cantonese Auxiliary verbs 01

Today let’s talk a little about auxiliary verbs. In English, auxiliary verbs are verbs that give functions or grammatical meaning to the clause, such as tenses, mood or voice etc. Usually accompanied by another verb. In Cantonese it is similar. In Cantonese auxiliary verbs can also be accompanied by other verbs, usually not showing the tense, in Cantonese we don’t really speak tenses as you might already know, we express tenses through other words like 琴日(Dummy PY: Come Yat) yesterday, 今日today (Dummy PY: Gum Yat) and 聽日(Dummy PY: Ting Yat) tomorrow and such.

There are several types. The first type is to show whether you are willing or not willing to do something, or whether you need or need not do something. The second type to show whether something should or should not be done. The third type is to show objectively whether you can or cannot do something. The fourth type is to show your approval. The fifth type is to show your criticism, whether something is worthwhile. Finally the last type is to show whether something is possible.

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So let’s talk about the first type of auxiliary verb today, whether you are willing or not willing to do something, or whether you need or need not do something.

要 (Dummy PY: Yiu) - Need to

The first word we will talk about today is the word 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) meaning need. The word 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) meaning need is usually followed by another action verb, such as run, sleep etc, or followed by a noun.

When it needs to be followed by another action verb, the formula is usually:

Pronoun + 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu)+ verb phrase.

For example:

- 我要訓教。(Dummy PY: Ngo Yiu Fun Gow)

I need to sleep.

- 你要食嘢。(Dummy PY: Nei Yiu Sick Yeah)

You need to eat.

- 佢要做功課。(Dummy PY: Kui Yiu Joe Gong For)

He/She needs to do homework.

**note that in Cantonese 佢(Dummy PY: Kui) can mean both he and she or even it depending on the context. The word 佢(Dummy PY: Kui) is gender neutral and animated objects neutral.

- 佢哋要去廁所。(Dummy PY: Kui Day Yiu Hui Qi Saw)

They need to go to the bathroom.

**佢哋(Dummy PY: Kui Day) means they. When you add 哋(Dummy PY: Kui Day) after 我(Dummy PY: Ngo) meaning I, such as 我哋(Dummy PY: Ngo Day) it becomes We, 你 (Dummy PY: Nei) meaning you, 你哋(Dummy PY: Nei Day) meaning you guys, 佢(Dummy PY: Kui) meaning he/ she, 佢哋(Dummy PY: Kui Day) meaning they. Essentially 哋(Dummy PY: Kui Day) pluralizes the pronoun.

In a question, you will need to ask in Cantonese, the formula is usually:

Pronoun + 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) + 唔 (Dummy PY: Um) - Negative + 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) +verb phrase?

For example:

- 你要唔要食嘢?(Dummy PY: Nei Yiu Um Yiu Sick Yeah?)

Do you need to eat?

- 佢要唔要做功課?(Dummy PY: Kui Yiu Um Yiu Joe Gong For)

Does He/She need to do homework?

- 佢哋要唔要去廁所?(Dummy PY: Kui Day Yiu Um Yiu Hui Chi Saw)

Do they need to go to the bathroom?

Very simple. Now when 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) meaning need is followed by a noun, the formula is:

Pronoun + 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu)+ Number + Unit indicator + Noun

For example:

- 我哋要一支筆。(Dummy PY: Ngo Day Yiu Yat Ji Butt)

We need a pen.

**支 (Dummy PY: Ji) is the unit indicator for pen or pencil, or things that are long like a stick.

- 你哋要兩張紙巾。(Dummy PY: Nei Day Yiu Leung Cheung Ji Gun)

You guys need 2 sheets of tissue paper.

**張 (Dummy PY: Cheung) is the unit indicator for anything sheet like, like paper, bed sheets, etc. 張 (Dummy PY: Cheung) means sheets when you use it as a unit indicator.

- 佢哋要三份早餐。(Dummy PY: Kui Day Yiu Sarm Fun Joe Charn)

They need three sets of breakfast.

**份 (Dummy PY:Fun) is the unit indicator for the word set. It can be a set of breakfast 一份早餐(Dummy PY: Yat Fun Joe Charn), or a set of documents, 一份文件(Dummy PY: Yat Fun Men Geen) etc.

In a question, you will need to ask in Cantonese, the formula is usually:

Pronoun + 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) + 唔 (Dummy PY: Um) (Negative) + 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) + number + unit indicator + Noun?

If you ask the question like this, the word 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) can also function like the word want.

For example:

- 你哋要唔要兩張紙巾? (Dummy PY: Nei Day Yiu Um Yiu Leung Cheung Ji Gun?) Do you guys need/ want 2 sheets of tissue paper?

- 佢哋要唔要三份早餐? (Dummy PY: Kui Day Yiu Um Yiu Sarm Fun Joe Charn?)

Do they need/ want three sets of breakfast?

More often we see in a question, we use the word 使 (Dummy PY: Sai) to form a question with 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu). 使 (Dummy PY: Sai) when used to ask questions means need to, then here the word 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) becomes the meaning of to have.

The formula is:

Pronoun + 使 (Dummy PY: Sai) + 唔 (Dummy PY: Um) (Negative) + 使 (Dummy PY: Sai) +要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) + number + unit indicator + Noun?

For example:

- 你哋使唔使要兩張紙巾? (Dummy PY: Nei Day Sai Um Sai Yiu Leung Cheung Ji Gun?)

Do you guys need 2 sheets of tissue paper?

- 佢哋使唔使要三份早餐? (Dummy PY: Kui Day Sai Um Sai Yiu Sarm Fun Joe Charn?)

Do they need three sets of breakfast?

There is a third way to ask the question, which is with the word 係 (Dummy PY: Hi). When you use 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) to form questions here, the question acts as confirmation. As if someone actually told you they needed something and you are just confirming. The formula is similar:

Pronoun + 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) + 唔 (Dummy PY: Um) (Negative) + 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) +要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) + number + unit indicator + Noun?

For example:

- 你哋係唔係要兩張紙巾? (Dummy PY: Nei Day Hi Um Hi Yiu Leung Cheung Ji Gun?)

Do you guys need 2 sheets of tissue paper, yes or no?

- 佢哋係唔係要三份早餐? (Dummy PY: Kui Day Hi Um Hi Yiu Sarm Fun Joe Charn?)

Do they need three sets of breakfast, yes or no?

Or

Pronoun + 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) + 唔 (Dummy PY: Um) (Negative) + 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) +要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) + Verb phrase?

For example:

- 你係唔係要食嘢?(Dummy PY: Nei Hi Um Hi Yiu Sick Yeah?)

Do you need to eat, yes or no?

- 佢係唔係要做功課?(Dummy PY: Kui Hi Um Hi Yiu Joe Gong For?)

Does he/she need to do homework, yes or no?

肯 (Dummy PY: Heng) - is/am/are willing to

The second word I would like to talk about today is the word 肯 (Dummy PY: Heng). 肯 (Dummy PY: Heng) means am/ is/ are willing to do something. When used in a sentence, the formula is usually:

Pronoun + 肯 (Dummy PY: Heng) + Verb phrase

For example:

- 我肯努力。(Dummy PY: Ngo Heng No Lick)

I am willing to work hard.

- 你肯食藥。(Dummy PY: Nei Heng Sick Yurk)

You are willing to take your medications.

- 佢肯放棄。(Dummy PY: Kui Heng Fong Hey)

He/she is willing to give up.

** Pay attention 放棄(Dummy PY: Fong Hey) meaning give up is close in pronunciation with the term 放屁 (Dummy PY: Fong Pay) meaning passing gas or farting. Don’t mix them up or it will become the biggest joke of the day.

Fairly easy. For the word 肯 (Dummy PY: Heng) - am willing to, it cannot be followed by a noun. Like in English, you won’t say “I am willing to 3 sets of breakfast” for example. So if you need to form a question, the formula is:

Pronoun + 肯 (Dummy PY: Heng) + 唔 (Dummy PY: Um) (Negative) + 肯 (Dummy PY: Heng) + Verb phrase?

For example:

- 你肯唔肯食藥? (Dummy PY: Nei Heng Um Heng Sick Yurk?)

Are you willing to take your medications?

- 佢肯唔肯放棄?(Dummy PY: Kui Heng Um Heng Fong Hey?)

Is he/she willing to give up?

Same as 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu) , you can also use 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) with 肯 (Dummy PY: Heng) to form questions to ask for confirmation. It is like if you believe the other person is willing to do something but you are making sure.

Pronoun + 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) + 唔 (Dummy PY: Um) (Negative) + 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) +肯 (Dummy PY: Heng) + Verb phrase?

For example:

- 你係唔係肯食藥? (Dummy PY: Nei Hi Um Hi Heng Sick Yurk?)

Are you willing to take your medications, yes or no?

- 佢係唔係肯放棄?(Dummy PY: Kui Hi Um Hi Heng Fong Hey?)

Is he/she willing to give up, yes or no?

敢 (Dummy PY: Gum) - Dare to

The last word I want to talk about today is the word 敢 (Dummy PY: Gum) - Dare to. This word is also grammatically similar to 肯 (Dummy PY: Heng) - am willing to and 要 （Dummy PY: Yiu), except this time you are asking if someone dares to do something. The formula is similar:

Pronoun + 敢 (Dummy PY: Gum) + Verb phrase

For example:

- 我敢揸車，我唔怕。(Dummy PY: Ngo Gum Ja Cher, Ngo Um Pa)

I dare to drive. I am not scared.

- 你哋敢睇鬼戲，我唔敢。(Dummy PY: Nei Day Gum Tie Gwai Hey, Ngo Um Gum)

You guys dare to watch ghost movies. I don’t dare to.

- 佢哋敢生BB，雖然而家有病毒。(Dummy PY: Kui Day Gum Sarn Bee Bee, Sui Yin Yee Ga Yao Bang Duk)

They dare to give birth to babies, even though there is the virus right now.

When you just slightly change your intonation at the end of the sentence, and in written format change the full stop to a question mark, it becomes a rhetorical question:

- 你哋敢睇鬼戲? 我唔敢。(Dummy PY: Nei Day Gum Tie Gwai Hey? Ngo Um Gum)

You guys dare to watch ghost movies? I don’t dare to.

- 佢哋敢生BB? 雖然而家有病毒？(Dummy PY: Kui Day Gum Sarn Bee Bee, Sui Yin Yee Ga Yao Bang Duk)

They dare to give birth to babies? Even though there is the virus right now?

Again, just like 肯 (Dummy PY: Heng) willing to, you cannot form a sentence with just nouns after 敢 (Dummy PY: Gum). Much like in English you wouldn’t say “You dare to medications?” just doesn’t make sense. To form questions, asking if someone dares to do something, the formula is:

Pronoun + 敢 (Dummy PY: Gum) + 唔 (Dummy PY: Um) (Negative) +敢 (Dummy PY: Gum) + Verb phrase?

For example:

- 我敢唔敢揸車? 我唔怕。(Dummy PY: Ngo Gum Um Gum Ja Cher, Ngo Um Pa)

Do I dare to drive? I am not scared.

- 你哋敢唔敢睇鬼戲? 我唔敢。(Dummy PY: Nei Day Gum Um Gum Tie Gwai Hey? Ngo Um Gum)

Do you guys dare to watch ghost movies? I don’t dare to.

- 佢哋敢唔敢生BB? 而家有病毒(Dummy PY: Kui Day Gum Um Gum Sarn Bee Bee, Sui Yin Yee Ga Yao Bang Duk)

Do they dare to give birth to babies? There is the virus right now.

You can also use 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) to form questions here, to confirm if someone actually dares to do something.

Pronoun + 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) + 唔 (Dummy PY: Um) (Negative) + 係 (Dummy PY: Hi) +敢 (Dummy PY: Gum) + Verb phrase?

For example:

- 你哋係唔係敢睇鬼戲? 我唔敢。(Dummy PY: Nei Day Gum Um Gum Tie Gwai Hey? Ngo Um Gum)

Do you guys dare to watch ghost movies, yes or no? I don’t dare to.

- 佢哋係唔係敢生BB? 而家有病毒(Dummy PY: Kui Day Gum Um Gum Sarn Bee Bee, Sui Yin Yee Ga Yao Bang Duk)

Do they dare to give birth to babies, yes or no? There is the virus right now.

Vocab:

I - 我 (Dummy PY: Ngo)

You - 你(Dummy PY: Nei)

He/She/ it - 佢

We - 我哋(Dummy PY: Ngo Day)

You guys - 你哋(Dummy PY: Nei Day)

They - 佢哋(Dummy PY: Kui Day)

Sleep - 訓教 (Dummy PY: Fun Gow)

Eat - 食嘢 (Dummy PY: Sick Yeah)

Homework - 功課(Dummy PY: Gong For)

Bathroom - 廁所(Dummy PY: Chi Saw)

Pen - 筆(Dummy PY: Butt)

Tissue - 紙巾(Dummy PY: Ji Gun)

Breakfast - 早餐 (Dummy PY: Joe Charn)

Work hard - 努力(Dummy PY: No Lick)

Take medications - 食藥(Dummy PY: Sick Yurk)

Give up - 放棄(Dummy PY: Fong Hey)

Passing gas - 放屁 (Dummy PY: Fong Pay)

Driving - 揸車 (Dummy PY: Ja Cher)

Not afraid/ not scared - 唔怕 (Dummy PY: Um Pa)

Ghost movies - 鬼戲 (Dummy PY: Gwai Hey)

Virus - 病毒 (Dummy PY: Bang Duk)

Need - 要 (Dummy PY: Yiu)

Willing to- 肯 (Dummy PY: Heng)

敢 (Dummy PY: Gum) - Dare to

I need to sleep. - 我要訓教。(Dummy PY: Ngo Yiu Fun Gow)

You need to eat. - 你要食嘢。(Dummy PY: Nei Yiu Sick Yeah)

He/She needs to do homework. - 佢要做功課。

(Dummy PY: Kui Yiu Joe Gong For)

They need to go to the bathroom. - 佢哋要去廁所。

(Dummy PY: Kui Day Yiu Hui Qi Saw)

Do you need to eat? - 你要唔要食嘢?

(Dummy PY: Nei Yiu Um Yiu Sick Yeah?)

Does He/She need to do homework? - 佢要唔要做功課?

(Dummy PY: Kui Yiu Um Yiu Joe Gong For)

Do they need to go to the bathroom?- 佢哋要唔要去廁所?

(Dummy PY: Kui Day Yiu Um Yiu Hui Qi Saw)

We need a pen. - 我哋要一支筆。

(Dummy PY: Ngo Day Yiu Yat Ji Butt)

- You guys need 2 sheets of tissue paper.

你哋要兩張紙巾。

(Dummy PY: Nei Day Yiu Leung Cheung Ji Gun)

- They need three sets of breakfast.

佢哋要三份早餐。

(Dummy PY: Kui Day Yiu Sarm Fun Joe Charn)

- Do you guys need/ want 2 sheets of tissue paper?

你哋要唔要兩張紙巾?

(Dummy PY: Nei Day Yiu Um Yiu Leung Cheung Ji Gun?)/

你哋使唔使要兩張紙巾?

(Dummy PY: Nei Day Sai Um Sai Yiu Leung Cheung Ji Gun?)

- Do they need/ want three sets of breakfast?

佢哋要唔要三份早餐?

(Dummy PY: Kui Day Yiu Um Yiu Sarm Fun Joe Charn?)/

佢哋使唔使要三份早餐?

(Dummy PY: Kui Day Sai Um Sai Yiu Sarm Fun Joe Charn?)

- Do you guys need 2 sheets of tissue paper, yes or no?

你哋係唔係要兩張紙巾?

(Dummy PY: Nei Day Hi Um Hi Yiu Leung Cheung Ji Gun?)

- Do they need three sets of breakfast, yes or no?

佢哋係唔係要三份早餐?

(Dummy PY: Kui Day Hi Um Hi Yiu Sarm Fun Joe Charn?)

- Do you need to eat, yes or no?

你係唔係要食嘢?

(Dummy PY: Nei Hi Um Hi Yiu Sick Yeah?)

- Does he/she need to do homework, yes or no?

佢係唔係要做功課?

(Dummy PY: Kui Hi Um Hi Yiu Joe Gong For?)

- I am willing to work hard.

我肯努力。

(Dummy PY: Ngo Heng No Lick)

- You are willing to take your medications.

你肯食藥。

(Dummy PY: Nei Heng Sick Yurk)

- He/she is willing to give up.

佢肯放棄。

(Dummy PY: Kui Heng Fong Hey)

- Are you willing to take your medications?

你肯唔肯食藥?

(Dummy PY: Nei Heng Um Heng Sick Yurk?)

- Is he/she willing to give up?

佢肯唔肯放棄?

(Dummy PY: Kui Heng Um Heng Fong Hey?)

- Are you willing to take your medications, yes or no?

你係唔係肯食藥?

(Dummy PY: Nei Hi Um Hi Heng Sick Yurk?)

- Is he/she willing to give up, yes or no?

佢係唔係肯放棄?

(Dummy PY: Kui Hi Um Hi Heng Fong Hey?)

- I dare to drive. I am not scared.

我敢揸車，我唔怕。

(Dummy PY: Ngo Gum Ja Cher, Ngo Um Pa)

- You guys dare to watch ghost movies. I don’t dare to.

你哋敢睇鬼戲，我唔敢。

(Dummy PY: Nei Day Gum Tie Gwai Hey, Ngo Um Gum)

- They dare to give birth to babies, even though there is the virus right now.

佢哋敢生BB，雖然而家有病毒。

(Dummy PY: Kui Day Gum Sarn Bee Bee, Sui Yin Yee Ga Yao Bang Duk)

- You guys dare to watch ghost movies? I don’t dare to.

你哋敢睇鬼戲? 我唔敢。

(Dummy PY: Nei Day Gum Tie Gwai Hey? Ngo Um Gum)

- They dare to give birth to babies? Even though there is the virus right now?

佢哋敢生BB? 雖然而家有病毒？

(Dummy PY: Kui Day Gum Sarn Bee Bee, Sui Yin Yee Ga Yao Bang Duk)

- Do you guys dare to watch ghost movies? I don’t dare to.

你哋敢唔敢睇鬼戲? 我唔敢。

(Dummy PY: Nei Day Gum Um Gum Tie Gwai Hey? Ngo Um Gum)

- Do they dare to give birth to babies? There is the virus right now.

佢哋敢唔敢生BB? 而家有病毒

(Dummy PY: Kui Day Gum Um Gum Sarn Bee Bee, Sui Yin Yee Ga Yao Bang Duk)

- Do you guys dare to watch ghost movies, yes or no? I don’t dare to.

你哋係唔係敢睇鬼戲? 我唔敢。

(Dummy PY: Nei Day Gum Um Gum Tie Gwai Hey? Ngo Um Gum)

- Do they dare to give birth to babies, yes or no? There is the virus right now.

佢哋係唔係敢生BB? 而家有病毒

(Dummy PY: Kui Day Gum Um Gum Sarn Bee Bee, Sui Yin Yee Ga Yao Bang Duk)