Cantonese Grammar Guide: Simple Rules & Examples

Cantonese Grammar Overview

Master Cantonese grammar through our straightforward approach. Our guide breaks down sentence-final particles, aspect markers, and everyday sentence structure into digestible pieces. Each grammar concept is presented with a translation, helping you understand how Cantonese works in practice. Use this overview alongside your Cantonese course or as a quick reference for daily practice.

Core Sentence Pattern

Cantonese usually follows Subject-Verb-Object order, but it relies heavily on aspect markers and sentence-final particles to show nuance.

Pattern	Example	Meaning
Subject + Verb + Object	我食飯。	I eat.
Subject + Place + Verb	我喺屋企等。	I am waiting at home.
Subject + adjective	佢好忙。	He or she is busy.

Written Cantonese often uses characters that differ from standard written Mandarin, especially in everyday dialogue.

Common Function Words

Item	Main Use	Example
嘅	modifier marker	我嘅朋友
喺	at / in	佢喺公司
呢個	this	呢個好平
嗰個	that	嗰個好大

嘅 often works like a possession or description marker, similar to how 的 works in Mandarin.

Negation

Pattern	Example	Meaning
唔 + verb/adjective	我唔知。	I do not know.
冇 + noun	我冇時間。	I do not have time.
冇 + verb phrase	我冇食飯。	I did not eat.

As a quick rule, 唔 usually negates present or habitual meaning, while 冇 often covers absence or completed actions that did not happen.

Aspect Markers

Marker	Main Use	Example	Meaning
咗	completed action / change	我食咗飯。	I ate.
緊	ongoing action	我等緊你。	I am waiting for you.
過	experience	我去過香港。	I have been to Hong Kong.

These markers do much of the work that tense endings do in many European languages.

Questions and Sentence-Final Particles

Pattern	Example	Use
A-not-A	你去唔去？	yes/no question
Question word	你想要乜嘢？	information question
`呀`	好呀。	softer tone / agreement
`喇` / `啦`	我準備好喇。	change of state / emphasis
`呢`	你做緊乜呢？	ongoing topic / soft question

Particles are one of the most distinctive parts of Cantonese grammar and everyday rhythm.

Word Order Reminders

Feature	Example	Note
Time before verb	我今日唔出門。	time often comes early
Place before main action	我喺餐廳食飯。	location usually appears before the verb phrase
Modifier before noun	呢架新車	descriptive words come before the noun

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Better Form	Why
我唔有時間。	我冇時間。	`有` usually negates with `冇`
我食飯咗緊。	我食緊飯。 / 我食咗飯。	`咗` and `緊` show different aspect meanings
車呢架好靚。	呢架車好靚。	the classifier phrase comes before the noun
我去嗎？	我去唔去？ / 我去呀？	everyday Cantonese usually avoids Mandarin-style `嗎`

Sentence and Grammar Structure with Examples

Everyday Cantonese rarely uses a direct equivalent of formal English Good evening. A friendly evening greeting is often something contextual like 食咗飯未呀？, while 早唞 means good night.

早晨。▶︎

zou2 san4.

Good morning.

食咗飯未呀？▶︎

sik6 zo2 faan6 mei6 aa3?

Have you eaten yet?

你想要乜嘢？▶︎

nei5 soeng2 jiu3 mat1 je5?

What do you want?

你想食乜嘢？▶︎

nei5 soeng2 sik6 mat1 je5?

What do you want to eat?

你想飲乜嘢？▶︎

nei5 soeng2 jam2 mat1 je5?

What do you want to drink?

你想做乜嘢？▶︎

nei5 soeng2 zou6 mat1 je5?

What do you want to do?

我想要呢個。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 jiu3 ni1 go3.

I want this.

我想要樣嘢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 jiu3 joeng6 je5.

I want something.

我想飲啲嘢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 jam2 di1 je5.

I want to drink something.

我想食啲嘢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 sik6 di1 je5.

I want to eat something.

我想做啲嘢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 zou6 di1 je5.

I want to do something.

佢幾好。▶︎

keoi5 gei2 hou2.

It is good.

佢冇問題。▶︎

keoi5 mou5 man6 tai4.

It is OK.

佢好差。▶︎

keoi5 hou2 caa1.

It is bad.

你做唔做呢樣嘢？▶︎

nei5 zou6 m4 zou6 ni1 joeng6 je5?

Will you do it?

你食唔食嘢？▶︎

nei5 sik6 m4 sik6 je5?

Will you eat?

你揸唔揸車？▶︎

nei5 zaa1 m4 zaa1 ce1?

Will you drive?

我會做呢樣嘢。▶︎

ngo5 wui5 zou6 ni1 joeng6 je5.

I will do this.

我會食啲嘢。▶︎

ngo5 wui5 sik6 di1 je5.

I will eat something.

我會揸車。▶︎

ngo5 wui5 zaa1 ce1.

I will drive.

你想唔想要佢？▶︎

nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 jiu3 keoi5?

Do you want it?

你想唔想要啲嘢？▶︎

nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 jiu3 di1 je5?

Do you want something?

你想唔想食嘢？▶︎

nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 sik6 je5?

Do you want to eat?

你可唔可以做呢樣嘢？▶︎

nei5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 zou6 ni1 joeng6 je5?

Can you do it?

你可唔可以做啲嘢？▶︎

nei5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 zou6 di1 je5?

Can you do something?

你幾時會做呢樣嘢？▶︎

nei5 gei2 si4 wui5 zou6 ni1 joeng6 je5?

When will you do it?

你想唔想睇下佢？▶︎

nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 tai2 haa5 keoi5?

Do you want to see it?

我可唔可以睇下佢？▶︎

ngo5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 tai2 haa5 keoi5?

Can I see it?

我想睇下佢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 tai2 haa5 keoi5.

I want to see it.

我想睇呢套戲。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 tai2 ni1 tou3 hei3.

I want to see this movie.

我見到佢。▶︎

ngo5 gin3 dou3 keoi5.

I can see it.

我見唔到佢。▶︎

ngo5 gin3 m4 dou3 keoi5.

I do not see it.

我想要呢樣嘢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 jiu3 ni1 joeng6 je5.

I want it.

我幾時可以睇到佢？▶︎

ngo5 gei2 si4 ho2 ji5 tai2 dou3 keoi5?

When can I see it?

我想留喺呢度。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 lau4 hai2 ni1 dou6.

I want to stay here.

我想喺呢度食嘢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 hai2 ni1 dou6 sik6 je5.

I want to eat here.

我哋留喺呢度。▶︎

ngo5 dei6 lau4 hai2 ni1 dou6.

We are staying here.

要幾耐？▶︎

jiu3 gei2 noi6?

How long will it take?

我明。▶︎

ngo5 ming4.

I understand.

我唔明。▶︎

ngo5 m4 ming4.

I do not understand.

我唔明你講乜。▶︎

ngo5 m4 ming4 nei5 gong2 mat1.

I do not understand you.

你明唔明？▶︎

nei5 ming4 m4 ming4?

Do you understand?

你明唔明我講乜？▶︎

nei5 ming4 m4 ming4 ngo5 gong2 mat1?

Do you understand me?

你聽唔聽得明我講嘢？▶︎

nei5 teng1 m4 teng1 dak1 ming4 ngo5 gong2 je5?

Can you understand me?

我聽唔明你講嘢。▶︎

ngo5 teng1 m4 ming4 nei5 gong2 je5.

I cannot understand you.

對唔住。▶︎

deoi3 m4 zyu6.

I am sorry.

對唔住，我唔想要佢。▶︎

deoi3 m4 zyu6, ngo5 m4 soeng2 jiu3 keoi5.

I am sorry, I do not want it.

我搵唔到佢。▶︎

ngo5 wan2 m4 dou3 keoi5.

I cannot find it.

我喺邊度搵到佢？▶︎

ngo5 hai2 bin1 dou6 wan2 dou2 keoi5?

Where can I find it?

我唔知佢喺邊度。▶︎

ngo5 m4 zi1 keoi5 hai2 bin1 dou6.

I do not know where it is.

我想搵到佢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 wan2 dou2 keoi5.

I want to find it.

你知唔知佢喺邊度？▶︎

nei5 zi1 m4 zi1 keoi5 hai2 bin1 dou6?

Do you know where it is?

我有呢樣嘢。▶︎

ngo5 jau5 ni1 joeng6 je5.

I have it.

我有嘢食。▶︎

ngo5 jau5 je5 sik6.

I have food.

我有水。▶︎

ngo5 jau5 seoi2.

I have water.

我有架車。▶︎

ngo5 jau5 gaa3 ce1.

I have a car.

你有冇呢樣嘢？▶︎

nei5 jau5 mou5 ni1 joeng6 je5?

Do you have it?

你想唔想要呢樣嘢？▶︎

nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 jiu3 ni1 joeng6 je5?

Do you want this?

點解你冇呢樣嘢？▶︎

dim2 gaai2 nei5 mou5 ni1 joeng6 je5?

Why do you not have it?

我會畀你。▶︎

ngo5 wui5 bei2 nei5.

I will give it to you.

你可唔可以畀我？▶︎

nei5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 bei2 ngo5?

Can you give it to me?

我幾時可以攞到呢樣嘢？▶︎

ngo5 gei2 si4 ho2 ji5 lo2 dou3 ni1 joeng6 je5?

When can I have it?

我需要佢。▶︎

ngo5 seoi1 jiu3 keoi5.

I need it.

我需要休息。▶︎

ngo5 seoi1 jiu3 jau1 sik1.

I need to rest.

我需要水。▶︎

ngo5 seoi1 jiu3 seoi2.

I need water.

我唔需要佢。▶︎

ngo5 m4 seoi1 jiu3 keoi5.

I do not need it.

我而家需要佢。▶︎

ngo5 ji4 gaa1 seoi1 jiu3 keoi5.

I need it now.

你需唔需要佢？▶︎

nei5 seoi1 m4 seoi1 jiu3 keoi5?

Do you need it?

你幾時需要佢？▶︎

nei5 gei2 si4 seoi1 jiu3 keoi5?

When do you need it?

我可以帶埋佢嚟。▶︎

ngo5 ho2 ji5 daai3 maai4 keoi5 lai4.

I can bring it.

我要唔要帶埋佢嚟？▶︎

ngo5 jiu3 m4 jiu3 daai3 maai4 keoi5 lai4?

Should I bring it?

我要唔要帶啲嘢食嚟？▶︎

ngo5 jiu3 m4 jiu3 daai3 di1 je5 sik6 lai4?

Should I bring food?

你可唔可以帶埋佢嚟？▶︎

nei5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 daai3 maai4 keoi5 lai4?

Can you bring it?

你可唔可以帶水嚟？▶︎

nei5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 daai3 seoi2 lai4?

Can you bring water?

我應該幾點帶埋佢嚟？▶︎

ngo5 jing1 goi1 gei2 dim2 daai3 maai4 keoi5 lai4?

At what time should I bring it?

我應該幾點嚟？▶︎

ngo5 jing1 goi1 gei2 dim2 lai4?

At what time should I come?

你幾點需要佢？▶︎

nei5 gei2 dim2 seoi1 jiu3 keoi5?

At what time do you need it?

你幾點到？▶︎

nei5 gei2 dim2 dou3?

At what time will you arrive?

你會留幾耐？▶︎

nei5 wui5 lau4 gei2 noi6?

How long will you stay?

我哋會留兩個鐘。▶︎

ngo5 dei6 wui5 lau4 loeng5 go3 zung1.

We will stay for two hours.

可唔可以做呢樣嘢？▶︎

ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 zou6 ni1 joeng6 je5?

Could you please do it?

可唔可以幫我做呢樣嘢？▶︎

ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 bong1 ngo5 zou6 ni1 joeng6 je5?

Could you please do it for me?

我想同你講樣嘢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 tung4 nei5 gong2 joeng6 je5.

I want to tell you something.

你幾時會話畀我聽？▶︎

nei5 gei2 si4 wui5 waa6 bei2 ngo5 teng1?

When will you tell me?

我想你話畀我聽。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 nei5 waa6 bei2 ngo5 teng1.

I want you to tell me.

我想去嗰度。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 heoi3 go2 dou6.

I want to go there.

你想去邊度？▶︎

nei5 soeng2 heoi3 bin1 dou6?

Where do you want to go?

我去唔到嗰度。▶︎

ngo5 heoi3 m4 dou3 go2 dou6.

I cannot go there.

我冇時間。▶︎

ngo5 mou5 si4 gaan3.

I have no time.

我好忙。▶︎

ngo5 hou2 mong4.

I am busy.

我之前好忙。▶︎

ngo5 zi1 cin4 hou2 mong4.

I was busy.

我等緊。▶︎

ngo5 dang2 gan2.

I am waiting.

可唔可以等一陣？▶︎

ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 dang2 jat1 zan6?

Could you wait, please?

我想買呢個。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 maai5 ni1 go3.

I would like to buy this.

我想買架車。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 maai5 gaa3 ce1.

I would like to buy a car.

我想睇下佢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 tai2 haa5 keoi5.

I would like to see it.

我想做呢樣嘢。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 zou6 ni1 joeng6 je5.

I would like to do it.

我鍾意佢。▶︎

ngo5 zung1 ji3 keoi5.

I like it.

我唔鍾意佢。▶︎

ngo5 m4 zung1 ji3 keoi5.

I don't like it.

我鍾意呢種食物。▶︎

ngo5 zung1 ji3 ni1 zung2 sik6 mat6.

I like this food.

我鍾意呢架車。▶︎

ngo5 zung1 ji3 ni1 gaa3 ce1.

I like this car.

呢個好貴。▶︎

ni1 go3 hou2 gwai3.

This is expensive.

呢個好平。▶︎

ni1 go3 hou2 ping4.

This is cheap.

佢好靚。▶︎

keoi5 hou2 leng3.

She is beautiful.

呢架車好靚。▶︎

ni1 gaa3 ce1 hou2 leng3.

This car is beautiful.

我準備好喇。▶︎

ngo5 zeon2 bei6 hou2 laa3.

I am ready.

你準備好未？▶︎

nei5 zeon2 bei6 hou2 mei6?

Are you ready?

好快全部都會準備好。▶︎

hou2 faai3 cyun4 bou6 dou1 wui5 zeon2 bei6 hou2.

Everything will be ready soon.

有可能。▶︎

jau5 ho2 nang4.

It is possible.

冇可能。▶︎

mou5 ho2 nang4.

It is impossible.

我有一個問題。▶︎

ngo5 jau5 jat1 go3 man6 tai4.

I have a question.

我想問你一個問題。▶︎

ngo5 soeng2 man6 nei5 jat1 go3 man6 tai4.

I would like to ask you a question.

佢喺呢度。▶︎

keoi5 hai2 ni1 dou6.

It is here.

佢唔喺呢度。▶︎

keoi5 m4 hai2 ni1 dou6.

It is not here.

我冇呢樣嘢。▶︎

ngo5 mou5 ni1 joeng6 je5.

I do not have it.

我覺得幾好。▶︎

ngo5 gok3 dak1 gei2 hou2.

I feel good.

你感覺點呀？▶︎

nei5 gam2 gok3 dim2 aa3?

How do you feel?

我要快啲。▶︎

ngo5 jiu3 faai3 di1.

I need to hurry.

你可唔可以快啲？▶︎

nei5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 faai3 di1?

Can you hurry?

呢個好重要。▶︎

ni1 go3 hou2 zung6 jiu3.

It’s important.

佢壞咗。▶︎

keoi5 waai6 zo2.

It’s broken.

呢架車壞咗。▶︎

ni1 gaa3 ce1 waai6 zo2.

This car is broken.