Cantonese phrasebook

From MaxTravelz

Cantonese (Guangdong hua) is a widely spoken Chinese dialect, especially in the former British colony of Hong Kong and among overseas Chinese.

The word "dialect" means something different when applied to Chinese than it does for other languages. Chinese "dialects" are mutually unintelligible, as different as, say, Italian and French, which we would call "related languages" rather than "dialects".

All Chinese dialects do, in general, use the same characters in reading and writing. A Cantonese speaker and a Mandarin speaker cannot talk to each other, but either can generally read what the other writes. Even a speaker of Japanese or Korean will recognise many characters. However, there are a complication. Mainland China uses simplified characters, developed to facilitate a literacy campaign among the peasants some years back. Hong Kong, Taiwan, and many overseas Chinese still use the traditional characters.

In many cases the regional dialects are not clearly regionalised but vary gradually across a region. Thus linguists can identify anywhere between seven and seventeen separate Chinese languages where the speakers of different dialects are mutually unintelligible.

Some of the phrases in the list cannot be translated from English to Cantonese.

Pronunciation guide

Tones

There are 6 tones in cantonese: 1 high, 2 high rising, 3 mid level, 4 low falling, 5 low rising, 6 low. Most tones mean a different thing, but some are only addition words and some mean nothing at all.

Vowels

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

"Ng" means no or not in Cantonese. It is not pronouced as Eng. When you say this word, your mouth does not open.

Basics

Hello: Way

NOTE: ["Way" is not a polite way to address strangers. You can simply say "How are you" (see below) or "Hello" (in English) in Hong Kong or to overseas Cantonese-speakers.]

Hello: Way (informal See note above).
How are you?: Lee Ho Ma?
Fine, thank you.: Butt Chor. [No need to say "thank you" in Cantonese]
What is your name?: Lei Gill Mut Man?
My name is ______ .: Or Qua Man Gill ______ .
Nice to meet you.: Ho Ko Hing Ying Sic Lee.
Please.: Ching .
Thank you. ("after someone does something for you"): Ng Gooi.
Thank you. ("when someone gives you a gift"): doh jeh.
You're welcome.: Ng Sai Hart Hei.
Yes.: Leigh.
No.: Ng Leigh.
Excuse me. (getting attention): Ma Fang Lee. [For American English Speakers: Fang should be pronounced as F'ang]
Excuse me. (begging pardon): Ng Ho Yee See.
I'm sorry.: Dui Ng Jue.
Goodbye: Joy Gin.
I can't speak name of language [well].: Or Ng [Heigh Ho] Sic Gong "name of language"
Do you speak English?: Cheng Man Lei Sic Ng Sic Kong Ying Mun?
Is there someone here who speaks English?: Ceing Man Yao Mo Yan Kong Ying Mun?
Help!: Kao Man Ar!
Look out!: Siu Sum!
Good morning.: Joe Sun.
Good evening.: Moun On . ["Good evening" is not commonly used to greet someone in the evening.]
Good night.: Moun On.
Good night (to sleep): "Moun On" or "Cho Tao".
I don't understand.: Or Ng Ming Pa.
Where is the toilet?: Chi Saw Heigh Bin Dou?

Problems

Leave me alone.: Mai Gao Ngo / Mai Cho Ngo.
Don't touch me!: Mai Dim Ngo!
I'll call the police.: Ngo Wui Giu Ging Chat.
Police!: Ging Chat!
Stop! Thief!: Mai Yuk! Chart Jai!
I need your help.: Ng Goi Bong Ha Ngo.
It's an emergency.: Ho Gun Gap.
I'm lost.: Ngo Dong Sat Low.
I lost my bag.: Ngo Ng Geen Jor Gor Doi.
I dropped my wallet.: Ngo Ng Geen Jor Arn Bao.
I'm sick.: Ngo Ng Shue Fuk.
I've been injured.: Ngo Sau Jor Seung.
Please call a doctor.: Ng Goi Bong Ngo Giu Yee Sang
Can I use your phone?: Ngo Seung Je Din Wa.

Numbers

1= yut1

2= yee6

3= sam3

4= sei6

5= umm5

6= lok6

7= chut1

8= bat3

9= gao2

10= sup6

Time

Clock time

Duration

Days

Months

Writing time and date

Colors

Transportation

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

Lodging

Money

Eating

Bars

Shopping

Driving

Authority

Learning more

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