writes its formal documents, newspapers and school textbooks in standard written Chinese, which follows the grammar of Mandarin: the headword's sentence 嗰本書好貴 is written 那本書很貴 there. Readers say it aloud in Cantonese, as 嗰本書好貴. Written Cantonese, with the characters of this lesson, is used in chat, comics, advertisements, song lyrics and the subtitles of films, wherever the writer wants the voice of speech.
Many of the characters of spoken Cantonese were made for it, and a large part of them carry the mouth radical 口, as 嗰, 呢, 嘅, 咗, 嚟 and 啲 do in this lesson. Hong Kong later added such characters to its own standard set for computers, the Hong Kong Supplementary Character Set. The same word may be written in more than one way in print: "yesterday" is 琴日 (kam4 jat6) in this lesson, and the spelling 尋日 (cam4 jat6) is also seen.
The pointing words of Cantonese are used all day. A shopkeeper says 嗰邊 (go2 bin1) when pointing at the other side of the street, and a friend says 嗰個 (go2 go3) of the person who was mentioned a minute ago. The courtesy of the lesson belongs to the classifiers: 位 (wai2) is used instead of 個 for a person who is respected, so a teacher, a guest or a customer is 嗰位, and 嗰個 is for a person of whom the speaker is not speaking so formally. The two ways of thanking are also kept apart. 唔該 (m4 goi1) is for a service, a favour or an excuse-me, as in 1.16, and 多謝 (do1 ze6) is for a gift or for help that was given (1.24, 1.30).
One feature of Hong Kong speech should be mentioned, though the lessons will not copy it. Many younger speakers say a word like 你 (nei5, "you") with an l-, as lei5, and this is felt to be a casual, relaxed pronunciation, which teachers call "lazy sound" (懶音). The Jyutping system and this course keep the older n-.
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《月光光》— "Moonlight, Bright" — a traditional Cantonese children's rhyme, author unknown
One of the best-known nursery rhymes of the Cantonese-speaking world. It exists in many versions, and the wording of the lines varies from one printing to another: 地堂 is also written 地塘, and 年卅晚 is also written 年三十晚. The four lines given here are the traditional opening, in the commonest forms. A song of 1958 built on the rhyme is a modern adaptation still in copyright, and it is not used. The passage is anonymous and traditional, and it is chosen because it is the Cantonese of the nursery, with no article in it at all.
月光光，照地堂。 年卅晚，摘檳榔。
F-A: Interlinear
F.1a 月光 moonlight 光 bright 照 shine 地堂 courtyard-floor
F.1b jyut6 gwong1 (yewt gwong) moonlight gwong1 (gwong) bright ziu3 (dziu) shine dei6 tong4 (day tong) courtyard-floor
F.2a 年卅 year-thirtieth 晚 night 摘 pluck 檳榔 areca-nut
F.2b nin4 saa1 (neen saa) year-thirtieth maan5 (mahn) night zaak6 (dzaak) pluck ban1 long4 (ban long) areca-nut
F-B: Original and Translation
月光光，照地堂。 / 年卅晚，摘檳榔。
"Moonlight, bright, shining on the courtyard floor. New Year's Eve, picking areca nuts." (Translation: Latinum Institute.)
F-C: Original
月光光，照地堂。 年卅晚，摘檳榔。
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
Look first at what the rhyme leaves out. 照地堂 (ziu3 dei6 tong4) is "shine-on the courtyard floor", and English must say "the" before "courtyard floor", but Cantonese says only 地堂, a noun with no classifier and no 嗰. The speaker has no need to point: there is one courtyard floor in the child's world, and the moon is shining on it. The same is true of 月光 (jyut6 gwong1), "moonlight", and of 檳榔 (ban1 long4), "areca nuts": they are bare nouns that name a kind, and the translator chooses the English article. This is what a bare noun does in Cantonese, as Section D says: it names, and it does not point.
月光光 (jyut6 gwong1 gwong1) is built on the doubling of an adjective: 光 (gwong1) is "bright", and the repeated 光 gives a vivid, nursery-rhyme brightness. 照 (ziu3) is "to shine on", and 地堂 (dei6 tong4) is the floor or the beaten-earth yard of a house, a word of the old Cantonese home. The second line names the night: 年卅晚 (nin4 saa1 maan5) is the night of the thirtieth, that is the last night of the lunar year, the eve of the New Year. 卅 is a single character for "thirty". 摘 (zaak6) is "to pluck", and 檳榔 (ban1 long4) is the areca nut.
The rhyme has the shape of Cantonese children's verse: each line falls into two halves of three syllables, and the rhyme -ong runs through 光 (gwong1), 堂 (tong4) and 榔 (long4). It was learnt by ear before it was read, and it is good to say aloud: the high level tone of 光 against the low falling tone of 堂 and 榔 is a first exercise in hearing tones.
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A short dialogue in a Hong Kong bookshop, composed for this lesson by the Latinum Institute (it is not a traditional text). The customer speaks the even-numbered lines (1.16, 1.18 and so on), and the shop assistant speaks the odd-numbered lines. The pointing word 嗰 is used throughout for the book, the shop and the street that both of them know.
1.16a 唔該 excuse-me 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 喺 at 邊度 where 呀 (PRT)
1.16b m4 goi1 (m goy) excuse-me go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book hai2 (hai) at bin1 dou6 (been doh) where aa3 (ah) PRT
1.17a 你 you 講 speak-of 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 呀 (PRT)
1.17b nei5 (nay) 2SG gong2 (gong) speak-of go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book aa3 (ah) PRT
1.18a 係 yes 呀 (PRT) 琴日 yesterday 我 I 睇 look-at 過 (ever) 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 嘅 of 封面 cover 係 is 藍色 blue 嘅 (PRT)
1.18b hai6 (hai) yes aa3 (ah) PRT kam4 jat6 (kam yat) yesterday ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG tai2 (tie) look-at gwo3 (gwaw) EXP go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book ge3 (geh) GEN fung1 min6 (foong meen) cover hai6 (hai) COP laam4 sik1 (lahm sik) blue ge3 (geh) PRT
1.19a 唔好意思 sorry 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 賣 sell 晒 all 喇 (PRT)
1.19b m4 hou2 ji3 si1 (m hoe yee see) sorry go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book maai6 (my) sell saai3 (sigh) ALL laa3 (lah) PRT
1.20a 真係 really 琴日 yesterday 嗰 that 啲 (PL) 書 book 仲 still 有 have 好幾 quite-a-few 本 (CL) 㗎 (PRT)
1.20b zan1 hai6 (dzan hai) really kam4 jat6 (kam yat) yesterday go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST di1 (dee) PL syu1 (sew) book zung6 (dzoong) still jau5 (yow) have hou2 gei2 (hoe gay) quite-a-few bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK gaa3 (gah) PRT
1.21a 琴日 yesterday 嗰 that 個 (CL) 女仔 girl 買 buy 咗 (done) 最後 last 嗰 that 兩 two 本 (CL)
1.21b kam4 jat6 (kam yat) yesterday go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON neoi5 zai2 (noy dzai) girl maai5 (my) buy zo2 (dzaw) PFV zeoi3 hau6 (dzoy how) last go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST loeng5 (lerng) two bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK
1.22a 咁呀 I-see 旺角 Mong-Kok 嗰 that 間 (CL) 分店 branch 有冇 have-or-not 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 呀 (PRT)
1.22b gam3 aa3 (gam ah) I-see wong6 gok3 (wong gawk) Mong-Kok go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST gaan1 (gahn) CL.SHOP fan1 dim3 (fan dim) branch jau5 mou5 (yow mow) have-or-not go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book aa3 (ah) PRT
1.23a 等 wait 一 one 等 wait 我 I 打 make 個 (CL) 電話 phone 問 ask 嗰 that 邊 side
1.23b dang2 (dang) wait jat1 (yat) one dang2 (dang) wait ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG daa2 (dah) make go3 (gaw) CL din6 waa2 (deen wah) phone man6 (man) ask go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bin1 (been) side
1.24a 多謝 thanks 嗰 that 邊 side 遠 far 唔 not 遠 far 呀 (PRT)
1.24b do1 ze6 (daw dzeh) thanks go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bin1 (been) side jyun5 (yewn) far m4 (m) NEG jyun5 (yewn) far aa3 (ah) PRT
1.25a 唔 not 遠 far 坐 sit 嗰 that 條 (CL) 線 line 兩 two 個 (CL) 站 stop 就 then 到 arrive
1.25b m4 (m) NEG jyun5 (yewn) far co5 (tsaw) take go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST tiu4 (tyoo) CL.LONG sin3 (seen) line loeng5 (lerng) two go3 (gaw) CL zaam6 (dzahm) stop zau6 (dzow) then dou3 (doh) arrive
1.26a 嗰 that 個 (CL) 地鐵站 MTR-station 喺 at 邊度 where 呀 (PRT)
1.26b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST go3 (gaw) CL dei6 tit3 zaam6 (day tit dzahm) MTR-station hai2 (hai) at bin1 dou6 (been doh) where aa3 (ah) PRT
1.27a 出 exit 咗 (done) 呢度 here 行 walk 過 cross 嗰 that 條 (CL) 馬路 road 就 then 係 is 喇 (PRT)
1.27b ceot1 (tsoyt) exit zo2 (dzaw) PFV ni1 dou6 (nee doh) here haang4 (hahng) walk gwo3 (gwaw) cross go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST tiu4 (tyoo) CL.LONG maa5 lou6 (mah low) road zau6 (dzow) then hai6 (hai) COP laa3 (lah) PRT
1.28a 嗰 that 邊 side 嘅 of 同事 colleague 可 can 唔 not 可以 may 幫 help 我 I 留 keep 住 (hold) 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 呀 (PRT)
1.28b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bin1 (been) side ge3 (geh) GEN tung4 si6 (toong see) colleague ho2 (haw) can m4 (m) NEG ho2 ji5 (haw yee) may bong1 (bong) help ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG lau4 (low) keep zyu6 (dzew) hold go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book aa3 (ah) PRT
1.29a 得 OK 我 I 同 to 嗰 that 位 (CL) 同事 colleague 講聲 let-know 佢 he-or-she 會 will 留低 keep-aside 畀 for 你 you
1.29b dak1 (dak) OK ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG tung4 (toong) to go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST wai2 (wai) CL.POLITE tung4 si6 (toong see) colleague gong2 sing1 (gong sing) let-know keoi5 (koy) 3SG wui5 (wooi) will lau4 dai1 (low die) keep-aside bei2 (bay) for nei5 (nay) 2SG
1.30a 好 good 多謝 thanks 你 you 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 我 I 一定 definitely 要 must 買 buy 到 (got)
1.30b hou2 (hoe) good do1 ze6 (daw dzeh) thanks nei5 (nay) 2SG go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG jat1 ding6 (yat ding) definitely jiu3 (yiu) must maai5 (my) buy dou2 (doh) RES
1.16 唔該，嗰本書喺邊度呀？ (m4 goi1, go2 bun2 syu1 hai2 bin1 dou6 aa3?) "Excuse me, where is that book?" 1.17 你講嗰本書呀？ (nei5 gong2 go2 bun2 syu1 aa3?) "The book you mean?" 1.18 係呀，琴日我睇過嗰本書，嗰本書嘅封面係藍色嘅。 (hai6 aa3, kam4 jat6 ngo5 tai2 gwo3 go2 bun2 syu1, go2 bun2 syu1 ge3 fung1 min6 hai6 laam4 sik1 ge3.) "Yes. Yesterday I looked at that book. The cover of the book is blue." 1.19 唔好意思，嗰本書賣晒喇。 (m4 hou2 ji3 si1, go2 bun2 syu1 maai6 saai3 laa3.) "Sorry, that book is sold out." 1.20 真係？琴日嗰啲書仲有好幾本㗎。 (zan1 hai6? kam4 jat6 go2 di1 syu1 zung6 jau5 hou2 gei2 bun2 gaa3.) "Really? Yesterday there were still quite a few copies." 1.21 琴日嗰個女仔買咗最後嗰兩本。 (kam4 jat6 go2 go3 neoi5 zai2 maai5 zo2 zeoi3 hau6 go2 loeng5 bun2.) "Yesterday that girl bought the last two." 1.22 咁呀。旺角嗰間分店有冇嗰本書呀？ (gam3 aa3. wong6 gok3 go2 gaan1 fan1 dim3 jau5 mou5 go2 bun2 syu1 aa3?) "I see. Does the Mong Kok branch have that book?" 1.23 等一等，我打個電話問嗰邊。 (dang2 jat1 dang2, ngo5 daa2 go3 din6 waa2 man6 go2 bin1.) "Wait a moment, I'll phone and ask over there." 1.24 多謝，嗰邊遠唔遠呀？ (do1 ze6, go2 bin1 jyun5 m4 jyun5 aa3?) "Thank you. Is it far over there?" 1.25 唔遠，坐嗰條線兩個站就到。 (m4 jyun5, co5 go2 tiu4 sin3 loeng5 go3 zaam6 zau6 dou3.) "Not far. Take that line and it is two stops." 1.26 嗰個地鐵站喺邊度呀？ (go2 go3 dei6 tit3 zaam6 hai2 bin1 dou6 aa3?) "Where is that MTR station?" 1.27 出咗呢度，行過嗰條馬路就係喇。 (ceot1 zo2 ni1 dou6, haang4 gwo3 go2 tiu4 maa5 lou6 zau6 hai6 laa3.) "Go out of here and cross that road, and there it is." 1.28 嗰邊嘅同事可唔可以幫我留住嗰本書呀？ (go2 bin1 ge3 tung4 si6 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 bong1 ngo5 lau4 zyu6 go2 bun2 syu1 aa3?) "Could the colleague over there keep that book for me?" 1.29 得，我同嗰位同事講聲，佢會留低畀你。 (dak1, ngo5 tung4 go2 wai2 tung4 si6 gong2 sing1, keoi5 wui5 lau4 dai1 bei2 nei5.) "All right, I'll tell that colleague, and they will put it aside for you." 1.30 好，多謝你，嗰本書我一定要買到。 (hou2, do1 ze6 nei5, go2 bun2 syu1 ngo5 jat1 ding6 jiu3 maai5 dou2.) "Good, thank you. I really must get that book."
1.16 唔該，嗰本書喺邊度呀？ 1.17 你講嗰本書呀？ 1.18 係呀，琴日我睇過嗰本書，嗰本書嘅封面係藍色嘅。 1.19 唔好意思，嗰本書賣晒喇。 1.20 真係？琴日嗰啲書仲有好幾本㗎。 1.21 琴日嗰個女仔買咗最後嗰兩本。 1.22 咁呀。旺角嗰間分店有冇嗰本書呀？ 1.23 等一等，我打個電話問嗰邊。 1.24 多謝，嗰邊遠唔遠呀？ 1.25 唔遠，坐嗰條線兩個站就到。 1.26 嗰個地鐵站喺邊度呀？ 1.27 出咗呢度，行過嗰條馬路就係喇。 1.28 嗰邊嘅同事可唔可以幫我留住嗰本書呀？ 1.29 得，我同嗰位同事講聲，佢會留低畀你。 1.30 好，多謝你，嗰本書我一定要買到。
嗰 as the shared "the" of a conversation. The two speakers never explain which book, shop or road they mean: 嗰本書 (1.16, 1.17, 1.19), 嗰間分店 (1.22), 嗰條線 (1.25), 嗰條馬路 (1.27). The first time the book appears (1.16) the customer already points at it with 嗰, and from then on both speakers use 嗰本書. English would say "that book", "the book" or "it", and the translations choose the one that fits.
The relative clause without 嘅 (1.17). 你講嗰本書 is "the book that you spoke of": the clause 你講 stands directly before 嗰本書. The pointing word does the work that 嘅 does in 1.12 and in the first half of the lesson. In speech this is the commoner pattern when the clause is short.
Time and place before 嗰 (1.20, 1.21, 1.22). A word of time or place may come before 嗰 and say which one: 琴日嗰啲書 (1.20, "yesterday's books"), 琴日嗰個女仔 (1.21), 旺角嗰間分店 (1.22). The structure is "time or place + 嗰 + classifier + noun", and no 嘅 is used.
The numeral after 嗰 (1.21). 最後嗰兩本 is "the last two": 嗰 then the number 兩 then the classifier 本. The noun 書 has been left out, because the book is already known.
Verb endings (1.18, 1.19, 1.21, 1.27, 1.30). 睇過 is "looked at (once)", 賣晒 "sold all", 買咗 "bought", 出咗 "went out of", 買到 "managed to buy". 行過嗰條馬路 (1.27) is "walk across the road", where 過 is the verb "to cross".
The questions (1.16, 1.22, 1.24, 1.26, 1.28). 邊度 asks "where". 有冇 asks "do they have it or not", and the answer is 有 or 冇. 遠唔遠 and 可唔可以 repeat the adjective or the modal with 唔 between: "far or not far", "can or cannot".
Polite words. 唔該 (1.16) opens a request and is "excuse me" or "please"; 多謝 (1.24, 1.30) is "thank you"; 唔好意思 (1.19) is "sorry" or "excuse me". 位 (1.29) is the polite classifier for the colleague.
講聲 (1.29). 講聲 is "say a word" or "let know", a verb and its object that are used together as one: 同嗰位同事講聲 is "tell that colleague". 留低 is "leave behind", "put aside": 留低畀你 is "keep it for you". In 1.28 留住 (lau4 zyu6) is "keep, hold on to" and adds 住, the marker of a state that goes on.
The pronoun 佢 (1.29). 佢 (keoi5) is "he", "she" or "it": Cantonese has one word for all three, so the translation has to choose.
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Reading the romanisation: the system is Jyutping, with the tone number at the end of each syllable. The six tones are 1 high level, 2 mid rising, 3 mid level, 4 low falling, 5 low rising and 6 low level. The respellings in brackets are for English readers and do not show tone. Jyutping letters: z is an unaspirated "dz", c an aspirated "ts", j is "y" in "yes", and aa is a long "ah", where a alone is short. The syllable m4 (唔) is a hum, with no vowel, and ng can begin a word, as in 我 ngo5.
嗰 (go2) — IPA: /kɔː˧˥/ — The "g" is unaspirated, like the "g" of "sky". The vowel is the long "aw" of "law" and the tone rises from the middle of the voice to near the top, as in an English question "Go?" 個 (go3) — IPA: /kɔː˧/ — The same sounds as 嗰, with a level mid tone. The pair 嗰個 (go2 go3) rises and then stays level. 呢 (ni1) — IPA: /niː˥/ — High and level. 書 (syu1) — IPA: /sy˥/ — The vowel is the "u" of French "tu", or German "ü": say "ee" with the lips rounded. 本 (bun2) — IPA: /pun˧˥/ — The "b" is unaspirated, like English "p" in "spin". The tone rises. 貴 (gwai3) — IPA: /kʷɐi˧/ — "gw" is a "g" with the lips rounded. The vowel is short, as in "bit" with an "i" after. 隻 (zek3) — IPA: /tsɛːk̚˧/ — The final k is a stop with no release. The syllable is short and sharp. 大 (daai6) — IPA: /taːi˨/ — A long "ah" and an "ee", close to English "dye". 條 (tiu4) — IPA: /tʰiːu˨˩/ — "tee-oo" in one syllable; the tone falls low. 河 (ho4) — IPA: /hɔː˨˩/ — The vowel is "aw", the tone is low and falling. 長 (coeng4) — IPA: /tsʰœːŋ˨˩/ — The vowel is the "ur" of "fur" said without the r, followed by "ng". The consonant is an aspirated "ts". 你 (nei5) — IPA: /nei˩˧/ — The tone is low and rises. Many speakers say lei5. 我 (ngo5) — IPA: /ŋɔː˩˧/ — The initial ng is the sound at the end of "sing". 係 (hai6) — IPA: /hɐi˨/ — A short vowel, as in "buy" cut short. 唔 (m4) — IPA: /m̩˨˩/ — A hum with the lips closed, low and falling. 冇 (mou5) — IPA: /mou˩˧/ — Like English "mo" with a low rising tone. 咗 (zo2) — IPA: /tsɔː˧˥/ — An unaspirated "dz" and the vowel of 嗰, with a rising tone. 喺 (hai2) — IPA: /hɐi˧˥/ — The same syllable as 係 (hai6) with a rising tone. 好 (hou2) — IPA: /hou˧˥/ — Like English "hoe", with a rising tone. 雨 (jyu5) — IPA: /jy˩˧/ — Begins with "y"; the vowel is the "ü" of 書. 細路 (sai3 lou6) — IPA: /sɐi˧ lou˨/ — The first syllable is short and mid, the second is "low" with a level low tone. 隔離 (gaak3 lei4) — IPA: /kaːk̚˧ lei˨˩/ — The final k is not released. 學校 (hok6 haau6) — IPA: /hɔk̚˨ haːu˨/ — Two level low syllables, the first with a closed k. 封面 (fung1 min6) — IPA: /fʊŋ˥ miːn˨/ — The vowel of the first syllable is short, as in "book". 月 (jyut6) — IPA: /jyːt̚˨/ — Begins with "y", the vowel is the "ü" of 書, and the final t is a closed stop. 光 (gwong1) — IPA: /kʷɔːŋ˥/ — A rounded "gw", the vowel of 嗰, and "ng" at the end. The tone is high and level. 地堂 (dei6 tong4) — IPA: /tei˨ tʰɔːŋ˨˩/ — The "d" is unaspirated; the "t" of tong4 has a puff of air. 檳榔 (ban1 long4) — IPA: /pɐn˥ lɔːŋ˨˩/ — Two syllables. The first has a short vowel, the second ends in "ng".
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