In the Grammar and Vocabulary section, you will learn:

• Indefinite Noun Phrases I
• Introduction to Aspect Particles
• Separable Verbs
• Verb-Object Compounds
• The Aspect Particle 緊 gan2 (Progressive)
• Grammar Practice 1
• The Conjunction 定 ding6 / 定係 ding6 hai6 (‘or’)
• The Expression 咁 gam2 (‘then’)
• The Adverb 仲 zung6 II (‘still’)
• Vocabulary List
• Vocabulary for Occupations
• Vocabulary for Subjects

We can use indefinite noun phrases to refer to a type of people or things in general.

To form an indefinite noun phrase, we can simply say a noun without adding a number and a classifier.

Another way to form an indefinite noun phrase is to add the number 一 jat1 (‘one’) and a classifier before a noun. This is similar to noun phrases with the indefinite article a or an in English (e.g., a teacher).

We can omit the number 一 jat1 if the indefinite noun phrase appears after a verb.

In Grammar and Vocabulary 2.6, we learned to form sentences with the sentence particle 嚟 lai4 and the verb 係 hai6. We can use an indefinite noun phrase as the subject complement.

Notice when the verb 係 hai6 is not added to a sentence, we usually use an indefinite noun phrase without a number and a classifier as the subject complement, instead of an indefinite noun phrase with the number 一 jat1 and a classifier.

Aspect is about the status of an activity (e.g., whether the activity is ongoing or completed). In Cantonese, we use aspect particles to indicate aspect.

We put an aspect particle after the verb and before the object if there is one.

When we add an aspect particle to a group of verbs, we don’t add the aspect particle after the verb. Instead, we separate the syllables of the verb and insert the aspect particle in between. We call this group of verbs separable verbs.

Note that not all the verbs with more than one syllable are separable verbs. For example, the verb 鍾意 zung1 ji3 has two syllables, but it is not a separable verb. We add the aspect particle after the whole verb 鍾意 zung1 ji3, but not between the syllable 鍾 zung1 and the syllable 意 ji3.

Besides aspect particles, we also insert other types of words in a separable verb. We will cover them in later units.

Many 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.

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).

When we add an aspect particle to a verb-object compound, we insert the aspect particle between the verb part and the noun part.

The aspect particle 緊 gan2 functions like the -ing ending in English verbs (e.g., I am eating). We use 緊 gan2 to indicate an activity is ongoing. The activity can be happening right at the time of speaking or happening currently. In grammar, this aspect is called the progressive aspect.

Add the aspect particle 緊 gan2 to each sentence. Then, check your answers and repeat after the recordings.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

The conjunction 定 ding6 or 定係 ding6 hai6 means ‘or’. We use it to indicate two or more options in a question.

When there are more than two options, we add 定 ding6 or 定係 ding6 hai6 before the last option.

We sometimes add 定 ding6 or 定係 ding6 hai6 between every option, especially when we are coming up with the options immediately so we are not sure which is the last option.

The expression 咁 gam2 means ‘then (in that case)’. We use 咁 gam2 to show that what we say is based on what we have talked about. We put 咁 gam2 at the beginning of the sentence.

We also often use 咁 gam2 only to introduce a new topic.

If the sentence ends with a sentence particle, we can move 咁 gam2 to the end of the sentence.

The adverb 仲 zung6 can mean ‘still’. We use 仲 zung6 to indicate that an activity is still happening.

Both 做嘢 zou6 je5 and 返工 faan1 gung1 can mean ‘to work’ idiomatically, but their literal meaning is slightly different:
做嘢 zou6 je5 = 做 zou6 (‘to do’) + 嘢 je5 (‘thing’)
It refers to the action of doing tasks for work.
返工 faan1 gung1 = 返 faan1 (‘to go to’) + 工 gung1 (‘work’)
It refers to the action of going to work.

我做Occupation嘅。
ngo5 zou6 Occupation ge3.
I work as Occupation.

我係(個)Occupation嚟嘅。
ngo5 hai6 (go3) Occupation lai4 ge3.
I am Occupation.

To indicate we are a student in this context, we usually say:
我係(個)學生嚟嘅。
ngo5 hai6 (go3) hok6 saang1 lai4 ge3.
I am a student.
But not:
我做學生嘅。
ngo5 zou6 hok6 saang1 ge3.
I work as a student.

我做Industry嘅。
ngo5 zou6 Industry ge3.
I work in Industry.

我做Type of organization嘅。
ngo5 zou6 Type of organization ge3.
I work at Type of organization.

我返Type of organization嘅。
ngo5 faan1 Type of organization ge3.
I go to Type of organization.

我Duty of job嘅。
ngo5 Duty of job ge3.
I Duty of job.

English is often used to refer to some of the subjects by Hong Kong Cantonese speakers.

我讀Subject嘅。
ngo5 duk6 Subject ge3.
I study Subject.

In the Communication section, you will learn:

• Talking about Work or Study