41.3 Adverbs of Frequency
We can use the following adverbs of frequency to indicate how often we do an activity. When we use 通常 tung1 soeng4 (‘usually’), 成日 seng4 jat6 (‘very often’), 好多時 hou2 do1 si4 (‘often’) and 從來唔 cung4 loi4 m4 (‘never’), we can add 都 dou1 to emphasize how we often or how we never do an activity.
We put an adverb of frequency before the verb in a sentence. When we use an adverb of frequency to talk about our habit, we often use the sentence particle 嘅 ge3.
To indicate we do an activity as often as someone, we can add the adverb 都 dou1 (‘too’) before the adverb of frequency. Notice 嘅 ge3 becomes 㗎 gaa3 below because we add 呀 aa3 to emphasize that we have something in common (嘅 ge3 + 呀 aa3 → 㗎 gaa3).
| A: | 我哋成日食紅衫魚嘅。 ngo5 dei6 seng4 jat6 sik6 hung4 saam1 jyu2 ge3. We eat golden thread fish very often. |
| B: | 我哋都成日食紅衫魚㗎。 ngo5 dei6 dou1 seng4 jat6 sik6 hung4 saam1 jyu2 gaa3. We eat golden thread fish very often too. |
We don’t usually add the 都 dou1 for emphasis after 通常 tung1 soeng4, 成日 seng4 jat6, 好多時 hou2 do1 si4 or 從來唔 cung4 loi4 m4 if we have already added 都 dou1 before these adverbs of frequency to mean ‘too’.
❌ 我哋都成日都食紅衫魚㗎。
ngo5 dei6 dou1 seng4 jat6 dou1 sik6 hung4 saam1 jyu2 gaa3.
✔️ 我哋都成日食紅衫魚㗎。
ngo5 dei6 dou1 seng4 jat6 sik6 hung4 saam1 jyu2 gaa3.
We eat golden thread fish very often too.
We can add 都 dou1 (‘too’) after 有時 jau5 si4 and 間中 gaan3 zung1 / 間唔中 gaan3 m4 zung1 to indicate we do another activity as well.
| A: | 你哋平時鍾意食咩魚㗎？ nei5 dei6 ping4 si4 zung1 ji3 sik6 me1 jyu2 gaa3? What fish do you normally like eating? |
| B: | 我哋通常食䱽魚，不過有時都食紅衫魚嘅。 ngo5 dei6 tung1 soeng4 sik6 cong1 jyu2, bat1 gwo3 jau5 si4 dou1 sik6 hung4 saam1 jyu2 ge3. We usually eat pomfret, but we sometimes eat golden thread fish too. |