Dialogue - Cantonese

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Vocabulary (Review)

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實習 sat6 zaap6 internship
會計 wui6 gai3 accounting
專人 zyun1 jan4 especially appointed person
通知 tung1 zi1 to inform; to notify
奇怪 kei4 gwaai3 strange
啱啱 aam1 aam1 just now
財務 coi4 mou6 financial
面試 min6 si5 job interview
見工 gin3 gung1 to go to a job interview
經理 ging1 lei5 manager
入行 jap6 hong4 to enter an industry
畢業 bat1 jip6 to graduate
應聘 jing3 ping3 to apply for a position
請人 ceng2 jan4 to recruit

Lesson Notes

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Lesson Focus

The Focus of this Lesson is on Doing Two Things at Once
我啱啱畢業,仲邊做邊學。
"I've just graduated. I'm looking for work while I learn more."


Our grammar focus in this lesson is about doing two things at the same time. The pattern we use to communicate this is 邊 X 邊 Y (bin1 X bin1 Y). This means "to do both X and Y at the same time" or "to do X while also doing Y." You can replace X and Y with whatever verbs you wish, as in the following examples:

  1. 邊做功課,邊聽音樂。
    bin1 zou6 gung1 fo3, bin1 teng1 jam1 ngok6.
    "To do homework and listen to music at the same time."
  2. 邊揾工,邊申請研究生。
    bin1 wan2 gung1, bin1 san1 cing2 jin4 gau3 sang1.
    "To look for work and apply for a graduate position at the same time."
  3. 我邊做會計,邊玩搖滾。
    ngo5 bin1 zou6 wui6 gai3, bin1 waan2 jiu4 gun2.
    "I'm an accountant, and at the same time, a rocker."

Did you know that 邊 X 邊 Y (bin1 X bin1 Y) is actually colloquial and shortened version of the pattern 一邊 X 一邊 Y (jat1 bin1 X jat1 bin1 Y) and that 邊 here can also be pronounced in the 6th tone (bin6), as in the sentence 我一邊做會計,一邊玩搖滾 "I'm an accountant, and also a rocker".

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

出國 (ceot1 gwok3) "to go abroad"
佢最大嘅心願就係出國,離開呢個地方。

留學 (lau4 hok6) "to study abroad"
其實唔一定要留學先可以學到嘢。
留學變成咗逃避現實嘅一種手段。

深造 (sam1 cou3) "to get further education"

浸鹹水 (zam3 haam4 seoi2) "to study abroad" (lit. to get dipped in sea/salt water)

Cultural Insights

Chinese Students Abroad


 

其家出國留學係一件好普遍嘅事,只要有能力嘅父母都會選擇送子女出國讀大學本科或者研究生。美國係最受歡迎嘅選擇。

 


Studying aboard is becoming more and more common in China. As long as the parents can support their children financially, most of them will go abroad to attend university or grad school. The United States is one of the most popular destinations.

 

Lesson Transcript

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INTRODUCTION
David: Welcome to cantoneseclass101.com. I am David.
Melody: 大家好 (daai6 gaa1 hou2), 我係 (ngo5 hai6) Melody.
David: And today we have an intermediate lesson, season 1, Lesson 1. Getting a Job in Hong Kong.
Melody: 唔,喺香港搵工作呢 係真係好難㗎,如果你搵到呢你就真係好好咁去做啦。(m4 ,hai2 hoeng1 gong2 wan2 gung1 zok3 ne1 hai6 zan1 hai6 hou2 naan4 gaa3 ,jyu4 gwo2 nei5 wan2 dou3 ne1 nei5 zau6 zan1 hai6 hou2 hou2 gam2 heoi3 zou6 laa1 。)
David: Yeah and that’s what we see in our dialogue today which takes place in a big office building in Central.
Melody: 冇錯, 係面試官同埋認聘人之間嘅對話。(mou5 co3 , hai6 min6 si2 gun1 tung4 maai4 jing6 ping3 jan4 zi1 gaan1 ge3 deoi3 waa6 。)
David: Yeah and we are going to see why no one likes the HR department in Hong Kong.
Melody: 唔單只香港,我諗全世界都冇人會鐘意。但係如果你識得用廣東話去同個面試官溝通嘅話呢,可能你得到工作嘅機會會多啲。(m4 daan1 zi2 hoeng1 gong2 ,ngo5 lam2 cyun4 sai3 gaai3 dou1 mou5 jan4 wui2 zung1 ji3 。daan6 hai6 jyu4 gwo2 nei5 sik1 dak1 jung6 gwong2 dung1 waa6 heoi3 tung4 go3 min6 si2 gun1 kau1 tung1 ge3 waa2 ne1 ,ho2 nang4 nei5 dak1 dou3 gung1 zok3 ge3 gei1 wui6 wui2 do1 di1 。)
David: Yeah and because this is a business environment, we are going to be speaking casual Cantonese but not slang.
Melody: 冇錯, 咁我哋一齊嚟聽下個對話啦!(mou5 co3, gam2 ngo5 dei6 jat1 cai4 lei4 teng1 haa6 go3 deoi3 waa6 laa1 !)
DIALOGUE
A: 借問聲,呢度係咪請人啊? (A: ze3 man6 seng1, ni1 dou6 hai6 mai6 ceng2 jan4 aa3 ?)
B: 係,你想見邊份工?(B: hai6, nei5 soeng2 gin3 bin1 fan6 gung1 ?)
A: 我係嚟應聘財務經理嘅。(A: ngo5 hai6 lei4 jing3 ping3 coi4 mou3 ging1 lei5 ge3.)
B: 喺呢行做左幾耐?(B: hai2 ni1 hong4 zou6 zo2 gei2 noi6 ?)
A: 我啱啱畢業,仲邊做邊學。(A: ngo5 aam1 aam1 bat1 jip6, zung6 bin1 zou6 bin1 hok6.)
B: 咁你覺得自己有咩優勢?(B: gam2 nei5 gok3 dak1 zi6 gei2 jau5 me1 jau1 sai3 ?)
A: 我喺"四大"實習咗半年,有會計師牌。(A: ngo5 hai2 sei3 daai6 sat6 zaap6 zo2 bun3 nin4, jau5 wui6 gai3 si1 paai4.)
B: 好,面試結果我哋會有專人通知你。(B: hou2, min6 si5 git3 gwo2 ngo5 dei6 wui5 jau5 zyun1 jan4 tung1 zi1 nei5.)
David: Once more, a bit slower.
A: 借問聲,呢度係咪請人啊?(A: ze3 man6 seng1, ni1 dou6 hai6 mai6 ceng2 jan4 aa3 ?)
B: 係,你想見邊份工?(B: hai6, nei5 soeng2 gin3 bin1 fan6 gung1 ?)
A: 我係嚟應聘財務經理嘅。(A: ngo5 hai6 lei4 jing3 ping3 coi4 mou3 ging1 lei5 ge3.)
B: 喺呢行做左幾耐?(B: hai2 ni1 hong4 zou6 zo2 gei2 noi6 ?)
A: 我啱啱畢業,仲邊做邊學。(A: ngo5 aam1 aam1 bat1 jip6, zung6 bin1 zou6 bin1 hok6.)
B: 咁你覺得自己有咩優勢?(B: gam2 nei5 gok3 dak1 zi6 gei2 jau5 me1 jau1 sai3 ?)
A: 我喺"四大"實習咗半年,有會計師牌。(A: ngo5 hai2 sei3 daai6 sat6 zaap6 zo2 bun3 nin4, jau5 wui6 gai3 si1 paai4.)
B: 好,面試結果我哋會有專人通知你。(B: hou2, min6 si5 git3 gwo2 ngo5 dei6 wui5 jau5 zyun1 jan4 tung1 zi1 nei5.)
David: And now, with the English translation.
A: 借問聲,呢度係咪請人啊?(A: ze3 man6 seng1, ni1 dou6 hai6 mai6 ceng2 jan4 aa3 ?)
A: Excuse me, is the company looking for employees?
B: 係,你想見邊份工?(B: hai6, nei5 soeng2 gin3 bin1 fan6 gung1 ?)
B: Yes, what kind of position are you looking for?
A: 我係嚟應聘財務經理嘅。(A: ngo5 hai6 lei4 jing3 ping3 coi4 mou3 ging1 lei5 ge3.)
A: I'm here for the financial manager position.
B: 喺呢行做左幾耐?(B: hai2 ni1 hong4 zou6 zo2 gei2 noi6 ?)
B: How long have you been working in this field?
A: 我啱啱畢業,仲邊做邊學。(A: ngo5 aam1 aam1 bat1 jip6, zung6 bin1 zou6 bin1 hok6.)
A: I've just graduated. I'm looking for work while I learn more.
B: 咁你覺得自己有咩優勢?(B: gam2 nei5 gok3 dak1 zi6 gei2 jau5 me1 jau1 sai3 ?)
B: So, why do you think you're a good hire?
A: 我喺"四大"實習咗半年,有會計師牌。(A: ngo5 hai2 sei3 daai6 sat6 zaap6 zo2 bun3 nin4, jau5 wui6 gai3 si1 paai4.)
A: I've been an intern with one of the Big Four accounting companies for half a year, and I've got an accounting certificate.
B: 好,面試結果我哋會有專人通知你。(B: hou2, min6 si5 git3 gwo2 ngo5 dei6 wui5 jau5 zyun1 jan4 tung1 zi1 nei5.)
B: Okay, we'll have someone contact you with the results.
POST CONVERSATION BANTER
David: This is a really bad interview I think.
Melody:冇錯, 佢太誠實啦!我唔信有人會面試嗰陣時話佢邊學邊做。(mou5 co3 , keoi5 taai3 sing4 sat6 laa3 !ngo5 m4 seon3 jau5 jan4 wui2 min6 si2 go2 zan6 si4 waa6 keoi5 bin1 hok6 bin1 zou6 。)
David: Yeah. When you are applying for a job, you don’t tell people you can’t do the job which is basically what that is, right? You know, I want to work and study.
Melody:冇錯,當佢話會有專人通知佢嗰陣時,我覺得佢可能係打發佢走,應該唔會有人通知佢。(mou5 co3 ,dong1 keoi5 waa6 wui2 jau5 zyun1 jan4 tung1 zi1 keoi5 go2 zan6 si4 ,ngo5 gok3 dak1 keoi5 ho2 nang4 hai6 daa2 faat3 keoi5 zau2 ,jing1 goi1 m4 wui2 jau5 jan4 tung1 zi1 keoi5 。)
David: Yeah. They are just being polite. Anyway our vocab today is all about looking for work and hiring. So let’s get to the vocab section.
VOCAB LIST
Melody: 請人。(ceng2 jan4。)
David: To recruit.
Melody: 請 人, 請人, 見工。(ceng2 jan4, ceng2 jan4, gin3 gung1。)
David: To go to a job interview.
Melody: 見 工, 見工, 面試。(gin3 gung1, gin3 gung1, min6 si5。)
David: Job interview.
Melody: 面 試 , 面試, 應聘。(min6 si5, min6 si5, jing3 ping3。)
David: To apply for a position.
Melody: 應 聘, 應聘, 財務。(jing3 ping3, jing3 ping3, coi4 mou6。)
David: Financial.
Melody:財 務, 財務, 經理。(coi4 mou6, coi4 mou6, ging1 lei5。)
David: Manager.
Melody: 經 理, 經理, 入行。(ging1 lei5, ging1 lei5, jap6 hong4。)
David: To enter an industry.
Melody: 入 行, 入行, 畢業。(jap6 hong4, jap6 hong4, bat1 jip6。)
David: To graduate.
Melody: 畢 業, 畢業, 實習。(bat1 jip6, bat1 jip6, sat6 zaap6。)
David: Internship.
Melody:實 習, 實習, 會計。(sat6 zaap6, sat6 zaap6, wui6 gai3。)
David: Accounting.
Melody: 會 計, 會計, 專人。(wui6 gai3, wui6 gai3, zyun1 jan4。)
David: A specially appointed person.
Melody: 專 人, 專人, 通知。(zyun1 jan4, zyun1 jan4, tung1 zi1。)
David: To inform, to notify.
Melody: 通 知, 通知。(tung1 zi1, tung1 zi1。)
VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE
David: Okay. So we’ve got a lot of vocab here. Let’s take a closer look at some of these words. Our first word is
Melody: 應聘。(jing3 ping3 。)
David: To apply for a position.
Melody:應聘。(jing3 ping3 。)
David: To apply for a job.
Melody: 佢嘅反義詞係 招聘,如果你係公司就需要招聘,如果你係搵工嘅人,就需要去應聘。(keoi5 ge3 faan2 ji6 ci4 hai6 ziu1 ping3 ,jyu4 gwo2 nei5 hai6 gung1 si1 zau6 seoi1 jiu3 ziu1 ping3 ,jyu4 gwo2 nei5 hai6 wan2 gung1 ge3 jan4 ,zau6 seoi1 jiu3 heoi3 jing3 ping3 。)
David: Right. So if you are a company, you…
Melody: 招聘。(ziu1 ping3 。)
David: And if you are a person, you
Melody:應聘。(jing3 ping3 。)
David: And once you apply for a job, you have to go in for an interview.
Melody: 面試。(min6 si2 。)
David: Interview.
Melody: 面試, 呢個係工作嘅面試,唔係電視上面嘅採訪。(min6 si2 , ni1 go3 hai6 gung1 zok3 ge3 min6 si2 ,m4 hai6 din6 si6 soeng6 min6 ge3 coi2 fong2 。)
David: The two words are the same in English but in Cantonese.
Melody:面試。(min6 si2 。)
David: Is specific for job interviews.
Melody:冇錯,另外一個詞呢 我哋可以話 見工。(mou5 co3 ,ling6 ngoi6 jat1 go3 ci4 ne1 ngo5 dei6 ho2 ji5 waa6 gin3 gung1 。)
David: Right which is another word to go for an interview. Now the student in this dialogue is applying for a position as a financial manager.
Melody: 財務 經理。(coi4 mou6 ging1 lei5 。)
David: Financial manager.
Melody: 財務 經理。 我覺得財務經理呢個職位嘅要求應該係比較高㗎,咁佢啱啱畢業應聘呢個職位呢 可能有小小唔係幾適合。(coi4 mou6 ging1 lei5 。 ngo5 gok3 dak1 coi4 mou6 ging1 lei5 ni1 go3 zik1 wai6 ge3 jiu1 kau4 jing1 goi1 hai6 bei2 gaau3 gou1 gaa3 ,gam2 keoi5 ngaam1 ngaam1 bat1 jip6 jing3 ping3 ni1 go3 zik1 wai6 ne1 ho2 nang4 jau5 siu2 siu2 m4 hai6 gei2 sik1 hap6 。)
David: Yeah. It is a bit high and he doesn’t have that much work experience. What really surprised me though is when he said he wanted to work and study at the same time.
Melody: 唔,冇錯, 佢工作嘅經驗都唔夠啦!(m4 ,mou5 co3 , keoi5 gung1 zok3 ge3 ging1 jim6 dou1 m4 gau3 laa1 !)
David: Okay. Our next word is and the reason his experience isn’t that much is because he just graduated.
Melody: 佢啱啱先畢業。(keoi5 ngaam1 ngaam1 sin1 bat1 jip6 。)
David: To graduate.
Melody: 畢業。(bat1 jip6 。)
David: Right. However he has done some internships.
Melody:實習。(sat6 zaap6 。)
David: Internships.
Melody: 實習。(sat6 zaap6 。)
David: Yeah. So at the same time, it’s not like he doesn’t have experience because he has done this internship.
Melody:唔,但係我覺得佢哋應該唔會容許囉, 因為佢最後話會有 專人通知佢。(m4 ,daan6 hai6 ngo5 gok3 dak1 keoi5 dei6 jing3 goi1 m4 wui2 jung4 heoi2 lo1 , jan1 wai6 keoi5 zeoi3 hau6 waa6 wui2 jau5 zyun1 jan4 tung1 zi1 keoi5 。)
David: True. That’s always a bad sign.
Melody: 冇錯,佢哋冇話邊個,又冇問其他問題,淨係話會有專人通知你。(mou5 co3, keoi5 dei6 mou5 waa6 bin1 go3, jau6 mou5 man6 kei4 taa1 man6 tai4, zing6 hai6 waa6 wui5 jau5 zyun1 jan4 tung1 zi1 nei5.)
David: Yeah. That’s very corporate language.
Melody: 我覺得希望唔大囉!(ngo5 gok3 dak1 hei1 mong6 m4 daai6 lo1!)
David: Yeah. So it’s not likely he is connecting with the interviewer.
Melody: Uhoo…
David: Anyway, that’s our vocab section for today. Useful words if you are applying for work and going through the interviewing process at a big Hong Kong company.
Melody: 冇錯,咁而家我哋一齊嚟睇下今日嘅語法重點。(mou5 co3 ,gam2 ji4 gaa1 ngo5 dei6 jat1 cai4 lei4 tai2 haa5 gam1 jat6 ge3 jyu5 faat3 zung6 dim2 。)

Lesson focus

David: Our grammar point today is about doing two things at the same time.
Melody: 你講得啱,喺對話入面我哋聽到個學生話邊做邊學。(nei5 gong2 dak1 ngaam1 ,hai2 deoi3 waa6 jap6 min6 ngo5 dei6 teng1 dou2 go3 hok6 sang1 waa6 bin1 zou6 bin1 hok6 。)
David: To work and study at the same time.
Melody: 邊做邊學 個詞組係 邊。。。邊。。。(bin1 zou6 bin1 hok6 go3 ci4 zou2 hai6 bin1 。。。bin1 。。。)
David: Right. So we’ve got two verbs that we stick into that pattern.
Melody: 除此之外,我哋可以話 邊做功課,邊聽音樂。(ceoi4 ci2 zi1 ngoi6 ,ngo5 dei6 ho2 ji5 waa6 bin1 zou6 gung1 fo3 ,bin1 teng1 jam1 ngok6 。)
David: Perfect example that’s to do homework and listen to music at the same time.
Melody: 或者你可以話 邊做嘢邊聽Cantoneseclass101 (waak6 ze2 nei5 ho2 ji5 waa6 bin1 zou6 je5 bin1 teng1 Cantoneseclass101 )
David: Yes even better. So let’s get another example.
Melody: 邊搵工 邊申請研究生。(bin1 wan2 gung1 bin1 san1 cing2 jin4 gau3 sang1 。)
David: So that would be maybe for a recent graduate.
Melody:邊搵工 邊申請研究生。(bin1 wan2 gung1 bin1 san1 cing2 jin4 gau3 sang1 。)
David: To look for work and apply for a graduate position at the same time. So we can use this pattern with almost anything.
Melody:你甚至可以係講兩件完全唔關係嘅兩件事, 譬如話 邊食飯邊參加比賽。(nei5 sam6 zi3 ho2 ji5 hai6 gong2 loeng5 gin6 jyun4 cyun4 m4 gwaan1 hai6 ge3 loeng5 gin6 si6 , pei3 jyu4 waa6 bin1 sik6 faan6 bin1 sam1 gaa1 bei2 coi3 。)
David: Yes.
Melody: 好奇怪。(hou2 kei4 gwaai3 。)
David: Yeah. So it doesn’t really matter what the verbs are. What matters is just the pattern.
Melody:冇 錯,最重要嘅係 邊。。。邊。。。(mou5 co3 ,zeoi3 zung6 jiu3 ge3 hai6 bin1 。。。bin1 。。。)
David: Yeah. One of the really useful places to use this is if you want to talk about your hobbies and your job.
Melody:當然,如果有人問你 你做緊咩嘅話, 你可以話 我邊係個會計 邊做搖滾歌手。(dong1 jin4 ,jyu4 gwo2 jau5 jan4 man6 nei5 nei5 zou6 gan2 me1 ge3 waa2, nei5 ho2 ji5 waa6 ngo5 bin1 hai6 go3 wui6 gai3 bin1 zou6 jiu4 gwan2 go1 sau2 。)
David: Right. So that would be I am an account but also a rock singer at the same time.
Melody: 所以佢嘅工作係邊做會計 邊有個樂隊。(so2 ji5 keoi5 ge3 gung1 zok3 hai6 bin1 zou6 wui6 gai3 bin1 jau5 go3 ngok6 deoi2 。)
David: Right. On the one hand, accounting, on the other hand, a singer. So if people ask you what you do or what you like, this is a really useful pattern.
Melody:梗係啦!譬如我嘅話 我就可以話 我邊係學生 邊創緊業。(gang2 hai6 laa1 !pei3 jyu4 ngo5 ge3 waa2 ngo5 zau6 ho2 ji5 waa6 ngo5 bin1 hai6 hok6 sang1 bin1 cong3 gan2 jip6 。)
David: I am a student but I am also starting a business.
Melody: 我邊係學生 邊創緊業。或者話,佢邊係個財務經理,邊係個專員。(ngo5 bin1 hai6 hok6 sang1 bin1 cong3 gan2 jip6 。waak6 ze2 waa6 ,keoi5 bin1 hai6 go3 coi4 mou6 ging1 lei5 ,bin1 hai6 go3 zyun1 jyun4 。)
David: Yeah in the dialogue, he is the financial manager but he is also – he is also the one that sends out the notices.
Melody:冇錯,所以記住可以話 邊。。。邊。。。 同時做緊兩樣嘢。(mou5 co3 ,so2 ji5 gei3 zyu6 ho2 ji5 waa6 bin1 。。。bin1 。。。 tung4 si4 zou6 gan2 loeng5 joeng6 je5 。)

Outro

David: Right. When you are doing two things at the same time. So that’s our grammar point for today. For now though, that’s all the time we have. I am David.
Melody: 我係 (ngo5 hai6) Melody。
David: Thanks a lot for listening and we will see you at cantoneseclass101.com
Melody:下次再見。(haa6 ci3 zoi3 gin3 。)