Lesson 10.1: Grammar Focus

Tap any speaker to hear the pronunciation. Study all six points then head to Drills to practise.

坐 / 搭

co5 / daap3

To take / ride (transport)

Structure: 坐/搭 (co5/daap3) + transport + verb

Examples

我坐巴士返工。

ngo5 co5 baa1 si2 faan1 gung1

I take the bus to work.

我搭火車去倫敦。

ngo5 daap3 fo2 ce1 heoi3 leon4 deon1

I take the train to London.

你坐地鐵去中環喇。

nei5 co5 dei6 tit3 heoi3 zung1 waan4 laa3

Take the MTR to Central.

坐 vs 搭: Both mean "to take transport" and are interchangeable in most cases. 坐 (co5) is slightly more formal; 搭 (daap3) is more colloquial. 坐巴士 = 搭巴士 = take the bus.

點

dim2

How (general question word)

Structure: 點 (dim2) + verb — asks "how" in a general sense

Examples

你點去倫敦呀？

nei5 dim2 heoi3 leon4 deon1 aa3?

How do you go to London?

你點返屋企呀？

nei5 dim2 faan1 uk1 kei2 aa3?

How are you getting home?

你點知呀？

nei5 dim2 zi1 aa3?

How do you know?

Compare: 點 (dim2) = how (short form). 點樣 (dim2 joeng2) = how (asking about method/way, more specific). 你點去？ = 你點樣去？ Both mean "how do you get there?"

點樣

dim2 joeng2

How (method / way)

Structure: 點樣 (dim2 joeng2) + verb — asks about the method or way of doing something

Examples

你點樣返工呀？

nei5 dim2 joeng2 faan1 gung1 aa3?

How do you get to work?

你點樣學廣東話？

nei5 dim2 joeng2 hok6 gwong2 dung1 waa2?

How do you learn Cantonese?

你點樣返學呀？

nei5 dim2 joeng2 faan1 hok6 aa3?

How do you get to school?

Usage: 點樣 (dim2 joeng2) emphasises the method or manner. Common in everyday questions: 你點樣去？(How do you go?) 點樣做？(How do you do it?) 點樣講？(How do you say it?)

點去

dim2 heoi3

How to get to…

Structure: Place + 點去 (dim2 heoi3) — asking for directions to a place

Examples

唐人街點去呀？

tong4 jan4 gaai1 dim2 heoi3 aa3?

How do I get to Chinatown?

中環地鐵站點去呀？

zung1 waan4 dei6 tit3 zaam6 dim2 heoi3 aa3?

How do I get to Central MTR station?

請問火車站點去呀？

cing2 man6 fo2 ce1 zaam6 dim2 heoi3 aa3?

Excuse me, how do I get to the train station?

Pattern: Place + 點去？= How to get to [place]? This is the standard way to ask for directions. Add 請問 (cing2 man6) at the start to be polite: 請問灣仔點去呀？

前面

cin4 min6

In front / Ahead

Structure: 前面 (cin4 min6) + location / noun — points to something ahead

Examples

前面就係地鐵站喇。

cin4 min6 zau6 hai6 dei6 tit3 zaam6 laa3

The MTR station is just in front.

前面街口有個巴士站。

cin4 min6 gaai1 hau2 jau5 go3 baa1 si2 zaam6

There's a bus stop at the corner ahead.

你一直行，前面街口轉左就到喇。

nei5 jat1 zik6 hang4, cin4 min6 gaai1 hau2 zyun3 zo2 zau6 dou3 laa3

Go straight, turn left at the corner ahead and you'll arrive.

Direction vocabulary: 前面 (cin4 min6) = ahead/in front. 後面 (hau6 min6) = behind. 左邊 (zo2 bin1) = left side. 右邊 (jau6 bin1) = right side. 附近 (fu6 gan6) = nearby.

轉

zyun3

Turn

Structure: 轉 (zyun3) + 左 (zo2) / 右 (jau6) — turn left or right

Examples

你直行，轉左就到喇。

nei5 zik6 hang4, zyun3 zo2 zau6 dou3 laa3

Go straight, turn left and you'll arrive.

轉右就係火車站喇。

zyun3 jau6 zau6 hai6 fo2 ce1 zaam6 laa3

Turn right and the train station is there.

前面街口轉左，跟住直行就到。

cin4 min6 gaai1 hau2 zyun3 zo2, gan1 zyu6 zik6 hang4 zau6 dou3

Turn left at the corner ahead, then go straight and you'll arrive.

Direction commands: 直行 (zik6 hang4) = go straight. 轉左 (zyun3 zo2) = turn left. 轉右 (zyun3 jau6) = turn right. 跟住 (gan1 zyu6) = then / follow. 就到喇 (zau6 dou3 laa3) = and you'll arrive.

Each drill has 6 questions — one per grammar point — so you practise all six in context.

0 of 6 matched

Cantonese

English

🎉

All matched! Time:

—

CantonesePath A1 Grammar Focus — Lesson 10