2.7 The Sentence Particle 嘅 ge3 (Assertion)

💡 Tips

Although the sentence particle 嘅 ge3 and the 嘅 ge3 in a possessive construction are pronounced the same, they are different words.

We can add the sentence particle 嘅 ge3 to sentences that assert facts. 嘅 ge3 brings the facts asserted, usually new information for the listener, into focus. In Grammar and Vocabulary 2.6, we use the sentence particle 嚟 lai4 to form a sentence that assert facts. We can add 嘅 ge3 to a sentence with 嚟 lai4. Notice we put 嘅 ge3 after 嚟 lai4.

  1. 佢係我朋友嚟嘅。
    keoi5 hai6 ngo5 pang4 jau5 lai4 ge3.
    He / She is my friend.

  2. 佢係香港人嚟嘅。
    keoi5 hai6 hoeng1 gong2 jan4 lai4 ge3.
    He / She is a Hong Konger.

⚠️ We don’t add 嘅 ge3 when we are simply saying someone’s name.

A:

你哋係……?
nei5 dei6 hai6…?
You are…?

B:

❌ 我係阿峰嘅，佢係阿瑩嘅。
ngo5 hai6 aa3 fung1 ge3, keoi5 hai6 aa3 jing4 ge3.
✔️ 我係阿峰，佢係阿瑩。
ngo5 hai6 aa3 fung1, keoi5 hai6 aa3 jing4.
I am Fung. She is Ying.

If we want to add 嘅 ge3 to a sentence with the verb 係 hai6, we need to add 嚟 lai4 at the same time. Otherwise, the meaning will change.

  1. 佢係我朋友。
    keoi5 hai6 ngo5 pang4 jau5.
    He / She is my friend.

  2. 佢係我朋友嚟嘅。
    keoi5 hai6 ngo5 pang4 jau5 lai4 ge3.
    He / She is my friend.

  3. 佢係我朋友嘅。
    keoi5 hai6 ngo5 pang4 jau5 ge3.
    He / She is my friend’s.

嘅 ge3 can also be added to questions that elicit facts.

佢係邊個嚟嘅？
keoi5 hai6 bin1 go3 lai4 ge3?
Who is he / she?

We can optionally add the sentence particle 呀 aa3 to the questions. Note that we put aa3 呀 after 嘅 ge3. Also, we usually contract 嘅 ge3 and 呀 aa3 to 㗎 gaa3 (嘅 ge3 + 呀 aa3 = 㗎 gaa3).

  1. 佢係邊個嚟嘅呀？
    keoi5 hai6 bin1 go3 lai4 ge3 aa3?
    Who is he / she?

  2. 佢係邊個嚟㗎？
    keoi5 hai6 bin1 go3 lai4 gaa3?
    Who is he / she?

We can also optionally apply rising intonation to the questions. When rising intonation is applied, 嘅 ge3 becomes 嘅 ge2 (嘅 ge3 + Rising Intonation ↗ = 嘅 ge2).

佢係邊個嚟嘅？
keoi5 hai6 bin1 go3 lai4 ge2?
Who is he / she?

We either add the sentence particle 呀 aa3 or apply rising intonation, but don’t do both at the same time.