No Problem

A service guy was fixing my garage door today. He was a Polish immigrant living in Toronto for many years. I thanked him after his job was done. He replied in Cantonese loud and clear: "冇問題"!

"冇問題" (mou5 mun6 tai4) can mean "no problem" or "no question" depending on the context. It is a useful phrase very easy to learn. Dashan (Mark Rowswell) has demonstrated it in this TV advertisement.

Dashan is a well-known public figure in China. But I must admit that I only got to know about him a month-or-so ago, from this TV advertisement. Cantonese is not Dashan's strength. It was interesting though, in one of his interviews, Dashan said that he actually learned his Cantonese in Toronto's Chinatown. However, his Mandarin is amazing. Check it out in his other Ford advertisement in Mandarin.

Here is the transcription of the first 2 lines.

Transcript / Jyutping / Translation

大山先生，十分鐘後準備埋位
daai6 saan1 sin1 saang1，sap6 fan1 zung1 hau6 zeon2 bei6 maai4 wai2
Mr. Dashan, ready to film in 10 minutes.

OK，冇問題
OK，mou5 man6 tai4
Ok, no problam.

Donation
If you find the material presented in this post helpful, please consider making a donation to support this website.

Read more ...

Protests

People in Hong Kong love to protest. Protests from large to small scale are on the news everyday. Fortunately, most of these are peaceful and unlike in many other places, people in Hong Kong rarely go on real strike.

The slogans shouted out in a protest are usually short, simple, and rather repetitive. You might find them hard to understand through the loud speaker at first, but once you know them, they are actually very easier to follow.

The following is not really a protest, but for some reason, it was conducted just like a typical protest. The crowd were supporting the Beijing Olympics, but they seemed to be quite agitated. It is funny that the leader seemed to run out of slogans towards the end, so she kept repeating the same ones in different languages.

Transcript / Jyutping / Translation

...

中國必勝!
zung1 gwok3 bit1 sing3
China will surely win!

中國加油!
zung1 gwok3 gaa1 jau4
Go China Go!

和平!
wo4 ping4
Peace!

友愛!
jau5 ngoi3
Friendship!

(歡迎中國來...)
(fun1 jing4 zung1 gwok3 lei4...)

歡迎來到中國!
fun1 jing4 lei4 dou3 zung1 gwok3
Welcome to China!

歡迎到中國!
fun1 jing4 dou3 zung1 gwok3
Welcome to China!

Welcome to China!

Welcome to China!

支持北京奧運!
zi1 ci4 bak1 ging1 ou3 wan6
We support the Beijing Olympics!

我愛中國!
ngo5 oi3 zung1 gwok3
We love China!

We love China!

我愛中國! (Mandarin)
We love China!

我愛...
We love...

Donation
If you find the material presented in this post helpful, please consider making a donation to support this website.

Read more ...

Suggestions on Materials to Transcribe

Some of you might have already figured out, by the lack my posts in the past few weeks, that I have been extremely busy. You are right!

In the past, it took me time to transcribe the materials. This is fine with me, as I regard this as my contribution to the learner's community. But then I find it equally time-consuming just to look for suitable materials to transcribe. I wonder if my readers could assist me in proposing the materials.

If you come up with some materials (short audio/video clips) that you think would interest other Cantonese learners, and need me to transcribe, please drop me an email. I do have some criteria myself in selecting suitable materials, so please don't feel bad if you request is rejected.

Let's try this out to see if it works. Looking forward for your suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Read more ...

Sam Sullivan

The legendary Hong Kong actress Lydia Shum (沈殿霞) passed away on February 19, 2008 from liver cancer, aged 62.

Lydia's body was later transported from Hong Kong to Vancouver for burial. On February 26, 2008, the mayor of the City of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan, proclaimed the following June 1 to be "Fei Fei Day" to commerate Lydia.

Here is the major talking about Lydia ... in Cantonese!!

Sam Sullivan, Canada’s first-ever disabled mayor, learned Cantonese only after he became a politician. He can also speak Punjabi and French. He was paralysed after a tragic skiing accident when he was 19. Besides language acquisitions, he has also made many other accomplishments in his life. What an inspiring life story!

Transcript / Jyutping / Translation

我見過佢幾次
ngo5 gin3 gwo3 keoi5 gei2 ci3
I have seen her a few times

不過我睇過好多次佢嘅節目
bat1 gwo3 ngo5 tai2 gwo3 hou2 do1 ci3 keoi5 ge3 zit3 muk6
But I have seen her shows a lot of times

歡樂今宵等等
fun1 lok6 gam1 siu1 dang2 dang2
"Enjoy Yourself Tonight", etc

噉個感覺係點樣呢...覺得?
gam2 go3 gam2 gok3 hai6 dim2 joeng6 ne1 ... gok3 dak1?
What do you think about her? (How do you feel about her?)

我好鍾意佢
ngo5 hou2 zung1 ji3 keoi5
I love her very much

我話佢係好好嘅藝術家
ngo5 waa6 keoi5 hai6 hou2 hou2 ge3 ngai6 seot6 gaa1
I say she is a very good artist

佢...我睇呢個電視...鼓勵我
keoi5 ... ngo5 tai2 ni1 go3 din6 si6 ... gu2 lai6 ngo5
She ... when I watch the TV ... motivates me

多啲練習講粵語
do1 di1 lin6 zaap6 gong2 jyut6 jyu5
To practise my Cantonese more

會場入口重擺咗一本記念冊
wui2 coeng4 jap6 hau2 zung6 baai2 zo2 jat1 bun2 gei3 nim6 caak3
There was a memorial book placed at the hall entrance

等到場嘅每一位來賓
dang2 dou3 coeng4 ge3 mui5 jat1 wai2 loi4 ban1
For every guest who arrived

都可以寫低對肥姐嘅最後說話
dou1 ho2 ji5 se2 dai1 deoi3 fei4 ze2 ge3 zeoi3 hau6 syut3 waa6
To write down what they wanted to say to Lydia

溫哥華市長蘇利文更加親自以中文簽上自己嘅名
wan1 go1 waa4 si5 zoeng2 sou1 lei6 man4 gang3 gaa1 can1 zi6 ji5 zung1 man2 cim1 soeng5 zi6 gei2 ge3 meng2
Sam Sullivan, the majoy of Vancouver, also signed his own name in Chinese

向肥姐作最後嘅致敬
hoeng3 fei4 ze2 zok3 zeoi3 hau6 ge3 zi3 ging3
To pay his last respect to lydia

Donation
If you find the material presented in this post helpful, please consider making a donation to support this website.

Read more ...

English Tutoring

The Internet English tutor Mr Siu (蕭Sir) has turned famous in a short period of time. His blog "Learn English starting from the F-word " (英文由F字學起) has attracted millions of viewers, and the number is growing rapidly. He teaches people how to get rid of their Hong Kong English accent. He has made a lot of video clips in Youtube. Here is one of them:

Transcript / Jyutping / Translation

有同學呢睇過我教呢Exactly呢個字個讀音嗰段片之後呢
jau5 tung4 hok6 ne1 tai2 gwo3 ngo5 gaau3 ne1 Exactly ne1 go3 zi6 go3 duk6 jam1 go2 dyun6 pin2 zi1 hau6 ne1
A student saw the clip in which I taught how to pronounce the word "Exactly"

就留意到
zau6 lau4 ji3 dou2
And he noticed

我讀Exactly呢個字嘅時候呢
ngo5 duk6 Exactly ne1 go3 zi6 ge3 si4 hau6 ne1
When I pronounce the word "Exactly"

我個T音唔見咗嘅
ngo5 go3 T jam1 m4 gin3 zo2 ge3
My T-sound disappears

噉佢問我
gam2 keoi5 man6 ngo5
He asked me

喺咩嘢情況之下我哋先唔讀個T音呢
hai2 me1 je5 cing4 fong3 zi1 haa6 ngo5 dei6 sin1 m4 duk6 go3 T jam1 ne1
In what circumstances will we not pronounce the 'T'

噉其實就係
gam2 kei4 sat6 zau6 hai6
In fact

通常呢我哋個T音呢
tung1 soeng4 ne1 ngo5 dei6 go3 T jam1 ne1
Quite often, our T-sound

喺兩個Consonant之間嘅時候呢
hai2 leong5 go3 Consonant zi1 gaan1 ge3 si4 hau6 ne1
When it is between 2 consonants

我哋個T音都未必會讀出來
ngo5 dei6 go3 T jam1 dou1 mei6 bit1 wui5 duk6 ceot1 lei4
We will probably not pronounce our T-sound

例如我哋呢個Exactly呢個字就係
lai6 jyu4 ngo5 dei6 ni1 go3 Exactly ni1 go3 zi6 zau6 hai6
"Exactly" is an example

我哋呢個T音喺個K音同埋個L之間
ngo5 dei6 ni1 go3 T jam1 hai2 go3 K jam1 tung4 maai4 go3 L zi1 gaan1
Our T-sound is between the K-sound and the L

噉如果我要夾硬讀個T音出來呢
gam2 jyu4 gwo2 ngo5 jiu3 gaap3 ngaang2 duk6 go3 T jam1 ceot1 lei4 ne1
If I were to force to pronounce the T-sound

我條脷就會好辛苦
ngo5 tiu4 lei6 zau6 wui5 hou2 san1 fu2
It would be hard for my tongue

噉所以呢通常呢就直情唔讀喇
gam2 so2 ji5 ne1 tung1 soeng4 ne1 zau6 zik6 cing4 m4 duk6 laak3
So therefore we often don't pronounce it right away

噉就Exactly...Exactly
gam2 zau6 Exactly...Exactly
So it is "Exactly"... "Exactly"

而唔係Exact-ly
ji4 m4 hai6 Exact-ly
And not "Exact-ly"

Ok? 噉就Exactly...Exactly
Ok? gam2 zau6 Exactly...Exactly
OK? It is "Exactly"... "Exactly"

噉搞掂喇
gam2 gaau2 dim1 laak3
So we are done.

重有咩嘢例子? 譬如我哋有
zung6 jau5 me1 je5 lai6 zi2? pei3 jyu4 ngo5 dei6 jau5
Any other examples? For example, we have...

Strictly... OK? Strictly

我哋個T音都係唔讀架
ngo5 dei6 go3 T jam1 dou1 hai6 m4 duk6 gaa3
We don't pronounce our T-sound

亦都係K同埋個L之間
jik6 dou1 hai6 K tung4 maai4 go3 L zi1 gaan1
It is also between the K and the L

有一個近似嘅例子
jau5 jat1 go3 gan6 ci5 ge3 lai6 zi2
There is a similar example

譬如Directly
pei3 jyu4 Directly
For example, "Directly"

(或者)Directly...(或者)Directly都係
(waak6 ze2)Directly...(waak6 ze2)Directly dou1 hai6
(Or) "Directly" ... (Or) "Directly" ... the same

噉有時唔一定係喺字...
gam2 jau5 si4 m4 jat1 ding6 hai6 hai2 zi6...
Then some time it does not have to be inside a word...

一個字之間先係噉嘅
jat1 go3 zi6 zi1 gaan1 sin1 hai6 gam2 ge3
a word when this happens

可能字同字之間呢
ho2 nang4 zi6 tung4 zi6 zi1 gaan1 ne1
It could be between words

我哋都會噉嘅
ngo5 dei6 dou1 wui5 gam2 ge3
We also have this

當我哋係...個T音
dong1 ngo5 dei6 hai6...go3 T jam1
When we have our T-sound

喺兩個Consonant之間嘅時候
hai2 leong5 go3 Consonant zi1 gaan1 ge3 si4 hau6
Between 2 consonants

例如...譬如我話
lai6 jyu4...pei3 jyu4 ngo5 waa6
For example, if I say

He dressed like a woman

噉如果我成句讀嘅時候
gam2 jyu4 gwo2 ngo5 sing4 geoi3 duk6 ge3 si4 hau6
So if I say the whole sentence

譬如我Yesterday啦, 琴日嘅
pei3 jyu4 ngo5 Yesterday laa1, kam4 jat6 ge3
For example, if it was yesterday

噉個Dress呢個字呢
gam2 go3 Dress ni1 go3 zi6 ne1
Then the word "Dress"

D-R-E-S-S呢有ED嘅
D-R-E-S-S ne1 jau5 ED ge3
"Dress" has an "ed"

噉所以有個T音喺後面嘅
gam2 so2 ji5 jau5 go3 T jam1 hai2 hau6 min6 ge3
So there is a T-sound at the end

噉但係呢當成句讀嘅時候呢
gam2 daan6 hai6 ne1 dong1 sing4 geoi3 duk6 ge3 si4 hau6 ne1
But then if I say the whole sentence

個T音會變咗係S同埋後面個
go3 T jam1 wui5 bin3 zo2 hai6 S tung4 maai4 hau6 min6 go3
The T-sound turns out to be between the S and

Woman...嗰個Like前面個L音之間
Woman...go2 go3 Like cin4 min6 go3 L jam1 zi1 gaan1
The L-sound in front of "Woman"... "Like"

噉所以呢為免麻煩
gam2 so2 ji5 ne1 wai6 min5 ma4 faan4
So therefore to save the trouble

我哋都會唔讀個T音, 就噉
ngo5 dei6 dou1 wui5 m4 duk6 go3 T jam1, zau6 gam2
We won't pronounce the T-sound. It is...

He dressed like a woman

OK? He dressed like a woman

噉, 就係噉
gam2, zau6 hai6 gam2
Then, that is it.

個T音都係唔讀出來
go3 T jam1 dou1 hai6 m4 duk6 ceot1 lei4
We won't pronounce the T-sound

好! 就講住咁多先
hou2! zau6 gong2 zyu6 gam3 do1 sin1
Good, that is it.

Donation
If you find the material presented in this post helpful, please consider making a donation to support this website.

Read more ...

Vivek Mahbubani

I recently came cross this YouTube clip. Vivek is a young Indian raised up in Hong Kong, and he speaks native Cantonese. The following clip contains one of his jokes from the same performance.

Listening to stand-up comedies in a foreign language is always challenging. The performers usually speak very fast, use a lot of slangs, and touch on many culture-specific aspects. Intermediate learners may want to try this slowed-down version.

Slow


Vivek's rendering of the Hong Kong English accent was perfect. Here is his other performance using his normal English. I wonder how he learned his English. There is no trace of any Indian accent at all.

Transcript / Jyutping / Translation

(English) Oral呢喺會考呢
(English) Oral ne1 hai2 wui6 haau2 ne1
In the HKCEE (English) Oral

係四個人坐埋一齊
hai6 sei3 go3 jan4 zo5 maai4 jat1 cai4
There would be 4 people sitting together (in a group)

好多人一個Topic
hou2 do1 jan4 jat1 go3 Topic
Several people, one topic

噉要互相問答噉樣家嘛
gam2 jiu3 wu6 soeng1 man6 daap3 gam2 joeng6 gaa1 maa3
Then we have to ask each other questions

噉你問問題要稱呼人
gam2 nei5 man6 man6 tai4 jiu3 cing1 fu1 jan4
So when you ask question, you would address the person

要佢有個Label
jiu3 keoi5 jau5 go3 Label
He must have a label

即係好似噉樣樣
zik1 hai6 hou2 ci5 gam2 joeng6 joeng6
Like this one

一個Label
jat1 go3 Label
A label

一個噉樣嘅Label你要稱呼人
jat1 go3 gam2 joeng6 ge3 Label nei5 jiu3 cing1 fu1 jan4
A label like this one, and you would address the person

問問題(...)Mister乜乜噉樣家嘛
man6 man6 tai4 (...) Mister mat1 mat1 gam2 joeng6 gaa1 maa3
Ask the question (...), Mister blah blah ...

噉坐喺我對面嗰個就喺度問問題
gam2 zo5 hai2 ngo5 deoi3 min6 go2 go3 zau6 hai2 dou6 man6 man6 tai4
Then the one sitting opposite to me was asking

Oh yeah, that's a good point

Do you have any comment, Mister...

Mister Mah...萬寶路
Mister Mah ... maan6 bou2 lou6
Mister Mah ..., Marlboro

噉我又衰啦
gam2 ngo5 jau6 seoi1 laa1
Then I was being mean

我望住佢話
ngo5 mong6 zyu6 keoi5 waa6
I looked at him and said

Actually, if we get some government funding,

We could perhaps make the budget really well，

Which when you think about it. What do you think?

嗰一刻好明顯係完全唔知我講乜
go2 jat1 haak1 hou2 ming4 hin2 hai6 jyun4 cyun4 m4 zi1 ngo5 gong2 mat1
Then at that moment, obviously he could not understand what I said at all

噉佢就唯有講一句
gam2 keoi5 zau6 wai4 jau5 gong2 jat1 geoi3
So he could only say a phrase

我唸全部考親會考English Oral一定會講嘅嘢
ngo5 nam2 cyun4 bou6 haau2 can1 wui6 haau2 English Oral jat1 ding6 wui5 gong2 ge3 je5
Which I think everyone who takes the HKCEE English Oral exam must have used

Yes, I agree with you.

Thank you.

Donation
If you find the material presented in this post helpful, please consider making a donation to support this website.

Read more ...

Wendy Vo

Wendy Vo is an 8-year-old Vietnamese girl who can speak multiple languages. She has demonstrated her ability in a couple of video clips posted on YouTube. I have clipped out part of her Cantonese conversation from this video clip, between 2:16 and 3:18. The conversation is trivial and should be a good material for novice learners.

Please take note that both speakers have slight accents.

Normal


Slow


Transcript / Jyutping / Translation

你(有)幾姊妹呀?
nei5(jau5)gei2 zi2 mui6 aa3?
How many sisters do you have?

我有一個弟弟呀
ngo5 jau5 jat1 go3 dai4 dai2 aa3
I have one (younger) brother

哦, 淨係有一個弟弟架咋
o6, zing6 hai6 jau5 jat1 go3 dai4 dai2 gaa3 zaa4
I see, only one (younger) brother

你媽媽係做乜嘢架?
nei5 maa4 maa1 hai6 zou6 mat1 je5 gaa3?
What does your mother do?

我媽媽幫我個爸爸
ngo5 maa4 maa1 bong1 ngo5 go3 baa4 baa1
My mother is helping my father

哦. 你鐘唔鐘意食中國餐呀?
o6. nei5 zung1 m4 zung1 ji3 sik6 zung1 gwok3 caan1 aa3?
I see. Do you like to eat Chinese food?

唔鐘意
m4 zung1 ji3
I don't like it

唔鐘意? 噉你點解又會天天食嘢呀?
m4 zung1 ji3? gam2 nei5 dim2 gaai2 jau6 wui5 tin1 tin1 sik6 je5 aa3?
You don't like it? Then why do you eat everyday?

哦...
o6...
Oh...

鐘唔鐘意呀?
zung1 m4 zung1 ji3 aa3?
Do you like it?

唔鐘意
m4 zung1 ji3
I don't like it

哎吔, 唔鐘意
aai3 jaa5, m4 zung1 ji3
Oh (no), you don't like it.

你幾多歲呀? 你幾歲呀?
nei5 gei2 do1 seoi3 aa3? nei5 gei2 seoi3 aa3?
How old are you? How old are you?

我八歲喇
ngo5 baat3 seoi3 laa3
I am 8.

你學中文有幾耐呀?
nei5 hok6 zung1 man2 jau5 gei2 noi6 aa3?
How long have you been learning Chinese?

我學...
ngo5 hok6...
I learn...

學咗幾多年呢?
hok6 zo2 gei2 do1 nin4 ne1?
How many years have you learned?

六年
luk6 nin4
6 years

六年抑(或)係五年呀?
luk6 nin4 jik1 (waak6) hai6 ng5 nin4 aa3?
6 years or 5 years?

唔係呀
m4 hai6 aa3
No

你話你三歲開始學家嘛
nei5 waa6 nei5 saam1 seoi3 hoi1 ci2 hok6 gaa1 ma3
You said you started learning at 3

係呀
hai6 aa3
Yes

但係你而家先得八歲, 邊有六年呀?
daan6 hai6 nei5 ji4 gaa1 sin1 dak1 baat3 seoi3, bin1 jau5 luk6 nin4 aa3?
But you are only 8, how come 6 years?

等陣... 啊! 係啊, 係五年呀!
dang2 zan6... aa3! hai6 aa3, hai6 ng5 nin4 aa3!
Wait... Oh, yes, 5 years!

Donation
If you find the material presented in this post helpful, please consider making a donation to support this website.

Read more ...