Demonstratives in Cantonese

In today's post, let's learn how to say 'This, that, these and those' in Cantonese.

This

Singular

First word: 呢 (ni1)

Second word: Theres is no one standard way of saying this/that for all objects, as the second word depends on the measure word of the object we are referring to. On the table above, the measure word 個(go3) is used, since it is the most common and versatile measure word.

Let's look at another example, this time with a different measure word.

呢隻貓係灰色嘅 (ni1 zek3 maau1 hai6 fui1 sik1 ge3) - This cat is gray

嗰隻貓係黃色嘅 (go2 zek3 maau1 hai6 wong4 sik1 ge3) - That cat is yellow

Plural (1)

When we are referring to two objects, we say:

呢兩(ni1 loeng5) (these two) + measure word

嗰兩( go2 loeng5) (those two) + measure word

Below is an example.

Plural (2)

When we refer to more than 3 of the same objects, without indicating the specific quantity, we use the plural demonstratives (these/those).

Below is an example.

Variations

1. If we want to indicate the specific quantity, simply insert the number before the measure word.
2. we can also say use the word for "a few", 幾 (gei2).

Below are two examples.

Example sentences:

呢三條係咩魚？ (ni1 saam1 tiu4 hai6 me1 jyu2?) - What kind of fish are these three?

嗰幾本書係邊個㗎？ (go2 gei2 bun2 syu1 hai6 bin1 go3 gaa3?) - Whose books are those?

Your turn!

______係一隻雀仔。______ 雀仔係藍色嘅。

______hai6 jat1 zek3 zoek3 zai2. ______ zoek3 zai2 hai6 laam4 sik1 ge3.

(______is a bird. ______ bird is blue.)

2. ______係一隻雞。______ 雞係啡色嘅。

 ______hai6 jat1 zek3 gai1. ______  gai1 hai6 fe1 sik1 ge3.

(______is a chicken. ______ chicken is brown.)

3. ______馬喺度跑緊。

______maa5 hai2 dou6 paau2 gan2.

(______horses are running.)

4. ______魚喺度游緊。

______ hai2 dou6 jau4 gan2.

(______fish are swimming.)