Lesson 5: Sentences Forming in Cantonese

Pronouns

100

The Cantonese word for ‘I’.

我 (ngo5)

200

The Cantonese pronoun for ‘you’.

你 (nei5)

300

The pronoun used for he/she/it.

佢 (keoi5)

400

The Cantonese word for ‘we’

我哋 (ngo5 dei6)

500

The Cantonese plural for ‘they’ and use this word to form a sentence in Cantonese

佢哋 (keoi5 dei6)

Sentence Structure

100

What Cantonese word can be used for forming negative sentence? 

唔 (m4) / not

200

Where to place time in the Cantonese S-V-O Structure? 

Time usually after the subject and before the verb and object. 

300

How to say don’t want /don’t need?

唔要 (m4 jiu3)

400

Since Cantonese doesn't have a plural of "this," how do you show "these"?

Use numerals directly to tell how many there are of something. 

500

Form a sentence with using "Structure 5: S + T + M + P + V + De + Numerals (N) + O" in Cantonese. 

我上個禮拜同朋友一齊喺戲院睇咗呢一場戲。

“I watched this (one) movie at the cinema last week with my friends.”

(ngo5 soeng6 go3 lai5 baai3 tung4 pang4 jau5 jat1 cai4 hai2 hei3 jyun2 tai2 zo2 ni1 jat1 coeng4 hei3)

Sentence Structure

100

Basic word order for Cantonese sentences

S-V-O

200

Form a sentence by using S-V-O structure in Cantonese. 

e.g. 我睇戲 (ngo5 tai2 hei3)

300

What are some Cantonese words of Determiners (De)?

• 呢 (ni1): This (e.g., 呢本書 - this book).
• 嗰 (go2): That (e.g., 嗰個人 - that person).
• 呢啲 (ni1 di1): These (e.g., 呢啲嘢 - these things).
• 嗰啲 (go2 di1): Those (e.g., 嗰啲人 - those people).
• 我嘅 (ngo5 ge3): My / Mine.
• 你嘅 (nei5 ge3): Your / Yours.
• 佢嘅 (keoi5 ge3): His / Her / Hers.
• 我哋嘅 (ngo5 dei6 ge3): Our / Ours.
• 佢哋嘅 (keoi5 dei6 ge3): Their / Theirs.

400

Form: S + T + P + V + O — Give an example in Cantonese

我上個禮拜喺戲院睇戲 (ngo5 soeng6 go3 lai5 baai3 hai2 hei3 jyun2 tai2 hei3) 

‘I watched a movie at the cinema last week.’ 

500

Form a sentence by using "Structure 4: S + T + M + P + V + Determiners (De) + O" in Cantonese

我上個禮拜同朋友一齊喺戲院睇咗呢場戲。

(ngo5 soeng6 go3 lai5 baai3 tung4 pang4 jau5 jat1 cai4 hai2 hei3 jyun2 tai2 zo2 ni1 coeng4 hei3)

“I watched this movie at the cinema last week with my friends.”

Particles

100

Particle used to soften a question or show surprise

(呀 aa3)

200

Particle that indicates action completed or urging

‘Let’s eat!’ (喇 - laa3 or laa1)

300

Particle used to indicate fact/explanation/emphasis and used this particle to form a sentence

㗎 gaa3

400

Particle used to indicate fact/explanation/emphasis and use this particle to form a sentence

 㗎 gaa3

500

Speak out all the particles we have learned in today's class and from three sentences by using any particles.

1. 呀 (aa3): 用於疑問句，使語氣變溫柔或表示驚訝。

Used in interrogative sentences to soften the tone or express surprise.

Example: 你做咩呀？(nei5 zou6 me1 aa3?) 

What are you doing? 

2. 呢 (ne1): 用於疑問句或提起話題。

Used in interrogative sentences or to bring up some topics. 

Example: 你呢？(nei5 ne1?) 

How about you? 

3. 喇 (laa3 / la1): 表示動作已發生、改變或催促。

Indicates that an action has occurred or urging.  

Example：食飯喇！(sik6 faan6 laa3!) 

Come to have a meal! 

3. 㗎 (gaa3): 表示事實、解釋或強調。

Indicates fact, explanation, or emphasis.

Example：係咁㗎。(hai6 gam2 gaa3.) 

It is like that. 

4. 咩 (me1): 用於反問。

Used for rhetorical questions.

例如：係咩？(hai6 me1?) 

Really? is that true?

5. 啦 (laa1): 表示建議、同意或命令。

Indicates suggestion, agreement, or command.

例如：行啦。(hang4 laa1.) 

Let's walk! 

6.囉 (lo1/lo3)：表示肯定、確認

Indicates affirmation, confirmation

例如：你唔去我去囉。(nei5 m4 heui3 ngo5 heui3 lo1)

Fine, I'll go myself. / I'm going then, if you're not.   

7.嘅 (ge3)：表示肯定、確認

Indicates affirmation, confirmation. 

例如：係咁嘅。(hai6 gam2 ge3)

That’s it/ Here’s the things