23.5 Introduction to Verbal Particles
In Grammar and Vocabulary 6.3, we learned that we can use aspect particles with verbs to indicate the status of an activity.
We can also use verbal particles with verbs to add additional meaning to a verb or a sentence. Compare the following sentences:
我問Jason吖。
ngo5 man6 Jason aa1.
Let me ask Jason.
我問埋Jason吖。
ngo5 man6 maai4 Jason aa1.
Let me ask Jason as well.
埋 maai4 is a verbal particle. It adds the meaning of ‘as well’.
我問定我問Jason吖。
ngo5 man6 ding6 Jason aa1.
Let me ask Jason in advance.
定 ding6 is a verbal particle. It adds the meaning of ‘in advance’.
We put a verbal particle after the verb and before the object if there is one. In this book, we will use VP to indicate a verbal particle in English translations.
The verbal particle 埋 maai4 is put after the verb 問 man6 (‘to ask’) and before the object Jason.If the verb is a separable verb (e.g., 跳舞 tiu3 mou5 ‘to dance’), we insert a verbal particle between the first syllable (the verb part) and the second syllable (the object part).
Verbal particles and aspect particles may look very similar, but their functions are different. Aspect particles primarily indicate aspect (the status of the activity). Meanwhile, verbal particles add additional meaning to a verb or a sentence, such as ‘as well’ or ‘in advance’, as shown in the examples above.