13.3 Approximate Numbers I
We can add the adverb 大約 daai6 joek3 (‘about’) before a number to indicate an approximate number.
大約兩年半
daai6 joek3 loeng5 nin4 bun3
about two and a half years
大約三日幾
daai6 joek3 saam1 jat6 gei2
about three days and slightly more
大約四個月
daai6 joek3 sei3 go3 jyut6
about four months
We can also add the suffix 到 dou2 (‘about’) or the adverb 左右 zo2 jau2 (‘about’, literally ‘left + right’) after a number to indicate an approximate number.
兩年半到
loeng5 nin4 bun3 dou2
about two and a half years
三日幾到
saam1 jat6 gei2 dou2
about three days and slightly more
四個月左右
sei3 go3 jyut6 zo2 jau2
about four months
We can put 大約 daai6 joek3 before the number and 到 dou2 or 左右 zo2 jau2 after the number at the same time.
大約兩年半到
daai6 joek3 loeng5 nin4 bun3 dou2
about two and a half years
大約三日幾到
daai6 joek3 saam1 jat6 gei2 dou2
about three days and slightly more
大約四個月左右
daai6 joek3 sei3 go3 jyut6 zo2 jau2
about four months
We can add 差唔多 caa1 m4 do1 (‘almost’) before a number to indicate almost reaching a number.
差唔多兩年半
caa1 m4 do1 loeng5 nin4 bun3
almost two and a half years
差唔多三日
caa1 m4 do1 saam1 jat6
almost three days
差唔多四個月
caa1 m4 do1 sei3 go3 jyut6
almost four months
The table below summarizes the position of each expression: