Confusing Vocabulary - basic example

[C_padayachi_17236]

Hello, I am new to 101 and have been going through the Beginner Lessons.
Then I decided I should work through the “100 most common words” vocabulary list.
I’m confused about the following examples:
Today, tomorrow, yesterday. He. Very.

In the lessons, I learned: today = gam1 jat6. Yesterday = cam4 jat6. Tomorrow = teng jat6. That matches with my experience so far.
I also Thought that he/she is = ceoi5 (佢)

Now, in the 100 words list, it is saying: today = gam1 tin1 . Tomorrow = Ming tin, yesterday = gok3 tin1.
And the character for tin1 is different from the character for for jat6.
And in the example sentences, one sentence says “today she is very sad” : ta1 gam1 tin1 han2 bei1 soeng1.

Please could someone explain about these words for today, yesterday, tomorrow, he/she....?
Thank you!
Che

[slc_17055]

Hell Che,

Very happy to meet you here and it is a very nice idea to work through the “100 most common words” vocabulary list.

There are the written form and spoken form in Cantonese.
You may find the "Written form Cantonese" in most of the Chinese books, news report, written notice, article, poster, instruction menu or pamphlet.
It is called {書面語(syu1 min2 jyu5) ~ written language} in Hong Kong and it is very formal.
天(tin1) means "day" which is the "Written form Cantonese"

日(jat6) also means "day" and it is more colloquial and commonly used in daily conversation.
Some characters such as {唔(m4)~not}, {佢(keoi5) ~ he,she} or {哋(dei6)~plural} are only used in spoken Cantonese. In standard written Cantonese, they should be written as {不(bat1)~not}, {他(taa1)~he}, {們 (mun4)~indicates plurality} instead of {唔(m4)~not}, {佢(keoi5) ~ he,she} or {哋(dei6)~plural} .

Hope it will help you understand better.

Siuling
Team CantoneseClass101.com