Spoken+Languages

=Spoken Languages = toc

Cantonese is the most used language in Hong Kong. Since Hong Kong was owned by Britain; british English is also spoken in Hong Kong. Chinese is a very difficult language to pick up. Usually the Chinese make their children learn the language at a very young age so that they will be able to speak it when they grow up. When learning to speak Cantonese, you learn to pick up the words; however, the pronunciation is another challenge. Practise makes perfect; so when learning, try to practise with a friend who also speaks Cantonese.

Cantonese is spoken not only in Hong Kong. It is also spoken in China: such as in GuangDong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City. Cantonese is also the dominant language in the Chinatowns in other places in the world: such as New York, London, Toronto and many other places. The rest of China speak Mandarin. Mandarin is the most spoken chinese dialect in China.

Now in China, there are two types of writing forms. There is a traditional style and a simplified style. The simplified style is a simplified version of the traditional style to make it simpler for people who are learning the language to pick up the written form of the language. In Hong Kong, they use the traditional form. The traditional form has more stroke in each character but it keeps the true history of the characters in the chinese language.

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Video: Learn Cantonese
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Here are some basic English to Cantonese translations:
Hello. 你好. Néih hóu.

How are you? 你好嗎? Néih hóu ma?

How are you recently? (//more popular in daily usage//)近排點呀 Gahnpàaih dím a? (//informal//)

Fine. 幾好. Géi hóu. (//No need to say "thank you" after answering "fine" in Cantonese//)

What is your name? 你叫乜嘢名呀? Néih giu māt'yéh mèhng a?

What is your name (//formal, literally means "How do I address you"//)? 請問點稱呼? Chíngmahn dím chīngfū?

My name is __.__ __<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">我個名叫 __. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Ngóh go mèhng giu __.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Nice to meet you. 幸會. Hahng'wúih.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Please. 請. Chíng.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Thank you. (//when someone helps you//) 唔該. M̀h'gōi.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Thank you. (//when someone gives you a gift//) 多謝 Dōjeh.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">You're welcome. 唔使客氣. M̀h'sái haak-hei.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Excuse me. (//getting attention//) 唔好意思. M̀h'hóu yisi

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Excuse me. (//to get past//) 唔該. M̀h'gōi * or * M̀h'gōi jeje.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Sorry. 對唔住. Deui-m̀h-jyuh. (In Hong Kong, it's more common to use the English word "sorry" instead)

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Goodbye 再見 Joigin. (In Hong Kong, "bye bye" is often used instead)

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">I can't speak Cantonese. 我唔識講廣東話. Ngóh m̀h'sīk góng Gwóngdōngwá.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Excuse me, do you speak English? 請問你識唔識講英文呀? Chíngmahn néih sīk-m̀h-sīk góng Yīngmán a?

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Is there someone here who speaks English? 請問有冇人識講英文呀? Chíngmahn yáuhmóh yàhn sīk góng Yīngmán a?

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Help! 救命呀! Gau mehng ā!

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Look out! 小心! Síusām!

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Good morning. 早晨. Jóusàhn.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">I don't understand. 我唔明. Ngóh m̀h'mìhng.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Where is the toilet? 邊度有廁所? Bīndouh yáuh chi só?

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">For more click here:
<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">[|http://wikitravel.org/en/Cantonese_phrasebook#b]

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