Cantonese Vocabulary

我

/ŋɔ˩˧/

I

The speaker’s self-reference; oneself.

啦

/laː˥/

lah

A sentence-final particle used to urge, suggest, or indicate a new development in a situation.

你

/nei˩˧/

you

The person you are talking to, that is, the other party.

唔

/m̩˩˧/

not

Placed before a verb or adjective to indicate negation, meaning “not” or “non-”.

冇

/mou˩˧/

not have

To indicate that something is not possessed or does not exist; the opposite of “have.”

佢

/kʰɵy˩˧/

he/she

Refers to a third person other than the speaker and the listener, regardless of gender.

喺

/hɐi˧˥/

at

Indicates the place or time where a person or thing is.

嘅

/kɛ˧/

of

Placed before a noun to indicate possession, or at the end of a sentence to add emphasis.

係

/hɐi˨˨/

to be

Used to show that two things are the same, or to confirm something.

有

/jɐu˩˧/

have

Indicates possession or the existence of something.