In the Grammar and Vocabulary section, you will learn:

• Decimal Numbers
• Weight
• Prices II
• The Sentence Particle 喇喂 la3 wei3 (Urging Someone)
• The Sentence Particle 啦 laa1 IV (Persuasion)
• The Sentence Particle 嘞 laak3 (Offer)
• Attributive Adjectives II
• The Question Word 幾多 gei2 do1 (‘how many, how much’) III (Measurement Unit Classifiers)
• Vocabulary List

To say a decimal number, we first read the digits before the decimal point like normal numbers, then read the decimal point as 點 dim2 (‘point’), and finally read the digits after the decimal point one by one.

If the digit before the decimal point is 2, we can read it as 二 ji6 or 兩 loeng5.

Say each number. Then, check your answers and repeat after the recordings.

1. 1.5

2. 0.2

3. 13.7

4. 0.06

5. 26.59

6. 187.34

We can use the following units to indicate the weight of food or drinks. It’s common for Hong Kong Cantonese speakers to refer to some of these units in English.

斤 gan1 and 両 loeng2 are units used in East and Southeast Asia and their actual values differ from place to place. The values listed above are the values used in Hong Kong. Also, don’t mix up 斤 gan1 and 公斤 gung1 gan1. They are different units.

The units above are measurement unit classifiers. To say a weight, we put a measurement unit classifier after the number. Note that we use 兩 loeng5 for ‘two’.

We can also put a decimal number before the measurement unit classifier.

To mean ‘half a catty, half a pound, etc.’, we put the word 半 bun3 (‘half’) before the measurement unit classifier.

To mean ‘one and a half catties, two and a half pounds, etc.’, we put 半 bun3 after the measurement unit classifier.

When we put 半 bun3 after the measurement unit classifier, we can optionally omit the number 一 jat1 if the measurement unit classifier has only one syllable (e.g., 斤 gan1, 磅 bong6).

Note that we don’t omit the number 一 jat1 if the measurement unit classifier has more than one syllable (e.g., 公斤 gung1 gan1).

We can use multiple measurement unit classifiers together. We say from the largest unit to the smallest unit.

To indicate an item of a specific weight (e.g., half a catty of an item), we put the item after the weight.

Note that if the weight ends with 半 bun3, we put the item after 半 bun3.

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

We often omit the noun of the item if it is obvious in the context.

When we are weighing something, we sometimes replace the item with the word 呢度 ni1 dou6 (‘here’).

To ask for the weight of an item, we can put the question word 幾重 gei2 cung5 (‘how heavy’) after the item. Note that we don’t say 幾多重 gei2 do1 cung5.

Say each weight. Use Cantonese to refer to the units in this practice. Then, check your answers and repeat after the recordings.

1. 1 catty

2. 0.5 kilogram

3. 3.5 pounds

4. 1.5 catties

5. 200 grams

6. 2.5 kilograms

7. 0.5 pound

8. 10 taels

To indicate a unit price, we first say the price and then the number 一 jat1 (‘one’) and the classifier for the unit.

We can optionally omit the number 一 jat1.

The number can be other numbers. Notice we use 兩 loeng5 for ‘two’.

It is also possible to put the price behind the classifier. Note that we don’t omit the number 一 in this case.

We can also use the word 每 mui5 (‘each’). We first say 每 mui5 and the classifier and then the price.

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

To ask for the unit price of an item, we simply put the question word 幾多錢 gei2 do1 cin2 / 幾錢 gei2 cin2 (‘how much’ for money) at the position of the price.

We can optionally omit the number 一 jat1.

We can omit the unit if we are not sure about it.

We can also put the question word 點 dim2 / 點樣 dim2 joeng2 (‘how’) and the verb 賣 maai6 (‘to sell’) after an item to ask how the item is sold. In the context of buying groceries, we also use this type of question simply to ask for the price of an item.

We can use the sentence particle 喇喂 la3 wei3 to catch someone’s attention and urge them to do something. In the context of shops, shopkeepers often use 喇喂 la3 wei3 when attracting passers-by to stop and browse their shops.

In Grammar and Vocabulary 27.7, we learned to use the sentence particle 啦 laa1 to form suggestions.

We can also use the sentence particle 啦 laa1 to form persuasion when we need to persuade someone to do something. In the context of shops, shopkeepers often use 啦 laa1 when persuading customers to buy something.

We can use the sentence particle 嘞 laak3 to form an offer (e.g., offering help or discounts). We use 嘞 laak3 when the offer is not necessary and will cost us something (e.g., time or money), but we are offering it just because it will benefit the listener in the current situation.

In the context of shops, shopkeepers will often use 嘞 laak3 when offering extra discounts to customers.

Another example is when we offer to run errands or handle tasks for someone who is busy.

In Grammar and Vocabulary 21.2, we learned that we can put an attributive adjective before a noun to modify the noun. We use the particle 嘅 ge3 to link an attributive adjective and a noun.

We usually omit the noun if it is obvious in the context.

In Grammar and Vocabulary 11.6, we learned that the question word 幾多 gei2 do1 is similar to how many or how much in English. We also learned that if the noun is countable, we often add a classifier between 幾多 gei2 do1 and the noun. In Grammar and Vocabulary 28.8, we learned that we can put a container classifier (e.g., 碗 wun2 ‘bowl’) between 幾多 gei2 do1 and the noun. This is especially useful when the noun is uncountable.

We can also put a measurement unit classifier (e.g., 斤 gan1 ‘catty’) between 幾多 gei2 do1 (‘how many, how much’) and the noun. Again, this is especially useful when the noun is uncountable (e.g., 菜心 coi3 sam1 ‘choy sum’).

When 幾多 gei2 do1 is followed by a classifier, 幾多 gei2 do1 can be contracted to 幾 gei2.

We usually omit the noun if it is obvious in the context.

In the Communication section, you will learn:

• Buying Vegetables and Fruits