In the Grammar and Vocabulary section, you will learn:

• Duration II (Hour, Minute and Second)
• Approximate Numbers II
• The Question Word 幾耐 gei2 noi6 (‘how long’) II
• The Preposition 由 jau4 (‘from’)
• The Preposition 除咗 ceoi4 zo2 (‘apart from’)
• The Conjunction 但係 daan6 hai6 (‘but’)
• Vocabulary List

The words 鐘 zung1 and 鐘頭 zung1 tau4 mean ‘hour’. 鐘 zung1 and 鐘頭 zung1 tau4 are nouns. We use the classifier 個 go3 with them. To indicate duration in hours, we first say the number of hours, then the classifier 個 go3 and then either 鐘 zung1 or 鐘頭 zung1 tau4.

The word 分鐘 fan1 zung1 means ‘minute’. 分鐘 fan1 zung1 is a measurement unit classifier. It is used alone without a noun. To indicate duration in minutes, we simply say the number of minutes and then 分鐘 fan1 zung1.

Another way to indicate duration in minutes is to use the word 字 zi6 (‘word’). In this context, 字 zi6 refers to the numbers we see on a torque clock. Each 字 zi6 on a torque clock represents five minutes. For example, the interval from the number 12 to the number 1 is five minutes long, and the interval from the number 1 to the number 2 is also five minutes long.

To mean ‘5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc.’, we can indicate how many 字 zi6 the duration equals to. 字 zi6 is a noun. We use the classifier 個 go3 with 字 zi6. We first say how many 字 zi6, then the classifier 個 go3 and then 字.

The words 秒 miu5 and 秒鐘 miu5 zung1 mean ‘second’. 秒 miu5 and 秒鐘 miu5 zung1 are measurement unit classifiers. They are used alone without a noun. To indicate duration in seconds, we simply say the number of seconds and then either 秒 miu5 or 秒鐘 miu5 zung1.

We say 兩 loeng5 instead of 二 ji6 for ‘two’ because we are indicating a quantity.

The word 半 bun3 means ‘half’. We can put it before the classifier to mean ‘half a …’.

We put 半 bun3 after the classifier to indicate a number and a half. If the classifier has two syllables (i.e., 分鐘 fan1 zung1 and 秒鐘 miu5 zung1), we put 半 bun3 after the first syllable.

When we put 半 bun3 after the classifier and the number is 一 jat1 (‘one’), we can optionally omit the number.

The word 幾 gei2 means ‘several’. We can put it before the classifier to mean ‘several …'. 幾 gei2 here usually refers to a quantity between 3 and 9 inclusive.

We can put 幾 gei2 after 10, 20, 30, etc. to mean ’10, 20, 30 something, etc.’. 幾 gei2 here also usually refers to a quantity between 3 and 9 inclusive.

We can also put 幾 gei2 after the classifier to mean ‘… and slightly more’. If the classifier has two syllables (i.e., 分鐘 fan1 zung1 and 秒鐘 miu5 zung1), we put 幾 gei2 after the first syllable. We usually use 幾 gei2 this way with a small number, usually not larger than 10.

When we put 幾 gei2 after the classifier and the number is 一 jat1 (‘one’), we can optionally omit the number.

Notice the meaning changes depending on whether 幾 gei2 is put before or after the classifier.

We can indicate the hours and minutes at the same time. When doing so, we add the word 零 ling4 (‘zero’) between them.

We can optionally omit 零 ling4 if we use 鐘頭 zung1 tau4 in the hours.

We can use the verb 要 jiu3 (‘to need’) to indicate how long an action takes to complete.

Say each duration. For duration in minutes, give answers with both 分鐘 fan1 zung1 and 字 zi6 whenever possible. Then, check your answers and repeat after the recordings.

1. 3 hours

2. 15 minutes

3. 30 seconds

4. several hours

5. half a minute

6. 8 seconds and slightly more

7. 2 hours and slightly more

8. 3 and a half minutes

9. several seconds

10. half an hour

11. 50 something minutes

12. 2 and a half seconds

13. 6 minutes and slightly more

14. 20 something hours

15. 40 minutes

16. half a second

17. 1 and a half hours

18. several minutes

19. 10 something minutes

20. 50 something seconds

In Grammar and Vocabulary 13.3, we learned to use the following words to indicate an approximate number.

In this lesson, we will learn two more similar words.

We can add the adverb 大概 daai6 koi3 (‘about’) before a number to indicate an approximate number.

We can also add the adjective 咁上下 gam3 soeng6 haa2 (‘about’, literally ‘this + up + down’) after a number to indicate an approximate number. Notice that 下 haa2 in 咁上下 gam3 soeng6 haa2 is pronounced with the high rising tone, instead of the low level tone that usually appears in other words (e.g., 下 haa6 in 下邊 haa6 bin6).

We can put 大約 daai6 joek3 or 大概 daai6 koi3 before the number and 到 dou2, 左右 zo2 jau2 or 咁上下 gam3 soeng6 haa2 after the number at the same time.

We can use the verb 要 jiu3 (‘to need’) to indicate how long an action approximately takes to complete.

We can also add the verb 諗 nam2 (‘to think’) or 估 gu2 (‘to guess’) to indicate that we are making a guess.

In Grammar and Vocabulary 13.7, we learned to use the question word 幾耐 gei2 noi6 (‘how long’) to ask for duration.

If we want to ask how long it takes to complete an action, we often use the verb 要 jiu3 (‘to need’) with 幾耐 gei2 noi6. We put the action before 要 jiu3 and 幾耐 gei2 noi6 after 要 jiu3.

The preposition 由 jau4 means ‘from’. We can use 由 jau4 to indicate the starting location of a movement. We put the location after 由 jau4 to form a prepositional phrase.

We put the prepositional phrase before the verb we want to modify.

We often use 由 jau4 with the verbs 去 heoi3 and 嚟 lai4 to form the following structure to indicate movement from one location to another location. We choose 去 heoi3 or 嚟 lai4 based on whether the movement is away from or toward our position (See Grammar and Vocabulary 36.2).

We can put this structure in a sentence.

In Grammar and Vocabulary 8.4, we also learned that the preposition 喺 hai2 (also pronounced as 响 hoeng2) means ‘from’. We can also form the structure with 喺 hai2.

We can usually use 由 jau4 and 喺 hai2 interchangeably to mean ‘from’.

The preposition 除咗 ceoi4 zo2 means ‘apart from’. We put a noun after 除咗 ceoi4 zo2 to form a prepositional phrase.

We can put the prepositional phrase before the verb, or before the modal verb if there is one.

We can also put the prepositional phrase at the beginning of a sentence.

When using 除咗 ceoi4 zo2, we sometimes add the adverb 仲 zung6 to add the meaning of ‘in addition’. We put 仲 zung6 before the verb, or before the modal verb if there is one.

Note that if the sentence is formed with a predicative adjective, we will use the adverb 都 dou1 (‘too’) instead. We put 都 dou1 before the predicative adjective, or before the degree word if there is one.

The conjunction 但係 daan6 hai6 means ‘but’. We use 但係 daan6 hai6 to introduce an idea that contrasts with what was said before. We put 但係 daan6 hai6 at the beginning of the clause with the contrasting idea.

In Grammar and Vocabulary 21.8, we also learned that the conjunction 不過 bat1 gwo3 means ‘but’. While both 但係 daan6 hai6 and 不過 bat1 gwo3 mean ‘but’, they are slightly different in their tone.

We can often use 但係 daan6 hai6 and 不過 bat1 gwo3 interchangeably.

In the Communication section, you will learn:

• Deciding on Transport Arrangements