For autodidact students of Cantonese, the first thing to know about "be" is that English uses one verb for several quite different jobs, and Cantonese gives most of them to different words. English says "She is a teacher", "She is tall", "She is in London", "There is a book on the table" and "She is reading" with the same "is". Cantonese says the first with 係 (hai6), the second with no verb at all, the third with 喺 (hai2), the fourth with 有 (jau5), and the fifth with a small marker after the verb.
The word of this lesson, 係 (hai6), is the equating verb. It joins two nouns and says that the first one is the second, or belongs to the class of the second: 我係學生 (ngo5 hai6 hok6 saang1) is "I am a student", and 佢係老師 (keoi5 hai6 lou5 si1) is "she is a teacher" or "he is a teacher". Like every Cantonese verb it never changes its form. "Am", "is", "are", "was" and "were" are all 係. Time comes from a word such as 琴日 (kam4 jat6), "yesterday", and not from the verb: 琴日係星期日 (kam4 jat6 hai6 sing1 kei4 jat6) is "yesterday was Sunday".
The negative is 唔係 (m4 hai6), "is not". A question is made with 係咪 (hai6 mai6), or with the longer 係唔係 (hai6 m4 hai6), "is it so or is it not so?" Cantonese has no everyday word for "yes" or "no". It answers a question by repeating the verb: 係 (hai6) means "yes, it is", and 唔係 (m4 hai6) means "no, it is not".
Where English says "She is tall", Cantonese leaves out the verb: 佢好高 (keoi5 hou2 gou1), "she is very tall". The adjective is itself the predicate, as in the first lesson's 嗰本書好貴. Putting 係 before an adjective is possible, but it then adds stress or a contrast: 係 means "it really is", and a "but" usually follows. For this reason 係 is the verb for nouns, and a learner who puts it before every adjective will sound like someone who is arguing.
The other two "be" words are easily mixed up with 係 because they sound alike or are used in the same sentences. 喺 (hai2) has a rising tone and means "to be at": 佢而家喺英國 (keoi5 ji4 gaa1 hai2 jing1 gwok3) is "she is in Britain now". 有 (jau5) means "there is" or "to have", and its negative is 冇 (mou5): 上面有一本書 (soeng6 min6 jau5 jat1 bun2 syu1) is "there is a book on top". A good rule is: 係 says what something is, 喺 says where it is, and 有 says that it is there.
係 also makes some of the commonest small words of the language: 但係 (daan6 hai6) "but", 即係 (zik1 hai6) "that is to say", 真係 (zan1 hai6) "really", and 就係 (zau6 hai6) "is exactly".
Script note: 係 is an old character, which also means "to tie" or "to connect", and which Cantonese uses for the everyday word "be". Standard written Chinese writes "is" as 是 (si6 in Cantonese, shì in Mandarin), and it writes "is not" as 不是 where Cantonese says 唔係. Written Cantonese, as on a phone screen, uses 係. Do not confuse the character 係 (hai6, "be") with 喺 (hai2, "at"): the characters differ, the tones differ, and the two words do different work. The respelling in brackets is for English readers and does not show the tone. 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.
Key Takeaways: - 係 (hai6) joins two nouns: "X is Y". It does not change for person or tense - Time is shown by a time word such as 琴日 (yesterday) and 今日 (today), and never by 係 itself - The negative is 唔係 (m4 hai6); the questions are 係咪 (hai6 mai6) and 係唔係 (hai6 m4 hai6) - The answer is the verb: 係 for "yes", 唔係 for "no" - An adjective needs no 係: 佢好高 "she is tall". 係 before an adjective means "it really is (but...)" - 喺 (hai2) is "to be at", with a rising tone; 有 (jau5) is "there is", with the negative 冇 (mou5) - 係...嘅 (hai6 ... ge3) stresses one part of a sentence: 係我買嘅 "it was I who bought it" - Common words made with 係: 但係 (but), 即係 (that is), 真係 (really), 就係 (is exactly)
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2.1a 我 I 係 am 學生 student
2.1b ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG hai6 (hai) COP hok6 saang1 (hawk saang) student
2.2a 佢 he-or-she 係 is 老師 teacher
2.2b keoi5 (koy) 3SG hai6 (hai) COP lou5 si1 (low see) teacher
2.3a 你 you 係 are 香港 Hong-Kong 人 person
2.3b nei5 (nay) 2SG hai6 (hai) COP hoeng1 gong2 (hurng gong) Hong-Kong jan4 (yan) person
2.4a 佢 he-or-she 唔 not 係 is 醫生 doctor
2.4b keoi5 (koy) 3SG m4 (m) NEG hai6 (hai) COP ji1 sang1 (yee sang) doctor
2.5a 呢 this 個 (CL) 係 is 我 my 朋友 friend
2.5b ni1 (nee) DEM.PROX go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON hai6 (hai) COP ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG pang4 jau5 (pahng yow) friend
2.6a 嗰 that 個 (CL) 唔 not 係 is 我 my 老師 teacher
2.6b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON m4 (m) NEG hai6 (hai) COP ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG lou5 si1 (low see) teacher
2.7a 你 you 係 are 唔 not 係 are 學生 student 呀 (PRT)
2.7b nei5 (nay) 2SG hai6 (hai) COP m4 (m) NEG hai6 (hai) COP hok6 saang1 (hawk saang) student aa3 (ah) PRT
2.8a 係 yes 我 I 係 am 學生 student
2.8b hai6 (hai) yes ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG hai6 (hai) COP hok6 saang1 (hawk saang) student
2.9a 今日 today 係 is 星期一 Monday
2.9b gam1 jat6 (gam yat) today hai6 (hai) COP sing1 kei4 jat1 (sing kay yat) Monday
2.10a 琴日 yesterday 係 was 星期日 Sunday
2.10b kam4 jat6 (kam yat) yesterday hai6 (hai) COP sing1 kei4 jat6 (sing kay yat) Sunday
2.11a 我哋 we 係 are 同事 colleague
2.11b ngo5 dei6 (ngaw day) 1PL hai6 (hai) COP tung4 si6 (toong see) colleague
2.12a 佢哋 they 唔 not 係 are 香港 Hong-Kong 人 person 佢哋 they 係 are 英國 Britain 人 person
2.12b keoi5 dei6 (koy day) 3PL m4 (m) NEG hai6 (hai) COP hoeng1 gong2 (hurng gong) Hong-Kong jan4 (yan) person keoi5 dei6 (koy day) 3PL hai6 (hai) COP jing1 gwok3 (jing gwawk) Britain jan4 (yan) person
2.13a 我哋 we 嘅 of 老師 teacher 係 is 香港 Hong-Kong 人 person 但係 but 佢 he-or-she 而家 now 喺 at 英國 Britain
2.13b ngo5 dei6 (ngaw day) 1PL ge3 (geh) GEN lou5 si1 (low see) teacher hai6 (hai) COP hoeng1 gong2 (hurng gong) Hong-Kong jan4 (yan) person daan6 hai6 (dahn hai) but keoi5 (koy) 3SG ji4 gaa1 (yee gah) now hai2 (hai) at jing1 gwok3 (jing gwawk) Britain
2.14a 係 it-is 我 I 買 buy 咗 (done) 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book
2.14b hai6 (hai) COP.FOC ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG maai5 (my) buy zo2 (dzaw) PFV go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book
2.15a 嗰 that 本 (CL) 書 book 唔 not 係 is 我 I 買 buy 嘅 (PRT) 係 is 佢 he-or-she 送 give-as-gift 畀 to 我 me 嘅 (PRT)
2.15b go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book m4 (m) NEG hai6 (hai) COP ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG maai5 (my) buy ge3 (geh) PRT hai6 (hai) COP keoi5 (koy) 3SG sung3 (soong) give-as-gift bei2 (bay) to ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG ge3 (geh) PRT
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2.1 我係學生。 (ngo5 hai6 hok6 saang1.) "I am a student." 2.2 佢係老師。 (keoi5 hai6 lou5 si1.) "She is a teacher." 2.3 你係香港人。 (nei5 hai6 hoeng1 gong2 jan4.) "You are a Hongkonger." 2.4 佢唔係醫生。 (keoi5 m4 hai6 ji1 sang1.) "He is not a doctor." 2.5 呢個係我朋友。 (ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 pang4 jau5.) "This is my friend." 2.6 嗰個唔係我老師。 (go2 go3 m4 hai6 ngo5 lou5 si1.) "That person is not my teacher." 2.7 你係唔係學生呀？ (nei5 hai6 m4 hai6 hok6 saang1 aa3?) "Are you a student?" 2.8 係，我係學生。 (hai6, ngo5 hai6 hok6 saang1.) "Yes, I am a student." 2.9 今日係星期一。 (gam1 jat6 hai6 sing1 kei4 jat1.) "Today is Monday." 2.10 琴日係星期日。 (kam4 jat6 hai6 sing1 kei4 jat6.) "Yesterday was Sunday." 2.11 我哋係同事。 (ngo5 dei6 hai6 tung4 si6.) "We are colleagues." 2.12 佢哋唔係香港人，佢哋係英國人。 (keoi5 dei6 m4 hai6 hoeng1 gong2 jan4, keoi5 dei6 hai6 jing1 gwok3 jan4.) "They are not Hongkongers; they are British." 2.13 我哋嘅老師係香港人，但係佢而家喺英國。 (ngo5 dei6 ge3 lou5 si1 hai6 hoeng1 gong2 jan4, daan6 hai6 keoi5 ji4 gaa1 hai2 jing1 gwok3.) "Our teacher is a Hongkonger, but is in Britain now." 2.14 係我買咗嗰本書。 (hai6 ngo5 maai5 zo2 go2 bun2 syu1.) "It was I who bought that book." 2.15 嗰本書唔係我買嘅，係佢送畀我嘅。 (go2 bun2 syu1 m4 hai6 ngo5 maai5 ge3, hai6 keoi5 sung3 bei2 ngo5 ge3.) "I did not buy that book; it was given to me by him or her."
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2.1 我係學生。 2.2 佢係老師。 2.3 你係香港人。 2.4 佢唔係醫生。 2.5 呢個係我朋友。 2.6 嗰個唔係我老師。 2.7 你係唔係學生呀？ 2.8 係，我係學生。 2.9 今日係星期一。 2.10 琴日係星期日。 2.11 我哋係同事。 2.12 佢哋唔係香港人，佢哋係英國人。 2.13 我哋嘅老師係香港人，但係佢而家喺英國。 2.14 係我買咗嗰本書。 2.15 嗰本書唔係我買嘅，係佢送畀我嘅。
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These are the grammar rules for expressing "be" in Cantonese.
係 (hai6) joins two nouns. The pattern is: first noun + 係 + second noun. It says that the first is the second, or one of the second: 我係學生 (2.1), 佢係老師 (2.2), 我哋係同事 (2.11). The second noun is bare. Cantonese has no word for "a", so 係學生 is "am a student" with nothing in between. Where the noun needs a classifier, the classifier comes with it: 呢個係我朋友 (2.5), "this one is my friend". - 係 never changes for person or number: 我係 (I am), 你係 (you are), 佢哋係 (they are, 2.12) - 係 never changes for time: 今日係星期一 (2.9, "today is Monday") and 琴日係星期日 (2.10, "yesterday was Sunday") have the same verb. The time word shows when - 係 does not take 咗: to say that something was so in the past, add a time word, such as 以前 (ji5 cin4, "before"): 我以前係學生 (ngo5 ji5 cin4 hai6 hok6 saang1), "I used to be a student". This is an extra sentence and not one of the thirty
The negative is 唔係 (m4 hai6). 唔 (m4) comes before the verb: 佢唔係醫生 (2.4), 嗰個唔係我老師 (2.6), 佢哋唔係香港人 (2.12). The negative of 係 is 唔係, and it is never 冇係. 冇 (mou5) is the negative of 有 only.
Questions: 係咪 and 係唔係. The short form is 係咪 (hai6 mai6), and the long form is 係唔係 (hai6 m4 hai6), "is it so or is it not so?" (2.7). The question word stands between the subject and the predicate: 你係唔係學生呀 (2.7), 洗手間係唔係喺嗰邊呀 (2.22), 公司嘅咖啡係咪免費呀 (2.24). The particle 呀 (aa3) softens the question. - The answer repeats the verb: 係 for "yes" (2.8, 2.20), 唔係 for "no" (2.23, 2.25). 係 is also the word for "that is right" when someone agrees with you - There is no separate word for "yes" or "no"; a bare 唔 is not used as "no"
No 係 before an ordinary adjective. English says "she is tall", and Cantonese says 佢好高, with 好 (hou2) as the degree word and no verb. The first lesson's 嗰本書好貴 and 嗰條河好長 are the same. When 係 is placed before an adjective it stresses it or sets up a contrast, as in a dictionary sentence: 我係識做，不過我唔會幫手㗎 (ngo5 hai6 sik1 zou6, bat1 gwo3 ngo5 m4 wui5 bong1 sau2 gaa3), "I do know how to do it, but I'm not going to help".
係...嘅 stresses one part of the sentence. Put 係 before the part to be stressed, and 嘅 (ge3) at the end. 係我買咗嗰本書 (2.14) stresses who: "it was I who bought it". 嗰本書唔係我買嘅，係佢送畀我嘅 (2.15) has two of them: "it was not I who bought it; it was he or she who gave it to me". The first part of 2.15 is a negative of the same pattern: 唔係...嘅. The verb 買 (maai5) has no tense, and the past meaning is only in the pattern.
Three "be" words: 係, 喺, 有. - 係 (hai6), low level tone: what something is. 我哋嘅老師係香港人 (2.13) - 喺 (hai2), mid rising tone: where something is. 佢而家喺英國 (2.13), 喺嗰邊 (2.22). The negative is 唔喺 (m4 hai2) - 有 (jau5): there is, or to have. 上面有一本書 (2.21). The negative is 冇 (mou5) The three are close, but they are not interchangeable. 佢喺英國 means "she is in Britain", and 佢係英國 would mean "she is Britain", which is not what anyone intends. A sentence about a person's nationality takes 係 and 人: 佢係英國人 (2.12).
"Is doing" is not 係. The idea "she is eating" is shown by a marker after the verb, 緊 (gan2): 佢食緊飯 (keoi5 sik6 gan2 faan6), "she is eating (rice, a meal)". This is again an extra sentence, and it is here only to show that English "is" has more than one job.
Word order with 係. A word such as 都 (dou1, "also") stands before 係, and before 唔係 too: 後來佢哋都係好朋友 (2.30). The possessor takes 嘅, and 係你嘅 (2.21) is "is yours", where 嘅 stands in for the thing owned. Everything that describes a noun comes before it: 公司最叻嘅人 (2.27), "the cleverest person in the company".
Compounds with 係. 但係 (daan6 hai6) is "but" (2.13), 即係 (zik1 hai6) "that is to say", 真係 (zan1 hai6) "really", 就係 (zau6 hai6) "is exactly". In writing they are made with 係; formal written Chinese has 但是 and the like.
Common Mistakes: - Putting 係 before every adjective: 佢係高. Say 佢好高 - Using 係 for a place: 我係屋企 is wrong for "I am at home". Say 我喺屋企 (ngo5 hai2 uk1 kei2) - Mixing 係 (hai6) and 喺 (hai2): the characters, the tones and the work are different - Saying 冇係 for "is not": say 唔係 - Answering "你係唔係學生呀？" with 唔 or "yes" in English style: answer 係 or 唔係 - Adding 咗 to 係 to mean "was": 琴日係咗星期日 is wrong. Say 琴日係星期日 - Leaving out the classifier after 呢 or 嗰: 呢係我朋友 is wrong. Say 呢個係我朋友
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"Be" is the word with which Cantonese speakers say who they are, and the first thing a learner will say is 我係... (ngo5 hai6...), "I am...". On the telephone, a Hong Kong speaker answers the question 邊位呀？ (bin1 wai2 aa3, "who is it?") with 我係阿明 (ngo5 hai6 aa3 ming4), "this is Ah Ming". Introductions use the same word: 你好，我係阿欣 (nei5 hou2, ngo5 hai6 aa3 jan1), "hello, I am Ah Yan". The prefix 阿 (aa3) stands before a short name or a syllable of it, and it is friendly and informal.
The spoken and the written language use different words. In formal Hong Kong writing, "is" is 是 and "is not" is 不是, as in standard written Chinese, and in speech the same sentence is said with 係 and 唔係. The character 是 is read si6 in Cantonese, and the sound is kept in some written-style words. Written Cantonese, in chat, comics and lyrics, uses 係 because the writer wants the voice of speech. A learner should therefore expect to see both: 係 in a message from a friend, and 是 in a letter from a bank.
Cantonese does not say "yes" and "no" the way English does. A speaker who is asked 你係唔係學生呀？ says 係 or 唔係, and a speaker who is asked 你有冇書呀？ says 有 or 冇. 係咪 (hai6 mai6) is also used at the end of a sentence like a tag: 今日好熱，係咪呀？ (gam1 jat6 hou2 jit6, hai6 mai6 aa3?), "it's hot today, isn't it?" It expects the answer 係呀 (hai6 aa3), "yes, it is". The reply 係喇 (hai6 laa3) is a warmer "that's right". A speaker who disagrees says 唔係 first, and then gives the correction, as the manager does in 2.23.
The last point is about courtesy, as in the first lesson. When a person is introduced to a colleague, a newcomer says 請多多指教 (cing2 do1 do1 zi2 gaau3, 2.29), a set phrase which is something like "please give me your guidance" and which is the polite formula of a new working relationship.
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《賣懶》— "Selling Laziness" — a traditional Cantonese children's rhyme, author unknown
The rhyme belongs to a New Year's Eve custom of Guangdong, called 賣懶 (maai6 laan5), "selling laziness", in which children went out on the last night of the lunar year and "sold" their laziness, in the hope of being hard-working in the year to come. It exists in more than one version, and the wording varies from one printing to another: another version begins 賣懶去，買精歸. The version given here is the shorter and better known one, and it is anonymous and traditional. It is chosen for this lesson because it uses no 係 at all, and it shows the Cantonese sentences in which English would say "be": the adjective stands alone.
賣懶，賣懶，賣到年卅晚，人懶我唔懶。
F-A: Interlinear
F.1a 賣 sell 懶 laziness 賣 sell 懶 laziness 賣 sell 到 until 年卅 year-thirtieth 晚 night
F.1b maai6 (my) sell laan5 (lahn) laziness maai6 (my) sell laan5 (lahn) laziness maai6 (my) sell dou3 (doh) until nin4 saa1 (neen saa) year-thirtieth maan5 (mahn) night
F.2a 人 person 懶 lazy 我 I 唔 not 懶 lazy
F.2b jan4 (yan) person laan5 (lahn) lazy ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG m4 (m) NEG laan5 (lahn) lazy
F-B: Original and Translation
賣懶，賣懶，賣到年卅晚， / 人懶我唔懶。
"Sell laziness, sell laziness, sell it till New Year's Eve: other people are lazy, I am not lazy." (Translation: Latinum Institute.)
F-C: Original
賣懶，賣懶，賣到年卅晚， 人懶我唔懶。
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
Look first at what the rhyme leaves out. 人懶 (jan4 laan5) is "people are lazy", and English must add "are". Cantonese puts the adjective 懶 (laan5) straight after its subject, and there is no 係. The second half, 我唔懶 (ngo5 m4 laan5), is "I am not lazy", and again the verb is missing: the negative 唔 (m4) stands directly before the adjective, and it is not 唔係. This is the rule of Section D at work: 係 joins nouns, and an adjective carries its own meaning of "be". A 係 put before 懶 would stress the adjective, as Section D says, and would make a different and heavier line.
The line is built on a contrast, 人懶 against 我唔懶, which is "they, lazy; I, not lazy". The word 懶 occurs three times in the rhyme: as the thing sold (賣懶), as the quality of others (人懶), and as the quality which the child does not have (唔懶). The two lines rhyme on 晚 (maan5) and 懶 (laan5), which share the vowel, the final -aan and the low rising tone.
The first half of the rhyme is a street-cry. 賣 (maai6) is "sell", and 賣到 (maai6 dou3) is "sell until", with 到 (dou3) marking the end point. The end point is 年卅晚 (nin4 saa1 maan5), "the thirtieth night of the year", which is the same phrase as in the rhyme 月光光 of the first lesson. The language of the custom is that of a market, with a seller and a deadline.
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A short narrative set in a Hong Kong office, composed for this lesson by the Latinum Institute (it is not a traditional text). It tells how a newcomer, Ah Yan, spends her first day. The words of the manager and of Ah Yan are marked as speech in Part B, and every sentence has 係 in it.
2.16a 琴日 yesterday 係 was 星期一 Monday 我哋 our 公司 company 嚟 come 咗 (done) 個 (CL) 新 new 同事 colleague
2.16b kam4 jat6 (kam yat) yesterday hai6 (hai) COP sing1 kei4 jat1 (sing kay yat) Monday ngo5 dei6 (ngaw day) 1PL gung1 si1 (goong see) company lai4 (lai) come zo2 (dzaw) PFV go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON san1 (san) new tung4 si6 (toong see) colleague
2.17a 佢 he-or-she 係 is 個 (CL) 女仔 girl 叫 be-called 阿欣 Ah-Yan
2.17b keoi5 (koy) 3SG hai6 (hai) COP go3 (gaw) CL.PERSON neoi5 zai2 (noy dzai) girl giu3 (giu) be-called aa3 jan1 (ah yan) Ah-Yan
2.18a 阿欣 Ah-Yan 唔 not 係 is 香港 Hong-Kong 人 person 佢 she 係 is 廣州 Guangzhou 人 person
2.18b aa3 jan1 (ah yan) Ah-Yan m4 (m) NEG hai6 (hai) COP hoeng1 gong2 (hurng gong) Hong-Kong jan4 (yan) person keoi5 (koy) 3SG hai6 (hai) COP gwong2 zau1 (gwong jow) Guangzhou jan4 (yan) person
2.19a 經理 manager 問 ask 佢 her 你 you 係咪 is-it-so 第一 first 日 day 返工 go-to-work 呀 (PRT)
2.19b ging1 lei5 (ging lay) manager man6 (man) ask keoi5 (koy) 3SG nei5 (nay) 2SG hai6 mai6 (hai my) COP.Q dai6 jat1 (dai yat) first jat6 (yat) day faan1 gung1 (fan goong) go-to-work aa3 (ah) PRT
2.20a 阿欣 Ah-Yan 話 say 係 yes 我 I 係 am 新人 newcomer
2.20b aa3 jan1 (ah yan) Ah-Yan waa6 (wah) say hai6 (hai) yes ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG hai6 (hai) COP san1 jan4 (san yan) newcomer
2.21a 經理 manager 話 say 歡迎 welcome 你 you 嗰 that 張 (CL) 枱 table 係 is 你 you 嘅 (one-of) 上面 top 有 there-is 一 one 本 (CL) 書 book
2.21b ging1 lei5 (ging lay) manager waa6 (wah) say fun1 jing4 (foon ying) welcome nei5 (nay) 2SG go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST zoeng1 (dzurng) CL.FLAT toi2 (toy) table hai6 (hai) COP nei5 (nay) 2SG ge3 (geh) GEN soeng6 min6 (surng meen) top jau5 (yow) EXIST jat1 (yat) one bun2 (boon) CL.BOOK syu1 (sew) book
2.22a 阿欣 Ah-Yan 問 ask 洗手間 washroom 係 is 唔 not 係 is 喺 at 嗰 that 邊 side 呀 (PRT)
2.22b aa3 jan1 (ah yan) Ah-Yan man6 (man) ask sai2 sau2 gaan1 (sigh sow gahn) washroom hai6 (hai) COP m4 (m) NEG hai6 (hai) COP hai2 (hai) at go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bin1 (been) side aa3 (ah) PRT
2.23a 經理 manager 話 say 唔 not 係 is 嗰 that 邊 side 係 is 呢 this 邊 side
2.23b ging1 lei5 (ging lay) manager waa6 (wah) say m4 (m) NEG hai6 (hai) COP go2 (gaw) DEM.DIST bin1 (been) side hai6 (hai) COP ni1 (nee) DEM.PROX bin1 (been) side
2.24a 阿欣 Ah-Yan 再 again 問 ask 公司 company 嘅 of 咖啡 coffee 係咪 is-it-so 免費 free 呀 (PRT)
2.24b aa3 jan1 (ah yan) Ah-Yan zoi3 (dzoy) again man6 (man) ask gung1 si1 (goong see) company ge3 (geh) GEN gaa3 fe1 (gah feh) coffee hai6 mai6 (hai my) COP.Q min5 fai3 (meen fai) free aa3 (ah) PRT
2.25a 經理 manager 話 say 唔 not 係 is 不過 but 茶 tea 係 is 免費 free 嘅 (PRT)
2.25b ging1 lei5 (ging lay) manager waa6 (wah) say m4 (m) NEG hai6 (hai) COP bat1 gwo3 (bat gwaw) but caa4 (tsah) tea hai6 (hai) COP min5 fai3 (meen fai) free ge3 (geh) PRT
2.26a 阿欣 Ah-Yan 笑 smile 咗 (done) 呢 this 間 (CL) 公司 company 係 is 個 (CL) 好 good 地方 place
2.26b aa3 jan1 (ah yan) Ah-Yan siu3 (siu) smile zo2 (dzaw) PFV ni1 (nee) DEM.PROX gaan1 (gahn) CL.SHOP gung1 si1 (goong see) company hai6 (hai) COP go3 (gaw) CL hou2 (hoe) good dei6 fong1 (day fong) place
2.27a 經理 manager 話 say 阿明 Ah-Ming 係 is 你 you 隔離 next-door 嘅 of 同事 colleague 佢 he-or-she 係 is 公司 company 最 most 叻 clever 嘅 (which) 人 person
2.27b ging1 lei5 (ging lay) manager waa6 (wah) say aa3 ming4 (ah ming) Ah-Ming hai6 (hai) COP nei5 (nay) 2SG gaak3 lei4 (gaak lay) next-door ge3 (geh) GEN tung4 si6 (toong see) colleague keoi5 (koy) 3SG hai6 (hai) COP gung1 si1 (goong see) company zeoi3 (dzoy) most lek1 (lek) clever ge3 (geh) REL jan4 (yan) person
2.28a 阿明 Ah-Ming 企 stand 起身 get-up 我 I 係 am 阿明 Ah-Ming 歡迎 welcome 你 you
2.28b aa3 ming4 (ah ming) Ah-Ming kei5 (kay) stand hei2 san1 (hay san) get-up ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG hai6 (hai) COP aa3 ming4 (ah ming) Ah-Ming fun1 jing4 (foon ying) welcome nei5 (nay) 2SG
2.29a 阿欣 Ah-Yan 話 say 你好 hello 我 I 係 am 阿欣 Ah-Yan 請多多指教 please-advise-me
2.29b aa3 jan1 (ah yan) Ah-Yan waa6 (wah) say nei5 hou2 (nay hoe) hello ngo5 (ngaw) 1SG hai6 (hai) COP aa3 jan1 (ah yan) Ah-Yan cing2 do1 do1 zi2 gaau3 (ching daw daw dzee gow) please-advise-me
2.30a 佢哋 they 係 are 同事 colleague 後來 later 佢哋 they 都 also 係 are 好 good 朋友 friend
2.30b keoi5 dei6 (koy day) 3PL hai6 (hai) COP tung4 si6 (toong see) colleague hau6 loi4 (how loy) later keoi5 dei6 (koy day) 3PL dou1 (doh) also hai6 (hai) COP hou2 (hoe) good pang4 jau5 (pahng yow) friend
2.16 琴日係星期一，我哋公司嚟咗個新同事。 (kam4 jat6 hai6 sing1 kei4 jat1, ngo5 dei6 gung1 si1 lai4 zo2 go3 san1 tung4 si6.) "Yesterday was Monday, and a new colleague came to our company." 2.17 佢係個女仔，叫阿欣。 (keoi5 hai6 go3 neoi5 zai2, giu3 aa3 jan1.) "She is a young woman called Ah Yan." 2.18 阿欣唔係香港人，佢係廣州人。 (aa3 jan1 m4 hai6 hoeng1 gong2 jan4, keoi5 hai6 gwong2 zau1 jan4.) "Ah Yan is not a Hongkonger; she is from Guangzhou." 2.19 經理問佢：「你係咪第一日返工呀？」 (ging1 lei5 man6 keoi5: "nei5 hai6 mai6 dai6 jat1 jat6 faan1 gung1 aa3?") The manager asked her, "Is it your first day at work?" 2.20 阿欣話：「係，我係新人。」 (aa3 jan1 waa6: "hai6, ngo5 hai6 san1 jan4.") Ah Yan said, "Yes, I am new." 2.21 經理話：「歡迎你，嗰張枱係你嘅，上面有一本書。」 (ging1 lei5 waa6: "fun1 jing4 nei5, go2 zoeng1 toi2 hai6 nei5 ge3, soeng6 min6 jau5 jat1 bun2 syu1.") The manager said, "Welcome. That table is yours, and there is a book on it." 2.22 阿欣問：「洗手間係唔係喺嗰邊呀？」 (aa3 jan1 man6: "sai2 sau2 gaan1 hai6 m4 hai6 hai2 go2 bin1 aa3?") Ah Yan asked, "Is the washroom over there?" 2.23 經理話：「唔係嗰邊，係呢邊。」 (ging1 lei5 waa6: "m4 hai6 go2 bin1, hai6 ni1 bin1.") The manager said, "Not over there, over here." 2.24 阿欣再問：「公司嘅咖啡係咪免費呀？」 (aa3 jan1 zoi3 man6: "gung1 si1 ge3 gaa3 fe1 hai6 mai6 min5 fai3 aa3?") Ah Yan asked again, "Is the company's coffee free?" 2.25 經理話：「唔係，不過茶係免費嘅。」 (ging1 lei5 waa6: "m4 hai6, bat1 gwo3 caa4 hai6 min5 fai3 ge3.") The manager said, "No, but the tea is free." 2.26 阿欣笑咗：「呢間公司係個好地方。」 (aa3 jan1 siu3 zo2: "ni1 gaan1 gung1 si1 hai6 go3 hou2 dei6 fong1.") Ah Yan smiled, "This company is a good place." 2.27 經理話：「阿明係你隔離嘅同事，佢係公司最叻嘅人。」 (ging1 lei5 waa6: "aa3 ming4 hai6 nei5 gaak3 lei4 ge3 tung4 si6, keoi5 hai6 gung1 si1 zeoi3 lek1 ge3 jan4.") The manager said, "Ah Ming is the colleague next to you, the cleverest person in the company." 2.28 阿明企起身：「我係阿明，歡迎你！」 (aa3 ming4 kei5 hei2 san1: "ngo5 hai6 aa3 ming4, fun1 jing4 nei5!") Ah Ming stood up, "I am Ah Ming. Welcome!" 2.29 阿欣話：「你好，我係阿欣，請多多指教。」 (aa3 jan1 waa6: "nei5 hou2, ngo5 hai6 aa3 jan1, cing2 do1 do1 zi2 gaau3.") Ah Yan said, "Hello, I am Ah Yan. I look forward to your guidance." 2.30 佢哋係同事，後來佢哋都係好朋友。 (keoi5 dei6 hai6 tung4 si6, hau6 loi4 keoi5 dei6 dou1 hai6 hou2 pang4 jau5.) "They were colleagues, and later they were good friends too."
2.16 琴日係星期一，我哋公司嚟咗個新同事。 2.17 佢係個女仔，叫阿欣。 2.18 阿欣唔係香港人，佢係廣州人。 2.19 經理問佢：「你係咪第一日返工呀？」 2.20 阿欣話：「係，我係新人。」 2.21 經理話：「歡迎你，嗰張枱係你嘅，上面有一本書。」 2.22 阿欣問：「洗手間係唔係喺嗰邊呀？」 2.23 經理話：「唔係嗰邊，係呢邊。」 2.24 阿欣再問：「公司嘅咖啡係咪免費呀？」 2.25 經理話：「唔係，不過茶係免費嘅。」 2.26 阿欣笑咗：「呢間公司係個好地方。」 2.27 經理話：「阿明係你隔離嘅同事，佢係公司最叻嘅人。」 2.28 阿明企起身：「我係阿明，歡迎你！」 2.29 阿欣話：「你好，我係阿欣，請多多指教。」 2.30 佢哋係同事，後來佢哋都係好朋友。
Questions and answers in a row (2.19 to 2.25). The narrative has three questions with 係: 係咪 (2.19, 2.24) and 係唔係 (2.22). Each is answered with the verb. 2.20 answers 2.19 with 係, and 2.23 and 2.25 answer 2.22 and 2.24 with 唔係. Nobody says "yes" or "no". In 2.23 the manager's answer has two halves: 唔係嗰邊 corrects the question, and 係呢邊 gives the right answer.
係 with 喺 (2.22). 洗手間係唔係喺嗰邊呀 has both words: 係唔係 asks about the whole sentence, and 喺嗰邊 (hai2 go2 bin1) is the place. The tones tell them apart, 係 low level and 喺 mid rising. 係...嘅 as "yours" (2.21). 嗰張枱係你嘅 is "that table is yours". The 嘅 (ge3) after 你 stands for the table, and 係你嘅 means "is of you", that is, "is yours". Compare 2.15, where 嘅 closes a stressed clause.
有 (2.21). 上面有一本書 is "on top there is a book". The place word comes first, then 有, then the thing, which is new: 一本書, "a book". The manager does not say 嗰本書, because the book has just been brought into the conversation, as in the first lesson, where a new thing takes the number and a known thing takes 嗰.
The superlative with 最 (2.27). 最 (zeoi3) is "most" and stands before an adjective: 最叻 "cleverest". The clause 公司最叻 stands before the noun 人 and ends with 嘅, so that 公司最叻嘅人 is "the cleverest person in the company". The noun-phrase order is the same as in the first lesson.
叫 (2.17). 叫 (giu3) is "to be called", and gives the name: 佢係個女仔，叫阿欣. In speech, 我叫阿欣 (ngo5 giu3 aa3 jan1) is also a common way of saying who one is, next to 我係阿欣 (2.29).
咗 on other verbs (2.16, 2.26). 嚟咗 "came" and 笑咗 "smiled" take 咗 (zo2), but 係 does not. 2.16 has both in one sentence: 琴日係星期一 (no 咗), 嚟咗個新同事 (with 咗).
都 before 係 (2.30). 佢哋都係好朋友 puts 都 (dou1, "also") before 係. The same word 都 (dou1) can also mean "even" or "still" in other sentences, so the translation follows the context.
Politeness (2.28, 2.29). 歡迎你 (fun1 jing4 nei5) is "welcome", 你好 (nei5 hou2) "hello", and 請多多指教 (cing2 do1 do1 zi2 gaau3) the polite formula of a first meeting, as Section E says. 2.28 and 2.29 each give the speaker's name with 我係: this is the normal way to introduce oneself.
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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. The Jyutping letters are as in the first lesson: 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.
係 (hai6) — IPA: /hɐi˨/ — A short vowel, as in "buy" cut short, and a low level tone. The word of the lesson. 喺 (hai2) — IPA: /hɐi˧˥/ — The same syllable as 係, with a rising tone. It is the only difference in sound between "be" and "be at". 唔 (m4) — IPA: /m̩˨˩/ — A hum with the lips closed, low and falling. 咪 (mai6) — IPA: /mɐi˨/ — Like 係, with an m at the start. 係咪 is said in one breath, "hai-mai". 有 (jau5) — IPA: /jɐu˩˧/ — Begins with "y"; the vowel is short and ends in a rounded "oo"; the tone is low and rising. 冇 (mou5) — IPA: /mou˩˧/ — Like English "mo" with a low rising tone. 呀 (aa3) — IPA: /aː˧/ — A long "ah" at mid level, as a sentence ending. 香港 (hoeng1 gong2) — IPA: /hœːŋ˥ kɔːŋ˧˥/ — The first vowel is the "ur" of "fur" without the r; the second syllable begins with an unaspirated "g". 學生 (hok6 saang1) — IPA: /hɔk̚˨ saːŋ˥/ — The final k of the first syllable is a closed stop; the second syllable has a long "ah" and ends in "ng". 醫生 (ji1 sang1) — IPA: /ji˥ sɐŋ˥/ — Two high level syllables; the vowel of the second is short. 朋友 (pang4 jau5) — IPA: /pʰɐŋ˨˩ jɐu˩˧/ — The first syllable has an aspirated "p", a puff of air. 星期 (sing1 kei4) — IPA: /sɪŋ˥ kʰei˨˩/ — The first syllable is high, the second falls low. 同事 (tung4 si6) — IPA: /tʰʊŋ˨˩ si˨/ — The vowel of the first syllable is short, as in "book". 但係 (daan6 hai6) — IPA: /taːn˨ hɐi˨/ — Two low level syllables, with an unaspirated "d" at the start. 英國 (jing1 gwok3) — IPA: /jɪŋ˥ kʷɔːk̚˧/ — The final k is a stop with no release. 廣州 (gwong2 zau1) — IPA: /kʷɔːŋ˧˥ tsɐu˥/ — The first syllable has a rounded "gw" and rises. 經理 (ging1 lei5) — IPA: /kɪŋ˥ lei˩˧/ — The first syllable is high and short; the second rises from low. 免費 (min5 fai3) — IPA: /miːn˩˧ fɐi˧/ — The first vowel is long, "meen"; the second is short. 叻 (lek1) — IPA: /lɛk̚˥/ — Short and sharp, the final k closed. 阿欣 (aa3 jan1) — IPA: /aː˧ jɐn˥/ — Begins with a long "ah" at mid level; the second syllable begins with "y" and is high. 賣 (maai6) — IPA: /maːi˨/ — A long "ah" and an "ee", close to English "my". 懶 (laan5) — IPA: /laːn˩˧/ — A long "ah" and "n", with a low rising tone. 晚 (maan5) — IPA: /maːn˩˧/ — The same vowel and final as 懶, and the same tone, so that the two words rhyme.
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Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)