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Spoken Languages
Table of Contents
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.
Picture Source - http://www.linotype.com/5623/chinesefontsexplained.html
Video: Learn Cantonese
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 . 我個名叫. Ngóh go mèhng giu __ .
Nice to meet you. 幸會. Hahng'wúih.
Please. 請. Chíng.
Thank you. (when someone helps you) 唔該. M̀h'gōi.
Thank you. (when someone gives you a gift) 多謝 Dōjeh.
You're welcome. 唔使客氣. M̀h'sái haak-hei.
Excuse me. (getting attention) 唔好意思. M̀h'hóu yisi
Excuse me. (to get past) 唔該. M̀h'gōi * or * M̀h'gōi jeje.
Sorry. 對唔住. Deui-m̀h-jyuh. (In Hong Kong, it's more common to use the English word "sorry" instead)
Goodbye 再見 Joigin. (In Hong Kong, "bye bye" is often used instead)
I can't speak Cantonese. 我唔識講廣東話. Ngóh m̀h'sīk góng Gwóngdōngwá.
Excuse me, do you speak English? 請問你識唔識講英文呀? Chíngmahn néih sīk-m̀h-sīk góng Yīngmán a?
Is there someone here who speaks English? 請問有冇人識講英文呀? Chíngmahn yáuhmóh yàhn sīk góng Yīngmán a?
Help! 救命呀! Gau mehng ā!
Look out! 小心! Síusām!
Good morning. 早晨. Jóusàhn.
I don't understand. 我唔明. Ngóh m̀h'mìhng.
Where is the toilet? 邊度有廁所? Bīndouh yáuh chi só?
For more click here:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Cantonese_phrasebook#bBack to Home Page