Cantonese emotion sounds - part 4

Hello, continuing on the topic of single character emotion sound, this is the last episode on single character emotion sounds for this year. Next week I will again show you a conversation of how to use these emotions sounds.

OK, so far we have talked about the single character emotions sounds that begin the sentence, for example: 哎 (Dummy PY: Eye), 吔 (Dummy PY: Ya), 哈 (Dummy PY: Ha), 吓 (Dummy PY: Huh), 嘩(Dummy PY: Wah) , 嗱 (Dummy PY: Nah), 呣 (Dummy PY: Um), 𠳏 (Dummy PY: Cher) , 噓 (Dummy PY: Hui), 吆 (Dummy PY: You), 超 (Dummy PY: Chew). Also the emotion sounds that end the sentence such as: 囉/ 咯/ 囖 (Dummy PY: Lo), 嚕 (Dummy PY: Loo), 噃 (Dummy PY: Ball), 喎/啝 (Dummy PY: Wo), 呀 吖 啊 (Dummy PY: Ah), 啦/喇/ 嘞 (Dummy PY: La), 哩 (Dummy PY: Le), 呢(Dummy PY: Ne), 㗎 (Dummy PY: Ga).

So we have covered quite a bunch, today I will share 6 more single character emotion sounds with you. They are 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge), 啩 (Dummy PY: Gua), 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh), 咋 (Dummy PY: Ja) and 啫 (Dummy PY: Je). Once again pay closer attention to how these sounds are stressed and toned.

Let’s talk about the 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound, usually put at the end of the sentence, 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound as an emotion sound shares the same character and sound with the possessive 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge), for example 我嘅媽咪 (Dummy PY: Ngo Ge Ma Mi), my mommy, or literally I (‘s) mommy. Same sound, but today the 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound we will only talk about its function as an emotion sound and how to use it.

嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound can be used to pose a question or a rhetorical question. For example:

點解嘅? (Dummy PY: Deem Guy Ge?)

Why? / How come?

HK English: Why Ge? / How come Ge?

Or

係真嘅? (Dummy PY: High Jan Ge?)

Really?

HK English: Is real Ge?

And of course you can also use the 呀 吖 啊 (Dummy PY: Ah) emotion sounds that we talked about to ask these questions, but the 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound tends to be a little more inquisitive and questioning when compared to the 呀 吖 啊 (Dummy PY: Ah) emotion sound.

or

你今日無食飯嘅? (Dummy PY: Neigh Gum Yat Mo Sick Farn Ge?)

Today you didn’t eat?

HK English: You today no eat rice ge?

So here, the question is a question, the person already knows that the person they are speaking to did not eat today, even though in English it sounds like the person was just inquiring, but in Cantonese, the 無 (Dummy PY: Mo) meaning no, for eating, it already implies that they knew the other person did not eat, so here, it is more so asking for the reason why they didn’t eat. You can also use the 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound in a statement to show confirmation or agreement. For example:

係嘅! 你啱嘅! (Dummy PY: High Ge! Neigh Arm Ge!)

Yes! You are right!

HK English: Yes ge! You are right ge!

The 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound is used here, to show the other person speaking agreeing with what you said. But pay attention instead if you are to say it with a more confirmative tone,

係嘅! 你啱嘅! (Dummy PY: High Ge! Neigh Arm Ge!)

Yes! You are right!

Yes ge! You are right ge!

That person also agreed but showed affirmation to what you said, maybe like they are your staff members, or your kids for example, that don’t want to disagree with you, then you will hear The 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound in a stronger more confirmative tone. Or just to add some confirmation to what you are saying,

你肯去睇醫生, 我係開心嘅! (Dummy PY: Neigh Heng Hui Tie Yee Sung, Ngo High Hoy Sum Ge!)

You are willing to see the doctor, I am happy.

You are willing to see the doctor, I am happy ge!

Just to show confirmation of the fact that you are happy that they are willing to see the doctor.

Now let’s move onto the 啩 (Dummy PY: Gua) sound, if it helps you, this 啩 (Dummy PY: Gua) sound is like when you are saying Guava, that Gua sound. The 啩 (Dummy PY: Gua) sound on the other hand, is to show that you are half doubting something, you cannot confirm for sure. Also carries the meaning of wanting to ask for other people’s opinions. Using the example earlier.

係啩! 你啱啩! (Dummy PY: High Gua! Neigh Arm Gua!)

Yes I think! You are right perhaps!

Yes Gua! You are right gua!

See earlier when the 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound was used it was to show the other person speaking that they are confirming or agreeing with what you said. But here, with the 啩 (Dummy PY: Gua) sound it carries so much uncertainty in the sound itself. It is almost as if you are saying “should be? I am guessing? perhaps? maybe? I think so?

On the other hand, you can also use the gua sound to deny something, but of course also half doubting.

唔係啩？你今日有食飯啩? (Dummy PY: Um High Gua? Neigh Gum Yat Yao Sick Farn Gua?)

No way? You have eaten today right?

No Gua? You today have eaten gua?

Again, just to show disbelief or doubting the situation, therefore the 啩 (Dummy PY: Gua) sound is used. When 啩 (Dummy PY: Gua) is paired with 唔係 (Dummy PY: Um High) meaning no, it means like “No way?” but not 100% certain.

Another example:

佢今日會去睇醫生啩! (Dummy PY: Kui Gum Yat Wui Hui Tie Yee Sung Gua!)

He/ she should go to see the doctor today I think!

He/ she today will go see the Doctor Gua!

Again, not entirely sure if he/ she will go see the doctor, but they should, the person speaking said with the 啩 (Dummy PY: Gua) sound. Making sense?

The next sound 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) also carries the meaning of not believing, doubting, carries a little bit of disdain in the sound as well. The 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) sound, I am not sure where you are located if you use the meh sound? In English, “Meh” for me at least, is like “I don’t care”, if you have used this sound before, you can remember this 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) emotion sound with the English “Meh” sound, basically the same sound. The Cantonese 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) emotion sound is often only used in questions. For example:

係咩？ (Dummy PY: High Meh?)

Is that right?

HK English: Yes meh?

So if you were to pair the 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) sound with 係(Dummy PY: High), meaning yes or verb to be, it means you are not trusting the situation or what the person has said. You are questioning the validity of their statement or the situation. Or you can also say,

唔係咩? (Dummy PY: Um High Meh?)

Isn’t it true?

HK English: No Meh?

Again the person saying it is doubting the situation. Perhaps the person have said something, like just as an example, “well in the UK the vaccine has killed 6 people in total”, and the person said “there are no known side effects to the vaccine”, that’s when you might say “ 唔係咩? (Dummy PY: Um High Meh?)” “isn’t it true?” as a rebuttal because you are not trusting what the person has said. That’s pretty much how you use the single character 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) sound in a question. The 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) sound will come back later on in the double character emotion sounds, we will talk more about it then.

Let’s talk about the 咋 (Dummy PY: Ja) emotion sound. The 咋 (Dummy PY: Ja) emotion sound expresses meanings like “only” “Only this” “Just this”. For example:

我今日食左一餐飯咋! (Dummy PY: Ngo Gum Yat Charn Farn Ja!)

I have only eaten one meal today.

HK English: I today have eaten one meal Ja!

咋 (Dummy PY: Ja) emotion sound is used just to express you have had 1 meal only, nothing more. You can also use the 咋 (Dummy PY: Ja) sound in a question. 吓? 你今日食左一餐咋? What? You only had one meal today? Huh? You today had one meal Ja? The function of the 咋 (Dummy PY: Ja) sound in a question remains the same, meaning “Only” “Just” “Only this” “Just this”.

Another very similar in meaning, also means “Only” “Just” “Only this” “Just this” is the 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) sound. You can think of this sound as when you are saying the word “Jelly” without the -Ly or the “L” sound. Using the example earlier,

我今日食左一餐飯啫! (Dummy PY: Ngo Gum Yat Charn Farn Je!)

I have only eaten one meal today.

HK English: I today have eaten one meal Je!

You can use the 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) sound to replace the 咋 (Dummy PY: Ja) sound earlier also to mean "Only" or "Just".

When you are using 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) sound sometimes it contains a little bit of emotion meaning that you look down upon something. Say for example:

錢啫! 我OK! (Dummy PY: Chin Je? Ngo OK!)

It’s just money! I am OK!

HK English: Money Je! I am ok!

You see the 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) sound expresses that you can handle the situation, it “ONLY” money, of course, it sounds a little cocky if you were to say it like that. To sound even more cocky, you can use the 咋 (Dummy PY: Ja) sound we just talked about, but use it in a question.

錢咋? 我OK! (Dummy PY: Chin Ja? Ngo OK!)

It’s just money? I am OK!

HK English: Money Ja? I am ok!

This sounds super cocky, because when you use the 咋 (Dummy PY: Ja) sound and even use it in a question, it’s almost like the notion of money and price is not even an issue for you.

Or

我無食飯啫! 你做咩咁嬲啫? (Dummy PY: Ngo Mo Sick Farn Je! Neigh Jo Meh Gum Now Jek?)

I only didn’t eat! Why are you so angry?

I didn’t eat Je! Why are you so angry Je?

The 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) sound is to emphasize that I “ONLY” did not eat, why would that cross you so bad? When 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) sound is used in a question, you are just inquiring about the situation, but also carries the meaning of slightly annoyed.

Another function of the 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) sound is to advise someone, to urge someone, to confirm or deny, also contains slight disdain emotion in it. When you are advising for or against something, the sound slightly changes to "Jek" with a silent K sound.

唔好同佢食飯啫! 佢咁衰! (Dummy PY: Um Ho Tung Kui Sick Farn Jek! Kui Gum Seui!)

Don’t eat with him/ her! He/ she is terrible!

HK English: Don’t eat with him/ her Je! He/ she is terrible!

Very simply, the 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) sound is used just to advise. On the other hand, you can also say,

同佢食飯啫! 佢咁好人! (Dummy PY: Tung Kui Sick Farn Jek! Kui Gum Ho Yan!)

Eat with him/ her! He/ she is a good person!

HK English: Eat with him/ her Je! He/ she is a good person!

So you can use the 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) sound to give suggestions, either to advise against or for something.

That’s all I have for you today, I hope you find this episode helpful. Next week, we will look at a conversation where these emotion sounds are used. See you next week :)