6.5 Verb-Object Compounds
Most separable verbs are verb-object compounds. In a verb-object compound, the first syllable is the verb part, which usually represents an action, and the second syllable is the object part. A verb-object compound conveys a specific meaning as a whole. The meaning can sometimes differ from the literal meanings of the individual parts.
We don’t add another object after a verb-object compound because a verb-object compound already has an object part. If we need to add another object, we can use a related verb that is not a verb-object compound. The related verb is usually the same as the verb part of the verb-object compound (e.g., 讀 duk6 for 讀書 duk6 syu1).
❌ 我讀書工程嘅。
ngo5 duk6 syu1 gung1 cing4 ge3.
✔️ 我讀工程嘅。
ngo5 duk6 gung1 cing4 ge3.
I study engineering.
The verb 讀書 duk6 syu1 (‘to study’) is a verb-object compound. It already has the object part 書 syu1. We can’t add the object 工程 gung1 cing4 (‘engineering’) after 讀書 duk6 syu1. If we want to add the object 工程 gung1 cing4, we can use the related verb 讀 duk6 (‘to study’) instead.
When we add an aspect particle to a verb-object compound, we insert the aspect particle between the verb part and the noun part.
-
我讀緊書。
ngo5 duk6 gan2 syu1.
I am studying.
The aspect marker 緊 gan2 is added between the verb part 讀 duk6 and the noun part 書 syu1. -
我做緊嘢。
ngo5 zou6 gan2 je5.
I am working.
The aspect marker 緊 gan2 is added between the verb part 做 zou6 and the noun part 嘢 je5.
Since most separable verbs are verb-object compounds, when we use the term separable verb in this book, we are generally referring to verb-object compounds.