In the Grammar and Vocabulary section, you will learn:

• Numbers III (Larger Numbers)
• Prices I
• The Question Word 幾多錢 gei2 do1 cin2 / 幾錢 gei2 cin2 (‘how much’ for money)
• The Verbal Particle 返 / 番 / 翻 faan1 II (‘back’)
• The Verb 收 sau1 (‘to receive; to accept’)
• The Verb 找 zaau2 (‘to give change’)
• The Adverb 未 mei6 II (‘not yet; yet’)
• Vocabulary List
• Vocabulary: Payment Methods in Hong Kong
• Vocabulary: Money in Hong Kong

For 100, 200, 300, etc., we say 一 jat1 to 九 gau2 and then 百 baak3 (the place value for hundreds).

For 1000, 2000, 3000, etc., we say 一 jat1 to 九 gau2 and then 千 cin1 (the place value for thousands).

For 10000, 20000, 30000, etc., we say 一 jat1 to 九 gau2 and then 萬 maan6 (the place value for ten thousands).

Note that we usually use 兩 loeng5 for ‘two’ only when it is the first digit of a number (i.e., no other digits come before it).

Also, note that although we can put 二 ji6 or 兩 loeng5 before 百 baak3, 千 cin1 and 萬 maan6, we only put 二 ji6 but not 兩 loeng5 before 十 sap6 (the place value for tens).

We say a number from the leftmost digit to the rightmost digit. We insert the corresponding place value after each digit, except the ones digit (the last digit), which is not followed by a place value.

When there is a zero (0) between other digits (1 to 9), we need to say 零 ling4 for the zero.

If there are consecutive zeros (00, 000, etc.), we say 零 ling4 only once.

We don’t need to say a zero if it is not followed by other digits (1 to 9).

When there is another digit before 10, 11, 12, etc., we say 一十 jat1 sap6 instead of 十 sap6.

Note that when there is no digit before 10, 11, 12, etc., we say 十 sap6 instead.

In Grammar and Vocabulary 12.1, we learned that we can use the contracted forms of the tens digits (e.g., 廿 jaa6 for 20, 卅呀 saa1 aa6 for 30) when the tens digit is followed by a ones digit other than zero (1 to 9) or a classifier. When saying numbers larger than 99, we can also use these contracted forms. However, we don’t usually say 廿 jaa6 for 20 when the ones digit is zero even if it is followed by a classifier. Also, as the number gets larger, we tend to say it without contracted forms.

We can also contract 一十 jat1 sap6 to 一呀 jat1 aa6 when it is followed by a ones digit other than 0 (1 to 9) or a classifier.

For longer numbers, we sometimes say them without the place values (萬 maan6, 百 baak3, 千 cin1, 十 sap6, etc.) so that they are easier to understand.

Note that when saying a number this way, we will say every zero.

Say each number. Use both the full and contracted forms of the tens digit whenever possible. Then, check your answers and repeat after the recordings.

1. 7054

2. 312

3. 43261

4. 2753

5. 1794

6. 58004

7. 9500

8. 543

9. 23819

10. 5902

11. 360

12. 70056

There are three types of prices:

The classifier 蚊 man1 means ‘dollar’. It is also the unit of money in Hong Kong.

To say a price without cents, we put 蚊 man1 after the number. We can use contracted forms of the tens digits (e.g., 廿 jaa6 for 20, 卅呀 saa1 aa6 for 30). See Grammar and Vocabulary 34.1 for the rules.

Since 蚊 man1 is a classifier, for ‘$2’, we use 兩 loeng5 instead of 二 ji6.

The classifiers 毫 hou4 and 毫子 hou4 zi2 mean ‘10 cents ($0.1)’. 毫子 hou4 zi2 is more informal than 毫 hou4.

To mean ‘10 cents, 20 cents, 30 cents, etc.’, we take the first digit (1, 2, 3, etc.) and put 毫 hou4 or 毫子 hou4 zi2 after it. Notice we take the first digit only, but not the complete number (10, 20, 30, etc.).

Since 毫 hou4 and 毫子 hou4 zi2 are classifiers, for ‘20 cents ($0.2)’, we usually use 兩 loeng5, but 二 ji6 is also used sometimes.

The classifier 仙 sin1 means ‘1 cent ($0.01)’. 仙 sin1 is rarely used in Hong Kong nowadays. So you don’t need to remember its use if you will only say prices in Hong Kong dollars!

To mean ’1 cent, 2 cents, 3 cents, etc.’, we put 仙 sin1 after the number.

Since 仙 sin1 is a classifier, for ‘2 cents ($0.02)’, we use 兩 loeng5 instead of 二 ji6.

To say prices like $0.99 and $0.55, we can use 毫 hou4 or 仙 sin1 in the structures below.

When using 毫 hou4, we can optionally add 子 zi2 at the end. We usually say 5 cents ($0.05) as 半 bun3 (‘half’).

When using 仙 sin1, we say the number in the price like in English (e.g., ninety-nine cents for ‘$0.99’ and fifty-five cents for ‘$0.55’).

There are two methods to say a price with cents. We use Method 2 more often, especially in less formal contexts.

We use 蚊 man1 and 毫 hou4 together, as we have learned above. We can optionally add 零 ling4 (‘zero’) between the dollars and the cents.

We put the classifier 個 go3 between the dollars and the cents. We usually say ‘50 cents ($0.5)’ as 半 bun3 (‘half’).

We usually use Method 1 if both the tens digit and the ones digit (the two digits before the decimal point) are zero (e.g., $100.4, 2500.5, 36000.6).

To indicate the price of an item, we simply put the price after the item to form a sentence. Note that we don’t need to add a verb between the item and the price. It is a sentence structure that has a predicate without a verb (see Grammar and Vocabulary 12.4).

Say each price. Use the full form of the tens digit. For prices with cents, use both Method 1 and Method 2 whenever possible. Then, check your answers and repeat after the recordings.

1. $0.3

2. $69.6

3. $12009

4. $427.5

5. $24.9

6. $65319

7. $32057

8. $968.5

9. $94600.3

10. $0.8

The prices below include one cent ($0.01). You can skip them if you won’t use it.

11. $0.05

12. $0.67

13. $5.98

14. $0.06

15. $0.83

16. $10.45

17. $0.02

18. $0.76

19. $2.89

The question word 幾多錢 gei2 do1 cin2 is similar to how much in English (as in how much does one person pay?). We can use it to form a question that elicits an amount of money as the answer. It is formed by combining 幾多 gei2 do1 (‘how much’) and 錢 cin2 (‘money’). We can optionally contract 幾多錢 gei2 do1 cin2 to 幾錢 gei2 cin2.

To ask for the price of an item, we simply put 幾多錢 gei2 do1 cin2 / 幾錢 gei2 cin2 after the item to form a question. Note that we don’t need to add a verb between the item and 幾多錢 gei2 do1 cin2 / 幾錢 gei2 cin2. It is a sentence structure that has a predicate without a verb (see Grammar and Vocabulary 12.4).

In Grammar and Vocabulary 32.5, we learned that the verbal particle 返 faan1 (also written as 番 or 翻) can add the meaning of ‘left’ to the sentence (as in there are two cans of beer left).

The verbal particle 返 faan1 can also add the meaning of ‘back’ to the sentence (as in let me give you back the card). We can use 返 faan1 to indicate that something is returned to someone.

The verb 收 sau1 means ‘to receive’. We can put two objects after 收 sau1. The first one is an indirect object (the giver, i.e. the person who gives the thing). The second one is a direct object (the thing received).

收 sau1 can also mean ‘to accept (a payment method)’. We put the payment method after 收 sau1.

The verb 找 zaau2 means ‘to give change’. We can put two objects after 找 zaau2. The first one is an indirect object (the recipient, i.e. the person who receives the change). The second one is a direct object (the amount of change). We often use 找 zaau2 with the verb particle 返 faan1 because the change is returned to someone.

We can optionally omit the indirect object (the recipient).

找 zaau2 is a verb with the sense of giving something. We can add 俾 bei2 to indicate the recipient using the sentence structure below (See Grammar and Vocabulary 32.2).

In Grammar and Vocabulary 13.8, we learned that the adverb 未 mei6 means ‘not yet’ in sentences and ‘yet’ in yes-no questions.

We can also put 未 mei6 after an activity to ask if we are doing the activity yet. We often use this type of question to ask whether we should do the activity now or whether someone wants to do the activity now (at the time of speaking).

This type of question usually functions as a suggestion. We can respond to it like we are responding to a suggestion. For negative answers, we usually indicate the reason for rejecting the suggestion directly.

The banknotes in Hong Kong are in six different values: $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1000. Banknotes, except those for $10, are issued by different banks in Hong Kong. Each bank has their own designs, but the banknotes in the same value are the same color. The $10 banknotes are issued by the government and there is only one design.

When referring to the banknotes, we sometimes add the word 紙 zi2 (‘paper’) after the value.

We use the classifier 張 zoeng1 with banknotes.

The coins in Hong Kong are in seven different values: $10, $5, $2, $1, 50 cents, 20 cents and 10 cents.

When referring to coins of $1 or above, we sometimes add the word 銀 ngan2 (‘silver’) after the value.

We use the classifier 個 go3 with coins.

In the Communication section, you will learn:

• Paying the Bill