Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Eric: Hello and welcome to the Lower Beginner series at CantoneseClass101.com. This is Season 1, Lesson 21, A Sweet Treat in Hong Kong. I’m Eric.
Teddy: 哈囉!(haa1 lo3!) I’m Teddy!
Eric: In this lesson, you’ll learn how to say that one action follows another action, and how to repeat an action.
Teddy: The conversation takes place on the street.
Eric: It’s between two friends, Jane and Wendy.
Teddy: And as usual, the speakers will be speaking casual Cantonese.
Eric: Let’s listen to the conversation.
DIALOGUE
Wendy: 而家去邊?(ji4 gaa1 heoi3 bin1?)
Jane: 食完飯再去食甜品。(sik6 jyun4 faan6 zoi3 heoi3 sik6 tim4 ban2).
Wendy: 好呀,我鍾意食糖水。(hou2 aa3, ngo5 zung1 ji3 sik6 tong4 seoi2).
Jane: 我鍾意食燉蛋多啲。(ngo5 zung1 ji3 sik6 dan6 daan2 do1 di1).
Eric: Let’s hear the conversation one time slowly.
Wendy 而家去邊?(ji4 gaa1 heoi3 bin1?)
Jane 食完飯再去食甜品。(sik6 jyun4 faan6 zoi3 heoi3 sik6 tim4 ban2).
Wendy 好呀,我鍾意食糖水。(hou2 aa3, ngo5 zung1 ji3 sik6 tong4 seoi2).
Jane 我鍾意食燉蛋多啲。(ngo5 zung1 ji3 sik6 dan6 daan2 do1 di1).
Eric: Now let’s hear it with the English translation.
Wendy 而家去邊?(ji4 gaa1 heoi3 bin1?)
Eric: Where are we going now?
Jane 食完飯再去食甜品。(sik6 jyun4 faan6 zoi3 heoi3 sik6 tim4 ban2).
Eric: Dinner and then dessert.
Wendy 好呀,我鍾意食糖水。(hou2 aa3, ngo5 zung1 ji3 sik6 tong4 seoi2).
Eric: Yay, I like sweet soup.
Jane 我鍾意食燉蛋多啲。(ngo5 zung1 ji3 sik6 dan6 daan2 do1 di1).
Eric: I like steamed egg custard better.
POST CONVERSATION BANTER
Eric: My Taiwanese friend was just telling me how she felt about dessert.
Teddy: What did she say?
Eric: She told me that Taiwanese people feel more fortunate if they eat something sweet after a meal.
Teddy: I see. It’s like a good wrap-up for the meal.
Eric: Do you have a similar saying in Hong Kong?
Teddy: Not really. But some chain restaurants do offer complimentary desserts after meals.
Eric: So are Hong Kong people used to having dessert after every meal?
Teddy: Not every meal, mostly when we go out for dinner at a fancy restaurant. However, now it’s common for young people to visit little dessert cafes after meals.
Eric: I see. Okay, now let’s take a look at the vocabulary for this lesson.
VOCAB LIST
The first word we shall see is:
而家 (ji4 gaa1) [natural native speed]
now
而家 (ji4 gaa1) [slowly - broken down by syllable]
而家 (ji4 gaa1) [natural native speed]
Next:
去邊 (heoi3 bin1) [natural native speed]
where to go
去邊 (heoi3 bin1) [slowly - broken down by syllable]
去邊 (heoi3 bin1) [natural native speed]
Next:
飯 (faan6) [natural native speed]
rice
飯 (faan6) [slowly - broken down by syllable]
飯 (faan6) [natural native speed]
Next:
甜品 (tim4 ban2) [natural native speed]
dessert
甜品 (tim4 ban2) [slowly - broken down by syllable]
甜品 (tim4 ban2) [natural native speed]
Next:
鍾意 (zung1 ji3) [natural native speed]
to like
鍾意 (zung1 ji3) [slowly - broken down by syllable]
鍾意 (zung1 ji3) [natural native speed]
Next:
糖水 (tong4 seoi2) [natural native speed]
Cantonese soup-like dessert
糖水 (tong4 seoi2) [slowly - broken down by syllable]
糖水 (tong4 seoi2) [natural native speed]
Next:
燉蛋 (dan6 daan2) [natural native speed]
steamed egg custard
燉蛋 (dan6 daan2) [slowly - broken down by syllable]
燉蛋 (dan6 daan2) [natural native speed]
And Last:
多啲 (do1 di1) [natural native speed]
more
多啲 (do1 di1) [slowly - broken down by syllable]
多啲 (do1 di1) [natural native speed]
KEY VOCAB AND PHRASES
Eric: Let’s take a closer look at some of the words and phrases from this lesson. What are we starting with?
Teddy: 而家 (ji4 gaa1).
Eric: What can you tell us about this?
Teddy: 而家 (ji4 gaa1) means "now." It’s a very common phrase. Although the character 家 means "home," in this phrase it has no meaning by itself.
Eric: I see. Can you repeat the phrase?
Teddy: 而家 (ji4 gaa1).
Eric: "Now."
Teddy: 而家 (ji4 gaa1).
Eric: In the dialogue, Wendy asks where they are going. It seems quite simple in Cantonese.
Teddy: Yes. 而家去邊度? (ji4 gaa1 heoi3 bin1 dou6?) Literally, we say, "Now go where?"
Eric: Or to simplify it, you can say...
Teddy: 去邊? (heoi3 bin1?) Instead of 去邊度? (heoi3 bin1 dou6?)
Eric: Right, they’re interchangeable. So when Wendy asked, "Where are we going now?"
Teddy: It can be shortened to 而家去邊? (ji4 gaa1 heoi3 bin1?)
Eric: Can you repeat the question?
Teddy: 而家去邊? (ji4 gaa1 heoi3 bin1?)
Eric: And how should we answer that?
Teddy: 而家去食飯 (ji4 gaa1 heoi3 sik6 faan6).
Eric: You’re suggesting that we go eat now?
Teddy: Yes. 而家去食飯 (ji4 gaa1 heoi3 sik6 faan6).
Eric: But now, I want to introduce one more term in the dialogue—"sweet soup."
Teddy: Oh yes, it’s a Chinese dessert with different kinds of ingredients served in a bowl like soup.
Eric: Would you say the words slowly please?
Teddy: 糖水 (tong4 seoi2). [slow] 糖水 (tong4 seoi2). [natural speed] 糖 (tong4) means "sugar" and 水 (seoi2) means "water." Although each 糖水 (tong4 seoi2) may have different ingredients, the dessert will always have sugar and water. Therefore, 糖水 (tong4 seoi2) is the generic term.
Eric: Great. So do you use the verb "to drink" or "to eat" the "sugar water?"
Teddy: We can use either, because the texture varies depending on the kinds of "sugar water." Some are thicker like yogurt or custard, and some are thinner like water. So we can either say, 食糖水 (sik6 tong4 seoi2) or 飲糖水 (jam2 tong4 seoi2 )
Eric: Can you repeat the words for the listeners again? Listeners, please repeat after Teddy.
Teddy: 糖水 (tong4 seoi2) [pause] 糖水 (tong4 seoi2).
Eric: Excellent! Now let’s go get some "sweet soup."
Teddy: 而家去食糖水 (ji4 gaa1 heoi3 sik6 tong4 seoi2). 我哋而家去食糖水 (ngo5 dei6 ji4 gaa1 heoi3 sik6 tong4 seoi2).
Eric: Oh, wait! First, let’s take a look at the grammar.

Lesson focus

Eric: In this lesson, you’ll learn how to say that one action follows another action. To do this, we use a word meaning "and then."
Teddy: In the dialogue, Jane suggests that they go eat and then go for dessert. In Cantonese, this is 食完飯再去食甜品 (sik6 jyun4 faan6 zoi3 heoi3 sik6 tim4 ban2).
Eric: Which word means "and then?"
Teddy: 再 (zoi3).
Eric: Do you usually use this word alone?
Teddy: Usually it’s placed between actions in a sentence. Let’s use the verb "to go," or 去 (heoi3), as an example - 再去 (zoi3 heoi3), means "and then go somewhere."
Eric: How do you say, "Eat, and then play?"
Teddy: 食完再玩 (sik6 jyun4 zoi3 waan2). 食完 (sik6 jyun4) means "finish eating," and 再玩 (zoi3 waan2) means "and then play."
Eric: How about, "Play first, and then eat?"
Teddy: 玩完 再食 (waan2 jyun4 zoi3 sik6).
Eric: Great. What else you can tell us about this word?
Teddy: 再 (zoi3) also means "again." So our previous example 再去(zoi3 heoi3), "and then go somewhere," can also mean "to go again."
Eric: I see. Oh! I thought of a good sentence our listeners might want to learn. How do we say, "Say that again?"
Teddy: 再講 (zoi3 gong2). 再 (zoi3) is "again," and 講 (gong2) is "to say" or "to speak."
Eric: So literally it means "again say"...
Teddy: Right. 再講(zoi3 gong2). 再講 (zoi3 gong2).
Eric: How about, "Please say it again once more?"
Teddy: 唔該再講一次 (m4 goi1 zoi3 gong2 jat1 ci3).
Eric: "Say it again three times?"
Teddy: 再講三次 (zoi3 gong2 saam1 ci3).
Eric: Thank you Teddy. Can you help us review the grammar point we learned in this lesson?
Teddy: Sure. 再 (zoi3) means "and then," or "again."
Eric: Listeners, repeat after Teddy and then guess what the phrases mean…
Teddy: 食完再講 (sik6 jyun4 zoi3 gong2). 食完再講 (sik6 jyun4 zoi3 gong2).
Eric: "Eat, and then talk or speak."
Teddy: Yes. 學完再講 (hok6 jyun4 zoi3 gong2).
Eric: "Learn, and then speak." Okay, let’s practice. How about, "Say that again and again?"
Teddy: 講完再講 (gong2 jyun4 zoi3 gong2).
Eric: "Say it again and again."
Teddy: 講完再講 (gong2 jyun4 zoi3 gong2).

Outro

Eric: Excellent. Listeners, check out the lesson notes for more examples, and we’ll see you in the next lesson. Bye!
Teddy: 多謝收聽,下次見! (do1 ze6 sau1 teng1, haa6 ci3 gin3!)

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