Asking Someone to Run Errands

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Sometimes, we may need to ask someone to run errands. We can check their schedule first.

1. 
你今日會唔會出去呀？
nei5gam1 jat6wui5m4wui5ceot1 heoi3aa3?
youtodaywillnotwillgo outSP
Will you go out today?
2. 
會呀。
wui5aa3.
willSP
Yes.
3. 
唔會呀。
m4wui5aa3.
notwillSP
No.
4. 
你一陣使唔使出去呀？
nei5jat1 zan6sai2 m4 sai2ceot1 heoi3aa3?
youlaterneed not need togo outSP
Do you need to go out later?
5. 
要呀。
jiu3aa3.
need toSP
Yes.
6. 
唔使呀。
m4 sai2aa3.
not need toSP
No.

If the other person answers ‘yes’, we can ask where they need to or will go.

7. 
你今日會去邊度呀？
nei5gam1 jat6wui5heoi3bin1 dou6aa3?
youtodaywillgowhereSP
Where will you go today?
8. 
我今日會去銀行整啲嘢呀。
ngo5gam1 jat6wui5heoi3ngan4 hong4zing2di1je5aa3.
Itodaywillgobankdo tasksCL[do tasks]SP
I will go to the bank to do some tasks today.
  • 整嘢 zing2 je5 (‘to do tasks’) is a separable verb. The classifier 啲 di1 between 整 zing2 and 嘢 je5 adds the meaning of ‘some’.
9. 
你一陣要去邊度呀？
nei5jat1 zan6jiu3heoi3bin1 dou6aa3?
youlaterneed togowhereSP
Where do you need to go later?
10. 
我一陣要落去街市買啲嘢呀。
ngo5jat1 zan6jiu3lok6 heoi3gaai1 si5maai5di1je5aa3.
Ilaterneed togo downwet marketbuyCLthingSP
I need to go down to the wet market to buy something later.
  • The classifier 啲 di1 (for plural or uncountable nouns) and the noun 嘢 je5 (‘thing’) together mean ‘something’ here.

The other person may ask why we’re asking. It’s a good time to reveal what we want! 😈

11. 
做咩呀？
zou6me1aa3?
dowhatSP
Why?
[= Why are you asking?]
12. 
你出去嗰陣時，
nei5ceot1 heoi3go2 zan6 si4,
yougo outwhen
幫我攞袋衫去洗衣舖洗吖。
bong1ngo5lo2doi6saam1heoi3sai2 ji1 pou2sai2aa1.
formetakepackclothesgolaundry storewashSP
When you go out,
please take the pack of clothes to go to the laundry store to wash for me.
13. 
你落去嗰陣，可唔可以幫我
nei5lok6 heoi3go2 zan6,ho2m4ho2 ji5bong1ngo5
yougo downwhencannotcanforme
拎封信去郵局寄呀？
ling1fung1seon3heoi3jau4 guk2gei3aa3?
takeCLlettergopost officepostSP
When you go down,
can you take the letter to go to the post office to post for me?
14. 
你出去嗰時，幫我
nei5ceot1 heoi3go2 si4,bong1ngo5
yougo outwhenforme
攞啲書去圖書館還得唔得呀？
lo2di1syu1heoi3tou4 syu1 gun2waan4dak1m4dak1aa3?
takeCLbookgolibraryreturnokaynotokaySP
When you go out,
is it okay if you take the books to go to the library to return for me?
  • 得唔得 dak1 m4 dak1 means ‘Is it okay if …?’ We can use it to ask if someone can do something.

Route A: Yes

15. 
好呀。
hou2aa3.
goodSP
Good. [= Yes.]
16. 
可以呀。
ho2 ji5aa3.
canSP
Yes.
17. 
得呀。
dak1aa3.
okaySP
Yes.
18. 
唔該晒。
m4 goi1 saai3.
thank you so much
Thank you so much.

Route B: No

19. 
我唔夠時間去呀。
ngo5m4gau3si4 gaan3heoi3aa3.
Inothave enoughtimegoSP
I don’t have enough time to go.
  • 唔夠時間去 m4 gau3 si4 gaan3 heoi3 is a serial verb construction. The first verb phrase is 唔夠時間 m4 gau3 si4 gaan3 and the second verb phrase is 去 heoi3. The second verb phrase specifies that 時間 si4 gaan3 is for the activity 去 heoi3.
20. 
我唔順路呀。
ngo5m4seon6 lou6aa3.
Inoton my waySP
It’s not on my way.
[= It’s out of my route I will take.]
21. 
噉冇嘢喇。
gam2mou5je5laa3.
thennot havethingSP
Then, nothing already.
22. 
噉算啦。
gam2syun3 laa1.
thenforget it
Then, forget it.

We can also ask someone to help without asking about their schedule first.

23. 
你幫我落去買啲雞蛋吖。
nei5bong1ngo5lok6 heoi3maai5di1gai1 daan2aa1.
youformego downbuyCLeggSP
Please go down to buy some eggs for me.
24. 
你可唔可以幫我
nei5ho2m4ho2 ji5bong1ngo5
youcannotcanforme
出去買啲菜呀？
ceot1 heoi3maai5di1coi3aa3?
go outbuyCLvegetableSP
Can you go out to buy some vegetables for me?
25. 
你幫我落去買啲啤酒得唔得呀？
nei5bong1ngo5lok6 heoi3maai5di1be1 zau2dak1m4dak1aa3?
youformego downbuyCLbeerokaynotokaySP
Is it okay if you go down to buy some beer for me?

Route A: Yes

26. 
好呀。
hou2aa3.
goodSP
Good. [= Yes.]
27. 
可以呀。
ho2 ji5aa3.
canSP
Yes.
28. 
得呀。
dak1aa3.
okaySP
Yes.
29. 
唔該晒。
m4 goi1 saai3.
thank you so much
Thank you so much.

Route B: No

30. 
我做緊嘢呀。
ngo5zou6gan2je5aa3.
IworkVP[work]SP
I am working.
31. 
我唔得閒呀。
ngo5m4dak1 haan4aa3.
InotfreeSP
I am not free.
32. 
噉冇嘢喇。
gam2mou5je5laa3.
thennot havethingSP
Then, nothing already.
33. 
噉算啦。
gam2syun3 laa1.
thenforget it
Then, forget it.

Sometimes we may call someone from elsewhere to help.

34. 
喂，你喺邊度呀？
wai2,nei5hai2bin1 dou6aa3?
helloyoube atwhereSP
Hello, where are you?
35. 
我喺公園呀。
ngo5hai2gung1 jyun2aa3.
Ibe atparkSP
I am at the park.
36. 
我仲喺公司呀。
ngo5zung6hai2gung1 si1aa3.
Istillbe atofficeSP
I am still at the company.
37. 
我喺尖沙咀呀。
ngo5hai2zim1 saa1 zeoi2aa3.
Ibe inTsim Sha TsuiSP
I am in Tsim Sha Tsui.
38. 
你返嚟嗰陣時，
nei5faan1 lai4go2 zan6 si4,
youcome backwhen
去麵包舖買啲麵包吖。
heoi3min6 baau1 pou2maai5di1min6 baau1aa1.
gobakerybuyCLbreadSP
When you come back, please go to the bakery to buy some bread.
39. 
你返嚟嗰陣，
nei5faan1 lai4go2 zan6,
youcome backwhen
可唔可以去街市買啲叉燒呀？
ho2m4ho2 ji5heoi3gaai1 si5maai5di1caa1 siu1aa3?
cannotcangowet marketbuyCLchar siuSP
When you come back, can you go to the wet market to buy some char siu?
40. 
你返嚟嗰時，去超級市場
nei5faan1 lai4go2 si4,heoi3ciu1 kap1 si5 coeng4
youcome backwhengosupermarket
買盒牛奶得唔得呀？
maai5hap6ngau4 naai5dak1m4dak1aa3?
buycartonmilkokaynotokaySP
When you come back,
is it okay if you go to the supermarket to buy a carton of milk?

Route A: Yes

41. 
好呀。
hou2aa3.
goodSP
Good. [= Yes.]
42. 
可以呀。
ho2 ji5aa3.
canSP
Yes.
43. 
得呀。
dak1aa3.
okaySP
Yes.
44. 
唔該晒。
m4 goi1 saai3.
thank you so much
Thank you so much.

Route B: No

45. 
我會好夜返嚟呀。
ngo5wui5hou2je6faan1 lai4aa3.
Iwillverylate at nightcome backSP
I will come back very late at night.
46. 
我唔會經過超級市場呀。
ngo5m4wui5ging1 gwo3ciu1 kap1 si5 coeng4aa3.
Inotwillpass bysupermarketSP
I won’t pass by the supermarket.
47. 
我冇手呀，我拎住好多嘢呀。
ngo5mou5sau2aa3,ngo5ling1 zyu6hou2 do1je5aa3.
Inot havehandSPIbe holdinga lotthingSP
I don’t have a free hand. I am holding a lot of things.
48. 
噉冇嘢喇。
gam2mou5je5laa3.
thennot havethingSP
Then, nothing already.
49. 
噉算啦。
gam2syun3 laa1.
thenforget it
Then, forget it.