Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

Intro

Nicole: 大家好(daai6 gaa1 hou2). I'm Nicole.
Matt: Matt here and welcome back! This is Absolute Beginner Season 1, Lesson 22. In this lesson you'll learn about family ties, and celebrity look alikes.
Nicole: The conversation takes place in a famous nightclub.
Matt: The conversation is between two co-workers as they spot a famous movie star.
Nicole: The speakers are buddies, so they are speaking casual Cantonese
Matt: All right, Nicole, let's take a look at the dialogue. You're my buddy by the way, Nicole.
Nicole: Thank you.

Lesson conversation

佢係邊個嚟㗎?(keoi5 hai6 bin1 go3 lai4 gaa3?)
我大佬。(ngo5 daai6 lou2.)
佢好似劉德華噃!(keoi5 hou2 ci5 lau4 dak1 waa4 bo3 !)
就係佢呀。(zau6 hai6 keoi5 aa3.)
English Host: One more time, a bit slower.
佢係邊個嚟㗎?(keoi5 hai6 bin1 go3 lai4 gaa3?)
我大佬。(ngo5 daai6 lou2.)
佢好似劉德華噃!(keoi5 hou2 ci5 lau4 dak1 waa4 bo3 !)
就係佢呀。(zau6 hai6 keoi5 aa3.)
English Host: And now with the English translation.
佢係邊個嚟㗎?(keoi5 hai6 bin1 go3 lai4 gaa3?)
Matt: Who is he?
我大佬。(ngo5 daai6 lou2.)
Matt: My older brother.
佢好似劉德華噃!(keoi5 hou2 ci5 lau4 dak1 waa4 bo3 !)
Matt: He looks a lot like Andy Lau.
就係佢呀。(zau6 hai6 keoi5 aa3.)
Matt: He is.
POST CONVERSATION BANTER
Matt: So today we are going to be talking about the family tree in Cantonese.
Nicole: And it is important to remember that in Cantonese we distinguish between older and younger family members.
Matt: That's right, it can also get pretty complicated pretty fast.
Nicole: But today, CantoneseClass101.com is going to make it easy for you.
Matt: So before you get adopted, or married into a Cantonese family, make sure you listen to this lesson.
Nicole: Yup. We'll give you some simple tips to speak about the entire family.
Matt: Right, so on to our vocabulary section.
VOCAB LIST
Nicole: 似(ci5) [natural native speed]
Matt: To look like.
Nicole: 似(ci5) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 似(ci5) [natural native speed]. 邊個(bin1 go3) [natural native speed]
Matt: Who.
Nicole: 邊個(bin1 go3) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 邊個(bin1 go3) [natural native speed]. 邊個嚟㗎(bin1 go3 lai4 gaa3) [natural native speed]
Matt: The same who, but said with an inquisitive tone.
Nicole: 邊個嚟㗎(bin1 go3 lai4 gaa3) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 邊個嚟㗎(bin1 go3 lai4 gaa3) [natural native speed]. 媽媽(maa4 maa1) [natural native speed]
Matt: Mother.
Nicole: 媽媽(maa4 maa1) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 媽媽(maa4 maa1) [natural native speed]. 爸爸(baa4 baa1) [natural native speed]
Matt: Father.
Nicole: 爸爸(baa4 baa1) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 爸爸(baa4 baa1) [natural native speed]. 大佬(daai6 lou2) [natural native speed]
Matt: Older brother.
Nicole: 大佬(daai6 lou2) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 大佬(daai6 lou2)[natural native speed]. 細佬(sai3 lou2) [natural native speed]
Matt: Younger brother.
Nicole: 細佬(sai3 lou2) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 細佬(sai3 lou2) [natural native speed]. 家姐(gaa1 ze1) [natural native speed]
Matt: Older sister.
Nicole: 家姐(gaa1 ze1) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 家姐(gaa1 ze1) [natural native speed]. 細妹(sai3 mui2) [natural native speed]
Matt: Younger sister.
Nicole: 細妹(sai3 mui2) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 細妹(sai3 mui2) [natural native speed]. 老婆(lou5 po4) [natural native speed]
Matt: Wife.
Nicole: 老婆(lou5 po4) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 老婆(lou5 po4) [natural native speed]. 老公(lou5 gung1) [natural native speed]
Matt: Husband.
Nicole: 老公(lou5 gung1) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. 老公(lou5 gung1) [natural native speed]
KEY VOCABULARY AND PHRASES
Matt: So this lesson focuses on family and the most important person in any family is Mom.
Nicole: 媽媽(maa4 maa1)
Matt: Mom.
Nicole: 媽媽(maa4 maa1)
Matt: And you notice that this is very similar sounding to English word.
Nicole: That's right. Our next family member 爸爸 (baa4 baa1.)
Matt: And this kind of sounds the same as the English word as well.
Nicole: Right 爸爸 (baa4 baa1.)
Matt: It's kind of like Dada. Baby speak for father.
Nicole: Like we mentioned earlier in Cantonese we distinguish between older and younger family members.
Matt: So there are two words for brother and sister.
Nicole: That's right. Older brother is 大佬 (daai6 lou2.)
Matt: Older brother.
Nicole: 大佬 (daai6 lou2.)
Matt: And younger brother is?
Nicole: 細佬(sai3 lou2)
Matt: Younger brother.
Nicole: 細佬(sai3 lou2)
Matt: And this literally mean big guy and small guy.
Nicole: Right.
Matt: Let's hear those two one more time.
Nicole: 大佬, 細佬 (daai6 lou2 , sai3 lou2.)
Matt: And the same works for the sisters too.
Nicole: Right. 家姐(gaa1 ze1)
Matt: Older sister.
Nicole: 家姐(gaa1 ze1)
Matt: Older sister and younger sister.
Nicole: Right 細妹(sai3 mui2)
Matt: Younger sister.
Nicole: 細妹(sai3 mui2)
Matt: Younger sister. Let's hear both of them side by side for comparison.
Nicole: 家姐(gaa1 ze1) and 細妹 (sai3 mui2.)
Matt: Older sister and younger sister. Next we have husband.
Nicole: 老婆(lou5 po4)
Matt: Husband.
Nicole: 老婆 (lou5 po4.)
Matt: And wife.
Nicole: 老公 (lou5 gung1.)
Matt: Wife.
Nicole: 老公 (lou5 gung1.)
Matt: If you noticed both names share a similar character.
Nicole: 老 (lou5.)
Matt: This means old.
Nicole: So you don't have to be old to be a 老婆(lou5 po4) or a 老公 (lou5 gung1.)
Matt: That's right. Now if at this point you are a little bit confused about how the Cantonese family is called, you can always ask?
Nicole: 邊個(bin1 go3)
Matt: Who?
Nicole: 邊個(bin1 go3)
Matt: Nicole, there's another way to ask this isn't there?
Nicole: That's right. We can also say 邊個嚟㗎 (bin1 go3 lai4 gaa3.)
Matt: Right this also means who? The only difference being that the question particle…
Nicole: 嚟㗎…(lai4 gaa3)
Matt: is placed at the end.
Nicole: That's right, 邊個嚟㗎(bin1 go3 lai4 gaa3). So now, that does it for our family lesson.

Lesson focus

Matt: Let's move onto our grammar point where we'll learn how to use the verb…
Nicole: 係(hai6)
Matt: …for a statement
Nicole: Okay.
Matt: So the focus again of this grammar section is the verb?
Nicole: 係(hai6)
Matt: To be. This verb has different functions.
Nicole: But we mostly use 係(hai6) to express that one noun is equivalent to another, as in the sentence 我係你爸爸 (ngo5 hai6 nei5 baa4 baa1.)
Matt: "I am your father."
Nicole: 我係你爸爸 (ngo5 hai6 nei5 baa4 baa1.)
Matt: I am your father. We have more sample sentences to explain this verb.
Nicole: 我係你大佬(ngo5 hai6 nei5 daai6 lou2)
Matt: I am your older brother.
Nicole: 我係你大佬(ngo5 hai6 nei5 daai6 lou2)
Matt: I am your older brother. So the two nouns being linked here are?
Nicole: 我(ngo5) and 大佬(daai6 lou2), me and the big guy.
Matt: It sounds like you and I. Our next example.
Nicole: 佢係劉德華 (keoi5 hai6 lau4 dak1 waa4.)
Matt: He is Andy Lau.
Nicole: 佢係劉德華 (keoi5 hai6 lau4 dak1 waa4.)
Matt: He is Andy Lau or he could just be an Andy Lau impersonator.
Nicole: It could be. And if you are really lucky 劉德華係我爸爸 (lau4 dak1 waa4 hai6 ngo5 baa4 baa1.)
Matt: Andy Lau is my father which you would be really lucky if he was my father because then you'd get to know him.
Nicole: Right. 劉德華係我爸爸 (lau4 dak1 waa4 hai6 ngo5 baa4 baa1.)
Matt: Andy Lau is my father. I use this often when I want to get into bars and not pay cover. But somehow they never believe me.
Nicole: So let's take a minute to review 呢個(ni1 go3) and 嗰個 (go2 go3.)
Matt: This one and that one.
Nicole: Again 呢個(ni1 go3) and 嗰個(go2 go3).
Matt: This one and that one. What about that is her older sister?
Nicole: 嗰個係佢家姐 (go2 go3 hai6 keoi5 gaa1 ze1.)
Matt: That is her older sister.
Nicole: 嗰個係佢家姐(go2 go3 hai6 keoi5 gaa1 ze1) , so 嗰個(go2 go3) that, can function as the subject.
Matt: And an example where This is the subject would be?
Nicole: 呢個係我女朋友 (ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 jyu5 pang4 jau5.)
Matt: This is my girlfriend
Nicole: 呢個係我女朋友 (ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 jyu5 pang4 jau5.)
Matt: This is my girlfriend. If we ask a question instead of the statement, the word order is still the same.
Nicole: That's right 邊個係你男朋友?(bin1 go3 hai6 nei5 naam4 pang4 jau5?)
Matt: Who is your boyfriend?
Nicole: 邊個係你男朋友?(bin1 go3 hai6 nei5 naam4 pang4 jau5?)
Matt: Who is your boyfriend? We are going to end this grammar point on one final note.
Nicole: Right. In Cantonese, adjectives usually do not link to nouns often using hai.
Matt: So the English sentence, "He is hungry,"
Nicole: 佢好肚餓(keoi5 hou2 tou5 ngo6). You see we wouldn't use the hai to link he and hungry. We just say 佢好肚餓(keoi5 hou2 tou5 ngo6)
Matt: All right, Nicole. So that wraps it up for today's grammar point.
Nicole: Right. For more vocab and grammar samples sentences don't forget to download our PDFs.
Matt: All of which you can find on CantoneseClass101.com.
Nicole: That's right. Come by and leave a comment.
Matt: Hope to see you next time.
Nicole: See you.

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