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A: Top 25 Cantonese Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 16: “How are you?” in Cantonese. In each lesson of this 25 part series, you'll master a common question for Cantonese learners, and then learn how to answer it like a native. You'll learn how these key phrases work by breaking them down into each component. Then through repetition and new vocabulary, you'll expand your understanding of the question, its answers, and any variations.
In this lesson, you'll learn how to respond to the common question “How are you?” In Cantonese this is
B: 你好嗎?
The first word in the question is
B: 你
A: meaning “you” in English.
B: (Slow, by syllable) 你
A: Listen again and repeat.
B: 你
{Pause}
A: This pattern of first introducing a word at natural speed, providing the translation, breaking it down, and then giving it again at natural speed will be repeated throughout the series. Try to speak aloud as often as possible. The next word in the question is
B: 好
A: meaning “good, well.”
B: (Slow, by syllable) 好
A: Now repeat.
B: 好
{Pause}
Listen to the the first 2 words of the question and repeat.
B: 你好
{pause}
Next is
B: 嗎
A: a question marking particle.
B: (Slow, by syllable) 嗎
A: Now repeat.
B: 嗎
{Pause}
Listen to the entire question and repeat.
B: 你好嗎
{pause}
A: You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies. Master the following pattern and responses to the question “How are you?”
B: 我幾好。
A: "I'm fine.” Again, slowly. Repeat the phrase.
B: (Slow) 我幾好。
{pause}
A: Let's break it down from the beginning. The first word:
B: 我
A: means “I.”
B: (Slow, by syllable) 我
A: Now repeat
B: 我
{Pause}
A: And next
B: 幾
A: meaning “quite; pretty.”
B: (Slow, by syllable) 幾
A: Now repeat.
B: 幾
{Pause}
A: And next
B: 好
meaning “good; well.”
B: (Slow, by syllable) 好
A:Now repeat.
B: 好
{Pause}
A: Listen to the speaker say, I'm fine.”, and then repeat.
B: 我幾好。
{pause}
A: To use a different phrase, replace “fine” with “great.”
B: 好好
A: great
B: (slow) 好好 (regular) 好好
A: Listen to the phrase again, this time with great
B: 我好好。
A: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “fine” with “great.” Say “I'm great.”
{pause}
B: 我好好。
A: To expand on the pattern, replace “great” with “very good.”
B: 非常好
A: very good
B: (slow) 非常好 (regular) 非常好
A: Listen to the phrase again, this time with very good
B: 我非常好。
A: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “great” with “very good.” Say “I'm very good.”
{pause}
B: 我非常好。
A: To expand on the pattern, replace “very good” with “not so well.”
B: 唔係幾好
A: not so well
B: (slow) 唔係幾好 (regular) 唔係幾好
A: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “not so well”
B: 我唔係幾好。
A: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “very good” with “not so well.” Say “I'm not so well.”
{pause}
B: 我唔係幾好。
Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you are visiting Hong Kong and someone asks you how you are. You are fine. Respond to the question.
B: 你好嗎? (five seconds) 我幾好。
A: Now imagine you are great. Respond to the question.
B: 你好嗎? (five seconds) 我好好。
A: Imagine you are very good. Answer the speaker's question.
B: 你好嗎? (five seconds) 我非常好。
A: Imagine you're not so well. Respond to the question.
B: 你好嗎? (five seconds) 我唔係幾好。
A: You want to ask someone how the person is doing. Ask the question.
(5 seconds)
B: 你好嗎?
{pause}
A: Now it's time to answer the question with actual information about yourself.
B: 你好嗎?
{pause}
A: This is the end of Lesson 16

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