Hello everyone today I will be reflecting on my Cantonese learning journey ! I started my first Cantonese lesson with Prof Sew this semester and was super excited to learn and speak basic Cantonese. I often get confused with pronunciation with Mandarin,Hokkien and Cantonese and I hope to pronounce better in the future!

In this Module, I had the opportunity to do a Cantonese Interview with my uncle to practice what I have learnt and dive into the realm of Cantonese.

I had a really fun time interviewing my uncle as it is quite different from what we usually do.

Playing Mahjong with my Uncle

In this reflection, I would also like to include some phrases that I enjoyed learning and hope to remember and apply them!

Ngo hai Jay. Hou gou hing jing xik nei ( I am Jay, nice to meet you)
Ngo hai Jay. Ngo dei Hou ( I am Jay, I am very good )
M4 Goi is Thank you.
M4 Goi Sai is Thank you very much
Do1 ze6, Thank you ( when receiving a gift, appreciative/formal)
Haa6 ci3, Next time
Haa6 ci3 gin, See you next time
Zoi3 gin3 Goodbye
Nei5 sik1m4 sik1 gong2 jing1 man2 ( I think this is very useful when I go to Hong Kong hahaha)
Nei cai ju ngo gou dai. (You are stepping on my plastic bag)
m4 ho2 ji3 si1, ngo5 jau ci4 dou3 ( sorry i am late again )
deo3 m4 zyu6, ngo5 daa2 laan6 zo nei5 bou6 din6 nou6 ( Sorry, I broke our computer)

I enjoyed learning conversational Cantonese such Sek Fan, Yam Cha, Tek Si (Taxi), Yi seng1 ( doctor), Uk Kei ( House)
Mo mang ti, No problem
Hai Zeng ge, it is true!
m4 hai6 nei5 gu2!, of course!
ging6 hong!, healthy.

Since we are in the pandemic we are reminded to always go to toilet to wash our hands .Keoi5 heoi3 zo2 ci3 so2 sai sau ( He went to the to washroom to wash his hands)
Gam yat lou ban hui lei, lei xing ding di ah ( Tonight the boss will come, you better be alert!)

We had the opportunity to learn new proverbs as well 🙂
上山捉蟹 [séuhng sāan jūk háaih] (To catch crabs on a hill). Harder than hard, almost impossible
扮鬼扮馬 [baahn gwái baahn máah] (To masquerade as a ghost and as a horse)
佛都有火 [faht dōu yáuh fó](Even the Buddha gets inflamed) To a degree that is intolerable, “that’s the limit!”.
兩頭蛇 [lèuhng tàuh sèh] Two-headed snake) someone who works for both sides in a deal

Learning names of fruits and vegetables was useful during my walk to the wet market!
Syun3 tau4 – garlic
jyong cheung – onions .
jyong cheung chaofan= onion fried rice
suk1 mai5 – corn
tong2 seoi2 – sweet water but means dessert
faan4 syu4 tong2 seoi2
mo2 gu- mush room
je4 coi3 faa1: cauliflower
boi1 coi3- spinach.
popoye eats boi1 co31
daai6 baak6 coi3 – chinese cabbage ( da bai cai )
baak6 coi3 – Pak Choi
syun3 tau4- garlic
Something about my eyes..
ngo5 deoi3 ngaan5 hou2 sai3 – my eyes are small
keoi5 go3 hau2 hou2 cau3 – He has bad breath
Lei go3 zeoi hou leng – Her mouth is pretty
ni1 gaan1 caan1 teng hou2 hou2 mei6, sik6 dou3 lem2 lem2 lei6
This restaurant is delicious, delicious

This is for all my friends
beng6 zo2 zau6 jiu3 sik jeok6 – if you are sick , you have to take medicine。
Gwa yong tau , mai gau yok
Hide real motives!

I am glad to learn about our daily utensils in cantonese!
Tung1 Soeng4 jung faai3 zi2- Usually use chopstick.
tong1 gang- soup spoon
ci4 gang1 -spoon
ngo5 dei6 jung6 ci4 gang1 sik6 gaa3 lei1 – we use spoon to eat curry.
caa1- fork
gaau1 caa1 – plastic fork
dou1 – knife
jung6- use
hai2- had
ngo you fan uk1 kei2 – i want to go home
ngo xiong uk1 kei2 – i think i want to go home
uk1 kei2 jan4 – family
keoi5 zung6 si6 gung1 zok3 do1 gwo3 uk1 kei2 jan4
baa4 baa1 daai3 ngo5 heoi3 tai2 zuk1 kau4 bei2 coi3
zung6 hai6 – but also
ngo5 tung4 go4 goi1 heoi3 gung1 jyun2 waan2 – i go with my brother to the park and play.
sai3 lou2 – younger brother
ngo5 sing4 jat tung4 sai3 lou2 daa2 gaau2 – i fight with my younger brother all day
fung4 sing1 kei4 jat6 ngo5 dou1 wui5 heoi3 taam3 ngo5 je4 je2 – i visit my grandfather very week saturday
keoi5 hou2 sek3 keoi5 go3 syun1 zai2 – she loves her grandson very much.
ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 mui4 mui2 – this is my younger sister

I do hope to go to Hong Kong one day! Maybe one day when I am there, I can use these phrases to navigate my way 🙂
Nek sik em sek gong jing man? Do you speak English?
Ngo5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji3 jiu3 zoeng1 dei6 tou4? Can i get a map?
ni1 dou6 jau5 mou5 baa1 si2 jau4 gei1 coeng4 heoi3 si5 keoi5m is there a bus from the airport to the city?
Wi-fi hai6 mai6 min5 fai3? Is the wi-fi free
gam1 maan1 jau5 mou5 fon2? Do you have any vacancies tonight?
Zyun3 – turn/change
Un4 =turn/change localised
ngo5 deng6 zo2 fong2 – i have a reservation
ho2 m4 ho2 ji3 jiu3 go3(classifer) menu?
teoi1 gaai3 – recommendations
maai4 daan1 -bill same as chinese
ngo5 deoi3 faa1 sang1 man5 gam2 – i am allergic to peanuts
ni go3 gei cin2 , how much is ts
seon3 jung6 kaat1- credit card
dei ti- train

I also learnt about various health pains in Cantonese that I can use when communicating with the elderly

nei5 ling6 dou3 ngo5 hou2 tau4 tung3
ngo5 je6 maan5 lam4 fan3 dou1 tau4 tung3 ( i have headache at night before i sleep)
tau4 wan4 – dizzy
ngo5 jau5 di1 tau4 wan4, soeng2 zou2 di faan1 uk1 kei2
m4 zi1 sik6 zo2 mat1 je5. ji4 gaa1 hou2 toou5 tung3 – dont know what to eat, now, my stomach hurts
ngo5 deoi3 faa1 sang1 man5 gam2 – i am allergic to peanuts
hoi2 sin1 – seafood
keoi3 sing yat tau tung, um zi yau meh si – he got headache everyday. dont know have what
ngo5 ning4 jyun2 faan1 uk1 kei2 – i rather go home
sau1 seng1- shut up
mou5 mat1 hing3 ceoi3 – no interest
hoei3 mak6 dong1 lou4 sik6 syun3 laa1
hou2 mun6 aa3
hou2 noi6 mou5 gin3- long time no see

And maybe I can use Cantonese to talk to girls…

Gam1 jat6 hai ngo5 dei6 zau1 nin4 gei2 nim6, ngo5 dei6 wui5 heoi3 zuk1 gwong1 maan5 caan1 – today is our anniversary; we are going to have candlelight dinner
heoi3 saan3 bou6 – go for a walk
daaa2 bou2 ling4
jam1 jat6 lok6 daai6 jyu5, goi2 heoi3 daa2 bou2 ling4 syun3 laa1!.
sai xi gang-waste time.
wun6 saam1 – change clothes
wai3 nei5 sik6 faan6 – feed u a meal

hou2 dak1 ji3 – very cute!

I am super thankful for this module this semester and can’t to apply what I learn in this lesson to communicate with people in Cantonese!