Lesson 12.1: Grammar Focus

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嘢

je5

Thing / stuff

Structure: Verb + 嘢 — 嘢 follows verbs like 食 / 買 / 做 to mean "something" or "things"

Examples

今晚食咩嘢呀？

gam1 maan5 sik6 me1 je5 aa3?

What are we eating tonight?

你買咗咩嘢呀？

nei5 maai5 zo2 me1 je5 aa3?

What did you buy?

Verb + 嘢 combos: 食嘢 (sik6 je5) = eat something. 買嘢 (maai5 je5) = buy things. 做嘢 (zou6 je5) = do things / work. 飲嘢 (jam2 je5) = drink something. These are very common in everyday Cantonese.

買嘢

maai5 je5

To buy things / go shopping

Structure: Subject + (去) + 買嘢 — often paired with 去 (heoi3) to mean "go shopping"

Examples

星期日一齊去行街買嘢。

sing1 kei4 jat6 jat1 cai4 heoi3 haang4 gaai1 maai5 je5

Let's go shopping together on Sunday.

你鍾意去邊度買嘢呀？

nei5 zung1 ji3 heoi3 bin1 dou6 maai5 je5 aa3?

Where do you like to go shopping?

行街買嘢 (haang4 gaai1 maai5 je5) = literally "walk the street and buy things" — the natural phrase for a leisurely shopping trip. 你買咗咩嘢？ = What did you buy? (used after someone returns from shopping)

做嘢

zou6 je5

To work / do things

Structure: Subject + 做嘢 — also used for 喺 [place] + 做嘢 to say where you work

Examples

我喺倫敦做嘢。

ngo5 hai2 leon4 deon1 zou6 je5

I work in London.

我星期日唔做嘢。

ngo5 sing1 kei4 jat6 m4 zou6 je5

I don't work on Sundays.

你幾點開始做嘢呀？

nei5 gei2 dim2 hoi1 ci2 zou6 je5 aa3?

What time do you start work?

做嘢 vs 返工: 做嘢 (zou6 je5) = to work / do things (general). 返工 (faan1 gung1) = to go to work / commute to work. Both are common but 返工 focuses on the going-to-work action, while 做嘢 focuses on the working itself.

食嘢

sik6 je5

To eat / eat something

Structure: Subject + 食嘢 / 去 + place + 食嘢 — eating or going somewhere to eat

Examples

放工一齊去唐人街食嘢吖！

fong3 gung1 jat1 cai4 heoi3 tong4 jan4 gaai1 sik6 je5 aa1!

Let's go eat in Chinatown after work!

我鍾意去呢間餐廳食嘢。

ngo5 zung1 ji3 heoi3 ni1 gaan1 caan1 teng1 sik6 je5

I like eating at this restaurant.

食嘢 vs 食飯: 食嘢 (sik6 je5) = eat something / have food (general). 食飯 (sik6 faan6) = eat rice / have a meal (more specific, implies a proper meal). You can also say 去邊度食嘢？ = Where are we eating?

覺得

gok3 dak1

To feel / to think

Structure: Subject + 覺得 + opinion/feeling — used for giving opinions or describing feelings

Examples

我覺得呢個手袋好靚。

ngo5 gok3 dak1 ni1 go3 sau2 doi6 hou2 leng3

I think this handbag is very pretty.

我覺得佢唔鍾意我呀。

ngo5 gok3 dak1 keoi5 m4 zung1 ji3 ngo5 aa3

I feel like he doesn't like me.

你覺得廣東話難唔難呀？

nei5 gok3 dak1 gwong2 dung1 waa2 naan4 m4 naan4 aa3?

Do you think Cantonese is hard?

覺得點呀？ (gok3 dak1 dim2 aa3?) = What do you think? / How do you feel about it? — one of the most useful shopping phrases. The natural reply: 我覺得唔錯呀 (ngo5 gok3 dak1 m4 co3 aa3) = I think it's not bad.

想

soeng2

To want / would like

Structure: Subject + 想 + verb — expresses desire. Negate with 唔想. Question form: 想唔想 + verb?

Examples

你想唔想食中國菜呀？

nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 sik6 zung1 gwok3 coi3 aa3?

Do you want to eat Chinese food?

我想去香港旅行。

ngo5 soeng2 heoi3 hoeng1 gong2 leoi5 hang4

I want to travel to Hong Kong.

我想買一個手袋返工用。

ngo5 soeng2 maai5 jat1 go3 sau2 doi6 faan1 gung1 jung6

I want to buy a handbag for work.

想唔想 (soeng2 m4 soeng2) = Want to or not? — the A-not-A question form. Reply 想呀！ (soeng2 aa3!) = Yes I want to! / 唔想呀 (m4 soeng2 aa3) = Don't want to. This pattern works with any verb: 買唔買？ 去唔去？ 食唔食？

好睇

hou2 tai2

Good-looking / good to watch/read

Structure: Subject + 好睇 — describes things that look good (clothes, bags) or are enjoyable to watch/read

Examples

呢本書好睇。

ni1 bun2 syu1 hou2 tai2

This book is good (to read).

呢套戲唔好睇。

ni1 tou3 hei3 m4 hou2 tai2

This movie isn't good (to watch).

呢對運動鞋幾好睇呀！

ni1 deoi3 wan6 dung6 haai4 gei2 hou2 tai2 aa3!

These sports shoes look pretty good!

好 + verb pattern: 好睇 (hou2 tai2) = good to look at. 好食 (hou2 sik6) = delicious. 好聽 (hou2 teng1) = pleasant to hear. 好玩 (hou2 waan2) = fun to play. The pattern 好 + perception verb is very productive in Cantonese!

Each drill has 7 questions — one per grammar point — so you practise all seven in context.

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CantonesePath A1 Grammar Focus — Lesson 12