Finding a Place on the Street I

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If we’re on the street and want to find a place to do an activity, we can say:

1. 
糖水
ngo5soeng2sik6tong4 seoi2aa3,
Iwant toeatsweet soupSP
呢度附近糖水
ni1 dou6fu6 gan6jau5mou5tong4 seoi2pou2aa3?
herenearhavenot havesweet soupshopSP
I want to eat sweet soup. Is there a sweet soup shop near here?
2. 
糖水
ngo5soeng2sik6tong4 seoi2aa3,
Iwant toeatsweet soupSP
呢度附近邊度糖水
ni1 dou6fu6 gan6bin1 dou6jau5tong4 seoi2pou2aa3?
herenearwherehavesweet soupshopSP
I want to eat sweet soup. Where are the sweet soup shops near here?

Culture

糖水 tong4 seoi2 (‘sweet soup’) is a type of Chinese dessert. It is similar to soup or congee but with sweet flavor. 糖水舖 tong4 seoi2 pou2 (‘sweet soup’ + ‘shop’) is a place where people can enjoy sweet soup and chat after dinner. Nowadays, many of these shops also serve other types of dessert, such as cakes, waffles and shaved ice. Therefore, they are also often referred to as 甜品舖 tim4 ban2 pou2 (甜品 tim4 ban2 ‘dessert’ + 舖 pou2 ‘shop’).

Route A: Yes

3. 
地鐵站嗰頭應該
dei6 tit3 zaam6go2 tau4jing1 goi1jau5gaan1aa3.
subway stationthat areashouldhaveCLSP
There should be one in the subway station that area.
  • The original noun phrase after 有 jau5 is 一間糖水舖 jat1 gaan1 tong4 seoi2 pou2 (‘one sweet soup shop’). The number 一 can be omitted as the noun phrase appears after a verb. The noun 糖水舖 tong4 seoi2 pou2 can also be omitted as it is obvious in the context. So only the classifier 間 gaan1 is left!
4. 
街市附近應該
gaai1 si5fu6 gan6jing1 goi1jau5gaan1aa3.
wet marketnearshouldhaveCLSP
There should be one near the wet market.
5. 
公園對面商場
gung1 jyun2deoi3 min6go3soeng1 coeng4
parkoppositeCLshopping mall
好似
hou2 ci5jau5gei2gaan1aa3.
seemhaveseveralCLSP
There seem to be several in the shopping mall opposite the park.
6. 
隔籬好似
gaak3 lei4tiu4gaai1hou2 ci5jau5gei2gaan1aa3.
next toCLstreetseemhaveseveralCLSP
There seem to be several on the next street.
7. 
前邊商場
cin4 bin6go2go3soeng1 coeng4jau5gei2gaan1aa3.
frontthatCLshopping mallhaveseveralCLSP
There are several in that shopping mall in front.

Route B: No

8. 
呢度附近應該
ni1 dou6fu6 gan6jing1 goi1mou5aa3.
herenearshouldnot haveSP
There shouldn’t be any near here.
9. 
呢頭好似
ni1 tau4hou2 ci5mou5aa3.
this areaseemnot haveSP
There doesn’t seem to be any in this area.
10. 
算啦
gam2syun3 laa1.
thenforget it
Then, forget it.

Route C: Don’t know

11. 
ngo5dou1m4zi1aa3,
ItoonotknowSP
不如Google Map
bat1 jyu4jung6Google Mapwan2haa5aa1.
why notuseGoogle MapfindAPSP
I don’t know either.
Why don’t we use Google Map to have a search?
  • 用Google Map揾下 jung6 Google Map wan2 haa5 is a serial construction. The first verb phrase 用Google Map jung6 Google Map is the method of doing the second verb phrase 揾下 wan2 haa5. We will learn more about it in the next lesson.
12. 
hou2aa3.
GoodSP
Good. [= Sure.]

A few moments later…

13. 
呢度附近
ni1 dou6fu6 gan6jau5gaan1wo3.
herenearhaveCLSP
There is one near here.
14. 
旺角嗰邊
wong6 gok3go2 bin6jau5gei2gaan1wo3.
herethat sidehaveseveralCLSP
There are several in Mong Kok that side.
15. 
呢度附近算啦
ni1 dou6fu6 gan6mou5wo3,gam2syun3 laa1.
herenearnot haveSPthenforget it
There isn’t any near here. Then, forget it.

If there are some shops nearby, we can suggest going now.

16. 
不如我哋而家
bat1 jyu4ngo5 dei6ji4 gaa1heoi3aa1.
why notwenowgoSP
Why don’t we go now?
17. 
hou2aa3.
GoodSP
Good. [= Sure.]

If there is more than one shop available, we can ask which one we should go.

18. 
nei5soeng2heoi3bin1gaan1aa3?
youwant togowhichCLSP
Which one do you want to go to?
19. 
ngo5soeng2heoi3ni1gaan1aa3.
youwant togothisCLSP
I want to go to this one.

If we want to know the shop’s name, we can ask:

20. 
gaan1je5giu3me1meng2aa3?
CLthingbe calledwhatnameSP
What is the shop’s name?
21. 
糖老鴨
giu3tong4 lou5 aap3aa3.
be calledTonald DuckSP
The shop’s name is Tonald Duck [a fictional shop].

We can then start finding the shop. Note that we can also use the expressions below when we are driving. The word 行 haang4 can mean ‘to move’ in the context of driving.

22. 
gaan1je5hai2bin1tiu4gaai1aa3?
CLthingbe onwhichCLstreetSP
Which street is the shop on?
23. 
邊度
gaan1je5hai2bin1 dou6aa3?
CLthingbe atwhereSP
Where is the shop?
24. 
黑布街
hai2hak1 bou3 gaai1aa3,ni1tiu4hai6me1gaai1lai4gaa3?
be onHak Po StreetSPthisCLbewhatstreetSPSP
It is on Hak Po Street. What street is this one?
25. 
通菜街
ni1tiu4hai6tung1 coi3 gaai1lai4ge3.
thisCLbeTung Choi StreetSPSP
This one is Tung Choi Street.
26. 
我哋應該邊邊
ngo5 dei6jing1 goi1hoeng3bin1 bin6haang4aa3?
weshouldtowardwhich sidewalkSP
Which side should we walk toward?
27. 
黑布街邊邊
hak1 bou3 gaai1hai2bin1 bin6aa3?
Hak Po Streetonwhich sideSP
Which side is Hak Po Street on?
28. 
黑布街即係
hak1 bou3 gaai1zik1 hai6bin1tiu4gaai1aa3?
Hak Po Streetbe equal towhichCLstreetSP
Which street is Hak Po Street equal to?
29.    
我哋應該呢邊 / 前邊 / 後邊
ngo5 dei6jing1 goi1hoeng3ni1 bin6 / cin4 bin6 / hau6 bin6haang4aa3.
weshouldtowardthis side / front / backwalkSP
We should walk toward this side / the front / the back.
30.    
黑布街應該嗰邊 / 左邊 / 右邊
hak1 bou3 gaai1jing1 goi1hai2go2 bin6 / zo2 bin6 / jau6 bin6aa3.
Hak Po Streetshouldbe onthat side / left / rightSP
Hak Po Street should be on that side / the left / the right.
31.   
黑布街應該即係
hak1 bou3 gaai1jing1 goi1zik1 hai6
Hak Po Streetshouldbe equal to
隔籬 / 對面
gaak3 lei4 / deoi3 min6tiu4gaai1aa3.
next to / oppositeCLstreetSP
Hak Po Street should be equal to the next / opposite street.

As we walk, we may need to change direction.

32.    
跟住應該呢邊 / 左邊 / 右邊
gan1 zyu6jing1 goi1hoeng3ni1 bin6 / zo2 bin6 / jau6 bin6haang4aa3.
and thenshouldtowardthis side / left / rightwalkSP
And then we should walk toward this side / the left / the right.
33.    
跟住應該呢邊 / 左邊 / 右邊
gan1 zyu6jing1 goi1zyun3ni1 bin6 / zo2 bin6 / jau6 bin6aa3.
and thenshouldturnthis side / left / rightSP
And then we should turn to this side / left / right.

Sometimes, we may want to check if we need to change direction.

34. 
我哋呢邊
ngo5 dei6hai6m4hai6jiu3zyun3ni1 bin6aa3?
webenotbeneed toturnthis sideSP
Is it true that we need to turn to this side?
35. 
呢邊
hai6aa3,jiu3zyun3ni1 bin6aa3.
beSPneed toturnthis sideSP
Yes, we need to turn to this side.
36. 
唔使繼續前邊
m4 sai2aa3,jiu3gai3 zuk6hoeng3cin4 bin6haang4aa3.
not need toSPneed tocontinuetowardfrontwalkSP
We don’t need to. We need to continue to walk toward the front.
37. 
mei6zyun3aa3.
not yetturnSP
Not yet.

Sometimes, we may need to ask for the street number of our current location and the number of the shop.

38.   
呢度幾多號 / 幾號
ni1 dou6hai6gei2 do1 hou6 / gei2 hou6aa3?
herebewhat numberSP
What number is here?
39.   
呢度四十
ni1 dou6hai6sei3 sap6hou6,
herebe40number
幾多號 / 幾號
gaan1je5hai2gei2 do1 hou6 / gei2 hou6aa3?
CLthingbe atwhat numberSP
Here is No. 40. What number is the shop at?
40. 
六十六
luk6 sap6 luk6hou6.
66number
No. 66.
41.    
六十六
gaan1je5hai2luk6 sap6 luk6hou6,
CLthingbe at66number
即係應該呢邊 / 前邊 / 後邊
zik1 hai6jing1 goi1hoeng3ni1 bin6 / cin4 bin6 / hau6 bin6haang4aa3.
that meansshouldtowardthis way / front / backwalkSP
The shop is at No. 66. That means we should walk toward this way / the front / the back.
42. 
死喇好似呢邊
sei2 laa3,hou2 ci5m4hai6ni1 bin6aa3,
oh noseemnotbethis sideSP
嗰邊
hai6go2 bin6aa3.
bethat sideSP
Oh no! It seems that it is not this side. It is that side.
43. 
死喇好似
sei2 laa3,hou2 ci5m4hai6ni1tiu4gaai1aa3,
oh noseemnotbethisCLstreetSP
後邊
hai6hau6 bin6go2tiu4gaai1aa3.
bebehindthatCLstreetSP
Oh no! It seems that it is not this street. It is that street behind.

When we finally arrive, we can say:

44.     
呢度 / 嗰度 / 前邊 / 對面
dou3laa3,ni1 dou6 / go2 dou6 / cin4 bin6 / deoi3 min6aa3.
arriveSPhere / there / front / oppositeSP
We have arrived already. It’s here / there / in front / opposite.

😈 Sensitive Content

When we realize we are heading the wrong way, we can say the swear word 仆街喇 puk1 gaai1 laa3 (‘Shit!’) or 屌 diu2 (‘Fuck!’) to express stronger emotions.

45. 
仆街喇好似呢邊
puk1 gaai1 laa3,hou2 ci5m4hai6ni1 bin6aa3,
shitseemnotbethis sideSP
嗰邊
hai6go2 bin6aa3.
bethat sideSP
Shit! It seems that it is not this side. It is that side.
46. 
好似
diu2,hou2 ci5m4hai6ni1tiu4gaai1aa3,
fuckseemnotbethisCLstreetSP
後邊
hai6hau6 bin6go2tiu4gaai1aa3.
bebehindthatCLstreetSP
Fuck! It seems that it is not this street. It is that street behind.

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