Basic Cantonese
Though you can survive just fine in Hong Kong with only English, it’s still useful to know some basic Cantonese. Our guide won’t make you a Cantonese expert, but you’ll be able to buy stuff on your own in no time!
To start, Cantonese has 6 tones. We know, it’s a lot. But it’s important that you know how to do the different tones! Sometimes, the only difference between a number and a vulgar word is the tone.
Once you’ve tried out the different tones, try applying it to the list of basic words we’ve listed below! If you’re unsure on how to pronounce certain words, there are lots of audio resources online too.
Greetings
| Good morning 早晨 zou2 san4 | Good night 早抖 zou2 tau2 | Goodbye 拜拜 baai1 baai3 |
When someone offers you help or give you a small favor, you will say:
Thank you 唔該 (m4 goi1)
When someone gives you something like a gift/a big favor or praises you, you will say:
Thank you 多謝 (do1 ze6)
Most of the locals would greet each other using the following phrase:
‘How are you’ in a local way
你食左飯未？
Did you eat?
Nei5 sik6 zo2 faan6 mei6?
Numbers
| 0 ling4 | 1 jat1 | 2 ji6 |
| 3 saam1 | 4 sei3 | 5 m5 |
| 6 luk6 | 7 cat1 | 8 baat3 |
| 9 gau2 | 10 sap6 | 11 sap6 jat1 |
| 12 sap6 ji6 | 20 ji6 sap6 | 30 saam1 sap6 |
| 31 saam1 sap6 jat1 | 100 jat1 baak3 | 1000 jat1 cin1 |
Price
| Dollar 蚊 mun1 | 10 cents 毫 hou4 |
To express price:
(number) + 蚊 mun1 + (number) + 毫 hou4
Ex: $2.7 = loeng5 mun1 cat1 hou4
(when using units or measure words, ji6 (2) becomes loeng5)
Q: 呢個幾錢呀?
Q: How much is this?
Q: Ne1 go3 gei2 cin2 aa1?
A: 三蚊.
A: Three dollars.
A: Saam1 mun1.
Pronouns
| You 你 nei5 | I 我 ngo5 | He/She/It 佢 keoi5 |
| You guys 你地 nei5 dei6 | We 我地 ngo5 dei6 | They 佢地 keoi5 dei6 |
Self-Introduction
Q: 你叫咩名呀?
Q: What is your name?
Q: Nei5 giu3 me1 meng2 aa3?
A: 你好，我係 (name).
A: Hello, I am (name).
A: Nei5 hou2, ngo5 hai6 (name).
Q: 你嚟自邊度呀?
Q: Where do you come from?
Q: Nei5 lei4 zi6 bin1dou6 aa3?
A: 我嚟自印尼.
A: I come from Indonesia.
A: Ngo5 lei4 zi6 jan3 nei4.
Important Locations
City University of Hong Kong: hoeng1 gong2 seng4 si5 daai6 hok6
Although, people usually refer to is as…
CityU: seng4 daai6
CityU dorm: seng4 daai6 suk1 se2
Kowloon Tong station: gau2 lung4 tong4 zaam6
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