Emotion sounds in daily conversations

Hello! So for the emotion sounds, I have created this conversation for you. This scenario was based on a real-life situation, actually, it was my mom’s neighbour in Hong Kong. But the conversation was made up. In this conversation, a resident was being complained about the garbage situation at home, and the property’s management office sent someone to the resident’s home to understand more about the situation. You will hear the entire conversation in Cantonese once, then in English. Then I will analyze the emotion sounds and sentences with you together. At the end, we will come back and listen to the whole conversation one more time and see if you understood it a little better. Here we go!

A: 你[nei5]好[hou2],小[siu2]姐[je2]。有[yau5]人[yan4]投[tau4]訴[sou3]你[nei5]，話[wa6/wa2]你[nei5]屋[uk1]企[kei2]入[yap6]邊[bin1]有[yau5]好[hou2]多[do1]垃[laap6]圾[saap3]，我[ngo5]哋[dei6]想[seung2]了[liu5]解[gaai2]一[yat1]下[ha5]嘅[ge3]。

A: Hello, Madam. Someone has complained about you, saying there is a lot of garbage at your place. We wanted to learn more about it.

B: 我[ngo5]又[yau6]冇[mou5]嘈[chou4]，屋[uk1]企[kei2]入[yap6]邊[bin1]啲[di1]垃[laap6]圾[saap3]又[yau6]無[mou4]影[ying2]響[heung2]到[dou3/dou2]其[kei4]他[ta1]人[yan4]，咁[gam3/gam2]你[nei5]做[jou6]乜[mat1]野[ye5]要[yiu3]你[nei5]同[tung4]我[ngo5]傾[king1]呢[ne1]？

B: I wasn’t noisy, nor did the garbage at home affect anyone. So then how come you need to come and speak with me?

A: 唔[m4]緊[gan2]要[yiu3]，唔[m4]緊[gan2]要[yiu3]嘅[ge3]，我[ngo5]都[dou1]係[hai6]提[tai4]吓[ha5]你[nei5]啫[je1/jek1]！你[nei5]自[ji6]己[gei2]可[ho2]以[yi5]諗[nam2]一[yat1]諗[nam2]。

A: Don’t worry, don’t worry. I am just trying to remind you. You can think about it yourself.

B: 但[daan6]係[hai6]我[ngo5]屋[uk1]企[kei2]入[yap6]邊[bin1]嗰[go2]啲[di1]垃[laap6]圾[saap3]有[yau5]冇[mou5]影[ying2]響[heung2]到[dou3/dou2]任[yam6]何[ho4]人[yan4]先[sin1]，點[dim2]解[gaai2]你[nei5]一[yat1]定[ding6]要[yiu3]走[jau2]來[loi4]同[tung4]我[ngo5]傾[king1]啫[je1/jek1]？

B: But first of all, does the garbage inside of my home affect anyone else? Why do you have to come and speak with me?

A: 你[nei5]自[ji6]己[gei2]諗[nam2]吓[ha5]啦[la1]。

A: You should think about that yourself.

B: 如[yu4]果[gwo2]嗰[go2]個[go3]人[yan4]日[yat6]日[yat6]投[tau4]訴[sou3]我[ngo5]屋[uk1]企[kei2]入[yap6]邊[bin1]嗰[go2]啲[di1]垃[laap6]圾[saap3]，咁[gam3/gam2]你[nei5]哋[dei6]係[hai6]咪[mai6]日[yat6]日[yat6]都[dou1]會[wui5]嚟[lai4]呢[ne1]？

B: If someone is complaining about the garbage inside my home every day, are you going to come and talk to me every day?

A: 講[gong2]真[jan1]我[ngo5]哋[dei6]管[gun2]理[lei5]處[chyu3]點[dim2]樣[yeung2]做[jou6]，其[kei4]實[sat6]你[nei5]係[hai6]管[gun2]唔[m4]到[dou2]嘅[ge3]。

A: To be honest, how the management office is going to handle it is not in your control, out of your hands.

B: 咁[gam3/gam2]你[nei5]而[yi4]家[ga1]你[nei5]係[hai6]同[tung4]我[ngo5]做[jou6]啲[di1]咩[me1]呢[ne1]？

B: So then what are you trying to do with me?

A: 嗱[na4]！我[ngo5]唔[m4]係[hai6]你[nei5]同[tung4]你[nei5]嗌[aai3]交[gaau1]嘅[ge3]，我[ngo5]係[hai6]嚟[lai4]了[liu5]解[gaai2]一[yat1]下[ha5]情[ching4]況[fong3]啫[je1/jek1]，我[ngo5]已[yi5]經[ging1]解[gaai2]釋[sik1]過[gwo3]個[go3]情[ching4]況[fong3]俾[bei2]你[nei5]聽[teng1/ting1]㗎[ga3]啦[la1]。

A: Hey! I am not here to argue with you, I am here to understand the situation. I already explained the situation to you.

B: 我[ngo5]冇[mou5]同[tung4]你[nei5]嗌[aai3]交[gaau1]呀[a3]。咁[gam3/gam2]我[ngo5]俾[bei2]人[yan4]投[tau4]訴[sou3]啲[di1]咩[me1]呢[ne1]？

B: I am not arguing with you. So what was it that they complained about me for?

A: 嗱[na4]！我[ngo5]已[yi5]經[ging1]解[gaai2]釋[sik1]過[gwo3]俾[bei2]你[nei5]聽[teng1/ting1]，你[nei5]屋[uk1]企[kei2]嘅[ge3]垃[laap6]圾[saap3]會[wui6/wui2/wui5]影[ying2]響[heung2]到[dou3/dou2]其[kei4]他[ta1]人[yan4]嘅[ge3]。

A: Hey! I already explained the situation to you. Your garbage at home will affect other people.

B: 咁[gam3/gam2]我[ngo5]想[seung2]請[ching2]問[man6]，我[ngo5]屋[uk1]企[kei2]嘅[ge3]垃[laap6]圾[saap3]點[dim2]樣[yeung2]影[ying2]響[heung2]到[dou3/dou2]人[yan4]呢[ne1]？我[ngo5]而[yi4]家[ga1]有[yau5]犯[faan6]法[faat3]咩[me1]？

B: So then I would like to ask, how does the garbage inside of my home affect other people? Did I break any law right now?

A: 我[ngo5]已[yi5]經[ging1]同[tung4]你[nei5]解[gaai2]釋[sik1]咗[jo2]好[hou2]多[do1]次[chi3]，法[faat3]律[leut6]嘅[ge3]嘢[ye5]你[nei5]上[seung5]網[mong5]自[ji6]己[gei2]睇[tai2]啦[la1]！

A: I already explained to you many times. About legal matters, you can check them out online.

B: 我[ngo5]又[yau6]唔[m4]識[sik1]上[seung5]網[mong5]，咁[gam3/gam2]你[nei5]而[yi4]家[ga1]解[gaai2]釋[sik1]唔[m4]到[dou2]俾[bei2]我[ngo5]聽[teng1/ting1]咩[me1]？

B: I don’t know how to go online. Can’t you just explain it to me right now?

A: 咁[gam3/gam2]或[waak6]者[je2]你[nei5]搵[wan2]你[nei5]個[go3]仔[jai2]你[nei5]個[go3]女[neui5]上[seung6/seung5]到[dou3/dou2]網[mong5]之[ji1]後[hau6]睇[tai2]完[yun4]我[ngo5]再[joi3]過[gwo3]嚟[lai4]解[gaai2]釋[sik1]俾[bei2]你[nei5]聽[teng1/ting1]啦[la1]。

A: So then maybe you can get your son or daughter to go online and look at it, I will come back and explain to you once you guys have reviewed it.

B: 唔[m4]使[sai2]啦[la1]，多[do1]謝[je6]哂[chan2]你[nei5]啦[la1]。唉[aai1/aai4/aai6]！你[nei5]而[yi4]家[ga1]即[jik1]係[hai6]警[ging2]告[gou3]我[ngo5]啦[la1]，但[daan6]係[hai6]咩[me1]都[dou1]冇[mou5]解[gaai2]釋[sik1]過[gwo3]俾[bei2]我[ngo5]知[ji1]噃[bo3]。咁[gam3/gam2]唔[m4]該[goi1]你[nei5]快[faai3]啲[di1] 走[jau2]呀[a3]，如[yu4]果[gwo2]唔[m4]係[hai6]我[ngo5]投[tau4]訴[sou3]你[nei5]騷[sou1]擾[yiu2]我[ngo5]㗎[ga3]。

B: No need, Thank you! Sigh! That means right now you are trying to warn me, but you never explained anything to me. So please leave soon, otherwise, I will complain about the fact that you are disturbing me.

A: 好[hou2]，小[siu2]姐[je2]。你[nei5]自[ji6]己[gei2]慢[maan6]慢[maan2]諗[nam2]清[ching1]楚[cho2]囉[lo1]。諗[nam2]一[yat1]諗[nam2]自[ji6]己[gei2]有[yau5]冇[mou5]做[jou6]錯[cho3]過[gwo3]咩[me1]啦[la1]。

A: Ok, Madam. Take your time and think about it yourself. Think about whether you have done something wrong.

B: 車[che1]！好[hou2]行[haang4]夾[gaap3]唔[m4]送[sung3]啦[la1]！

B: Psst! Bye! Not going to send you away, just leave.

A: 你好,小姐。有人投訴你，話你屋企入邊有好多垃圾，我哋想了解一下嘅。

A: Hello, Madam. Someone has complained about you, saying there is a lot of garbage at your place, we wanted to learn more about it.

First of all, new vocab, 投訴 (Dummy PY: Tao So) means to complain or a complaint. 屋企 (Dummy PY: Uk Kay) means home, 垃圾 (Dummy PY: Lap Sap) means garbage or rubbish. And then 了解 (Dummy PY: Lew Guy) means to understand/ to get to know. 了解一下 (Dummy PY: Lew Guy Yat Ha) is like saying learn about it a bit or find out more a bit about it. The 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound used here is to confirm or agree with their own statement.

B: 我又冇嘈，屋企入邊啲垃圾又無影響到其他人，咁你做乜野要你同我傾呢？

B: I wasn’t noisy, nor did the garbage at home affect anyone, so then how come you need to come and speak with me?

Then the lady said 我又冇嘈, 嘈(Dummy PY: Cho) means loud or noisy. 屋企 (Dummy PY: Uk Kay) means home, 垃圾 (Dummy PY: Lap Sap) means garbage or rubbish. 影響 (Dummy PY: Ying Heung) means to affect or influence. 其他人 (Dummy PY: Kay Ta Yan) means other people. 其他 (Dummy PY: Kay Ta) means alternative, other. Then she said 咁你做乜野要你同我傾呢？, 做乜野 (Dummy PY: Joe Mutt Yeah) means how come or why basically the same thing as 點解(Dummy PY: Deem Guy) meaning also why and how come. And 傾 (Dummy PY: King) is short for 傾計(Dummy PY: King Guy) meaning to chat or to talk or to speak. 呢(Dummy PY: Ne) is used here to pose a question that begs confirmation.

A: 唔緊要，唔緊要嘅，我都係提吓你啫！你自己可以諗一諗。

A: don’t worry, don’t worry. I am just trying to remind you. You can think about it yourself.

唔緊要 (Dummy PY: Um Gun You) means don’t worry, never mind, no problem. 唔緊要嘅, the 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound is used in this statement to show confirmation or agreement. 我都係提吓你啫！提(Dummy PY: Tie) can mean many things, in this context it means to remind or mention. Now, 提(Dummy PY: Tie) is also seen in 手提電話(Dummy PY: Sau Tie Deen Wah) meaning cell phone or in direct translation, hand-carry phone. So 提(Dummy PY: Tie) can also mean carry. But very often in Cantonese if 提(Dummy PY: Tie) is used as a verb in a sentence, instead of a noun phrase like 手提電話(Dummy PY: Sau Tie Deen Wah), more often it means to remind or to mention. 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) emotion sound do you recall from last week? 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) emotion sound expresses meanings like “only” “Only this” “Just this”. Therefore the management officer was saying “I am just trying to remind you.” then the officer said “你自己可以諗一諗。” “You can think about it yourself”. 自己 (Dummy PY: Ji Gay) means oneself. So if you say, “我自己” it means I myself, “我哋自己” we ourselves, “你自己 you yourself, 你哋自己 you guys/ folks yourselves, 佢自己 he/she himself/herself, 佢哋自己 they themselves. 可以 (Dummy PY: Hoh Yee) means can. 諗一諗 (Dummy PY: Num Yat Num) is a little harder to explain. 諗(Dummy PY: Num) means to think or to recall. When you say the utterance with a verb and the number 1 一(Dummy PY: Yat) and the same verb again, it’s like you are saying you should do that action, that verb that you are saying for a little bit. For example, 食一食 (Dummy PY: Sick Yat Sick) literally eat one eat, meaning try eating it a bit. 試一試 (Dummy PY: See Yat See) literally try one try, meaning try it out, 出一出去 (Dummy PY: Chut Yat Chut Hui) literally exit one exit go, Going out for a little bit. So 諗一諗 (Dummy PY: Num Yat Num) means to think about it a bit.

B: 但係我屋企入邊嗰啲垃圾有冇影響到任何人先，點解你一定要走來同我傾啫？

B: But first of all does the garbage inside of my home affect anyone else? Why do you have to come and speak with me?

A: 你自己諗吓啦。

A: You should think about that yourself.

So this one I think you should understand better because we have already talked about most of the words in this sentence. 但係(Dummy PY: Darn High) means but, 屋企 (Dummy PY: Uk Kay) means home, 垃圾 (Dummy PY: Lap Sap) means garbage or rubbish. 影響 (Dummy PY: Ying Heung) means to affect or influence. Just now we talked about 其他人 (Dummy PY: Kay Ta Yan) meaning other people. 任何人(Dummy PY: Yum Hoh Yan) here means anybody or anyone, 任何(Dummy PY: Yum Hoh) means any. 先(Dummy PY: Seen) in 但係我屋企入邊嗰啲垃圾有冇影響到任何人先 can be understood as first of all or even just very simply to interrogate, yes or no. So this time the resident said 點解你一定要走來同我傾啫？點解(Dummy PY: Deem Guy) like I said means why and how come. 一定要 (Dummy PY: Yat Ding Yiu) means must, to break it down 一定(Dummy PY: Yat Ding) means must, 要 (Dummy PY: Yiu) means need or have to, but putting them together 一定要 (Dummy PY: Yat Ding Yiu) still means must. 傾 (Dummy PY: King) again is short for 傾計(Dummy PY: King Guy) meaning to chat or to talk or to speak. The 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) sound is used here in a question, to inquire about the situation, but also carries the meaning of slightly annoyed.

Then the officer said 你自己諗吓啦。你自己 (Dummy PY: Neigh Ji Gay) I explained, you yourself. 諗吓 (Dummy PY: Num Ha) means carrying out the action or the process of thinking. A bit hard to understand because it involves grammar here. 諗(Dummy PY: Num) means to think or to recall. 吓 (Dummy PY: Ha) is not an emotion sound here, here 吓 (Dummy PY: Ha) is indicating the change of status or grammar, it means to carry out the action. For example, 食吓 eat. For example, 等我食吓, let me eat it. 試吓 try. 等我試吓 let me try it. 玩吓play. 等我玩吓, let me play it. In this sentence, if the officer were to say 你自己諗啦。and omit the 吓 (Dummy PY: Ha), the meaning remains the same. The LA sound 啦/喇/ 嘞 (Dummy PY: La) is used here to express regular emotions.

B: 如果嗰個人日日投訴我屋企入邊嗰啲垃圾，咁你哋係咪日日都會嚟呢？

A: 講真我哋管理處點樣做，其實你係管唔到嘅。

B: If someone is complaining about the garbage inside of my home every day, are you going to come and talk to me every day?

A: To be honest, how the management office is going to handle it, it’s not in your control, out of your hands.

The resident then said the first phrase, 如果嗰個人日日投訴我屋企入邊嗰啲垃圾, 如果(Dummy PY: Yu Guo) means if, indicating this is a conditional sentence. 嗰個人 (Dummy PY: Gor Gor Yan) means that person. Here it was interpreted as someone, but more accurately speaking it should be “that person” although it was not revealed to us who that person is. 日日 (Dummy PY: Yat Yat) means every day, or you can say 每日(Dummy PY: Muy Yat) also to mean every day. 投訴 (Dummy PY: Tao So) like I said means to complain or a complaint. 屋企 (Dummy PY: Uk Kay) means home, 入邊 (Dummy PY: Yup Mean) means inside, 嗰啲 (Dummy PY: Gor Dee) refers to those or that, 垃圾 (Dummy PY: Lap Sap) means garbage or rubbish. Then the second phrase, 咁你哋係咪日日都會嚟呢？咁(Dummy PY: Gum) means so then, 係咪(Dummy PY: High My) meaning yes or no, indicating this is a yes or no question, 日日 (Dummy PY: Yat Yat) means every day. 嚟 (Dummy PY: Lay) means to come, 呢(Dummy PY: Ne) is used here to pose a question that begs confirmation.

So then the officer said, first phrase 講真我哋管理處點樣做, 講真(Dummy PY: Gung Jen) means, to be honest, to be frank, to be truthful. 管理處 (Dummy PY: Goon Lay Chu) means management office. To break it down, 管理 (Dummy PY: Goon Lay) means management as a noun and as a verb, it means to manage, 處 (Dummy PY: Chu) means bureau or department. 點樣 (Dummy PY: Deem Yeung) means how, and 做 (Dummy PY: Joe) means to make or do. Then the officer said 其實你係管唔到嘅。其實 (Dummy PY: Kay Sutt) means actually. 管 (Dummy PY: Goon), same 管 (Dummy PY: Goon) in 管理 (Dummy PY: Goon Lay), by itself 管 (Dummy PY: Goon) can be understood as control. 管唔到 (Dummy PY: Goon Um Dou) means not in control, here it means not in your control. the 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound is used in this statement to show confirmation or agreement.

B: 咁你而家你係同我做啲咩呢？

A: 嗱！我唔係你同你嗌交嘅，我係嚟了解一下情況啫，我已經解釋過個情況俾你聽㗎啦。

B: So then what are you trying to do with me?

A: Hey! I am not here to argue with you, I am here to understand the situation. I already explained the situation to you.

Then the resident said 而家 (Dummy PY: Yee Ga) meaning now, 做啲咩 (Dummy PY: Joe Dee Meh) means do what? Again 呢(Dummy PY: Ne) is used here to pose a question that begs confirmation.

Then the office seemed to have gotten a little annoyed. Officer said the emotion sound 嗱(Dummy PY: Nah) at the beginning of the sentence. The 嗱(Dummy PY: Nah) sound we talked about it about 4 weeks ago, do you remember? 嗱(Dummy PY: Nah) functions as the word to grab someone’s attention. Then the officer said 我唔係你同你嗌交嘅, 嗌交 (Dummy PY: Ay Gow) means to argue to fight verbally. So the whole sentence means I am not arguing with you. the 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound is used in this statement to show confirmation or agreement. Then the officer said 我係嚟了解一下情況啫, again 了解 (Dummy PY: Lew Guy) means to understand/ to get to know. 了解一下 (Dummy PY: Lew Guy Yat Ha) is like saying learn about it a bit or find out more a bit about it. 情況 (Dummy PY: Ching Fong) means the situation. Again 啫 (Dummy PY: Je) emotion sound expresses meanings like “only” “Only this” “Just this”. Then the officer said 我已經解釋過個情況俾你聽㗎啦。已經 (Dummy PY: Yee Ging) means already, 解釋(Dummy PY: Guy Sick) means to explain or as a noun an explanation. 過 (Dummy PY: Guo) is the tense indicator here, remember in the past tense episode? I explained that 過 (Dummy PY: Guo)is indicating that you have done something before, at least have tried it, you can imagine it as the -ed or the past tense for the verb. So here it means I have already explained. 情況 (Dummy PY: Ching Fong) means the situation. 俾你 (Dummy PY: Bay Neigh) means to you or give you. 聽 (Dummy PY: Teng) means to listen or to hear. Finally, the ending emotion sound 㗎啦 (Dummy PY: Ga La) is a double character emotion sound. Individually for the 㗎 (Dummy PY: Ga) sound, it is used to add in extra emotions and tones, also to show you are half believing and half doubting something. As for the LA sound, 啦/喇/ 嘞 (Dummy PY: La) using it by itself usually is used to express regular emotions. 㗎啦 (Dummy PY: Ga La) however means something different when put together. 㗎啦 (Dummy PY: Ga La) when used together it means that something has been completed, and you are confident about it being completed. I will explain more in 2021, I promise.

B: 我冇同你嗌交呀。咁我俾人投訴啲咩呢？

A: 嗱！我已經解釋過俾你聽，你屋企嘅垃圾會影響到其他人嘅。

B: I am not arguing with you. So what was it that they complained about me for?

A: Hey! I already explained the situation to you many times, your garbage at home will affect other people.

The resident then responded, 我冇同你嗌交呀。 I am not arguing with you. Again 嗌交 (Dummy PY: Ay Gow) means to argue to fight verbally. You should be able to understand the next sentence now 咁我俾人投訴啲咩呢？So then what was the complaint about or what did that person complain about? 投訴 (Dummy PY: Tao So) like I said means to complain or a complaint. 咩(Dummy PY: Meh), not an emotion sound here, it just means what here. 呢(Dummy PY: Ne) is used here to pose a question that begs confirmation. The officer was again annoyed saying, 嗱(Dummy PY: Nah) the emotion sound to grab someone’s attention. Officer repeated 我已經解釋過俾你聽, already explained to you. 已經 (Dummy PY: Yee Ging) means already, 解釋(Dummy PY: Guy Sick) means to explain or as a noun an explanation. 過 (Dummy PY: Guo) is the past tense indicator here. 你屋企嘅垃圾會影響到其他人嘅。屋企 (Dummy PY: Uk Kay) means home, 垃圾 (Dummy PY: Lap Sap) means garbage or rubbish. 影響 (Dummy PY: Ying Heung) means to affect or influence. 其他人 (Dummy PY: Kay Ta Yan) means other people. The garbage at your home might or will affect other people. the 嘅 (Dummy PY: Ge) sound is used in this statement to show confirmation or agreement.

B: 咁我想請問，我屋企嘅垃圾點樣影響到人呢？我而家有犯法咩？

A: 我已經同你解釋咗好多次，法律嘅嘢你上網自己睇啦！

B: So then I would like to ask, how does the garbage inside of my home affect other people? Did I break any law right now?

A: I already explained to you many times. About legal matters, you can check them out online.

Then the resident again inquired 咁我想請問，我屋企嘅垃圾點樣影響到人呢？請問 (Dummy PY: Ching Men) is the polite way of asking a question, as if you are saying, I would like to find out instead of I want to find out. You should be able to understand the next phrase now, 我屋企嘅垃圾點樣影響到人呢？點樣 (dummy PY: Deem Yeung) again means how. This question can be literally translated as “my home’s garbage how to affect people Ne?” basically just asking how the garbage in her place affects other people. Then resident asked 我而家有犯法咩？而家(Dummy PY: Yee Ga) again means right now, currently, 犯法 (Dummy PY: Farn Fatt) means breaking the law. 犯 (Dummy PY: Farn) can mean commit to certain crime, break a certain law. 法 (Dummy PY: Fatt) is short for 法律 (Dummy PY: Fatt Lutt) means law, like the rule of law. So the resident was asking if they have broken any law, committed any crime. 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) here carries the meaning of not believing, doubting, carries a little bit of disdain in the sound as well.

Then the officer repeated, 我已經同你解釋咗好多次, first half of the sentence you now understand, I already explained to you. This time the office used the tense indicator 咗 (Dummy PY: Jaw), 咗 (Dummy PY: Jaw) can indicate something that is done, meaning past tense. 好多次 (Dummy PY: Ho Door Chi) meaning many times. Next phrase the office said 法律嘅嘢你上網自己睇啦！法律 (Dummy PY: Fatt Lutt) means law, like the rule of law. 法律嘅嘢 (Dummy PY: Fatt Lutt Ge Yeah) means legal stuff, legal matters or things about the law. 上網 (Dummy PY: Seung Mong) means surfing the internet, going on the internet, 睇 (Dummy PY: Tie) means to see. So the officer is saying, check the law yourself online. The la sound here can express regular emotion but also can be understood as slight annoyance or anger depending on how their tone and how they look in person.

B: 我又唔識上網，咁你而家解釋唔到俾我聽咩？

A: 咁或者你搵你個仔你個女上到網之後睇完我再過嚟解釋俾你聽啦。

B: I don’t know how to go online. Can’t you just explain it to me right now?

A: So then maybe you can get your son or daughter to go online and look at it, I will come back and explain to you once you guys have reviewed it.

The resident then said 我又唔識上網, 唔識(Dummy PY: Um Sick)means don’t know how to, 識(Dummy PY: Sick) means know how to. Then the resident asked 咁你而家解釋唔到俾我聽咩？you should be able to understand now, 咁(Dummy PY: Gum) means so then, 而家(Dummy PY: Yee Ga) again means right now, currently. 解釋(Dummy PY: Guy Sick) means to explain or as a noun an explanation. 解釋唔到 (Dummy PY: Guy Sick Um Doe) means cannot explain. 聽 (Dummy PY: Teng) means to listen or to hear. And the resident used 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) as the emotion sound to end the question. the 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) emotion sound carries the meaning of not believing, doubting, carries a little bit of disdain in the sound as well.

Officer then said 咁或者你搵你個仔你個女, 或者 (Dummy PY: Whack Jer) means maybe, perhaps, or else, 搵 (Dummy PY: Won) means to find or to look for. 你個仔你個女 (Dummy PY: Neigh Gor Jai Neigh Gor Neui) means your son your daughter. 個 (Dummy PY: Gor) is the unit indicator here, sometimes for objects, sometimes for people. Officer continued to say 上到網之後睇完, 上網 (Dummy PY: Seung Mong) means surfing the internet, going on the internet. 上到網 (Dummy PY: Seung Doe Mong) means once you get online. 到 (Dummy PY: Doe) is the tense indicator here, meaning once something or an action has been achieved, also to indicate the ability to do something, can or cannot. 之後 (Dummy PY: Gee How) means afterwards or later on, 睇完 (Dummy PY: Tie Yuen) means finished looking or finished reading or watching or seeing. 完 (Dummy PY: Yuen) is a tense indicator to indicate something is done, finished, or over in the past. 完 (Dummy PY: Yuen) means finished, again, can be understood as -ed in English. Then the officer said 我再過嚟解釋俾你聽啦。再 (Dummy PY: Joy) means again, or also. 過嚟 (Dummy PY: Guo Lay) means to come back. 解釋(Dummy PY: Guy Sick) means to explain or as a noun an explanation. 俾你 (Dummy PY: Bay Neigh) means to you or give you. 聽 (Dummy PY: Teng) means to listen or to hear. The LA sound 啦/喇/ 嘞 (Dummy PY: La) is used here to express regular emotions.

B: 唔使啦，多謝哂你啦。唉！你而家即係警告我啦，但係咩都冇解釋過俾我知噃。咁唔該你快啲 走呀，如果唔係我投訴你騷擾我㗎。

B: No need, Thank you! Sigh! That means right now you are trying to warn me, but you never explained anything to me. So please leave soon, otherwise, I will complain about the fact that you are disturbing me.

唔使啦 (Dummy PY: Um Sigh La) means no need. Emotion sound 啦/喇/ 嘞 (Dummy PY: La) here other than expressing the regular emotion, also expresses a little bit of annoyance, a bit of irony. It is the same for when the resident said 多謝哂你啦。 Thank you so much, LA! The La sound also expresses irony here, because obviously, the resident was not trying to thank the officer. Then she said “唉！(Dummy PY: Ay) I don’t think I have talked about this emotion sound before. The 唉！(Dummy PY: Ay) sound is essentially a sigh in English. Just an expulsion of air as an utterance to express speechlessness. Then she said 你而家即係警告我啦! 而家 (Dummy PY: Yee Ga) meaning now, 即係 (Dummy PY: Jig High) means “that means” in English. Or in direct translation, that is. 警告 (Dummy PY: Ging Go) means to warn or as a noun a warning. The LA sound 啦/喇/ 嘞 (Dummy PY: La) is used here to express regular emotions. Then she continued to say 但係咩都冇解釋過俾我知噃。但係(Dummy PY: Darn High) means but. 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) in the sentence here not used at the end of the sentence so this is not an emotion sound, 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) here means 乜野(Dummy PY: Mutt Yeah) meaning the word “What”. So here in the English version, she said but you never explained anything to me. If I have to translate the sentence literally 但係咩都冇解釋過俾我知噃。it means but what also not explained to me to know Bor. in other words, it is saying, but it was not explained to me what it was. The 噃 (Dummy PY: Ball) sound is used here to warn someone something, here to warn the officer, to advise or urge people to do something, or here to urge the office to explain further or to show confirmation of her statement. She then continued saying 咁唔該你快啲走呀，咁(Dummy PY: Gum) means so then, 唔該 (Dummy PY: Um Goy) means thank you, in this context, this can be understood as please. 快啲 (Dummy PY: Fie Dee) means quickly or quicker. 走(dummy PY: Jow) means to go or to leave. 呀 吖 啊 (Dummy PY: Ah) sound here is used to show confirmation to her statement for the officer to leave. Then she said 如果唔係我投訴你騷擾我㗎。如果(Dummy PY: Yu Guo) means if, indicating this is a conditional sentence. Here she said 如果唔係 (Dummy PY: Yu Guo Um High) meaning if not. 投訴 (Dummy PY: Tao So) means to complain. New Vocab, 騷擾 (Dummy PY: So You) means to disturb or to interrupt. And she ended with a 㗎 (Dummy PY: Ga) sound is used to add in extra emotions and tones here.

A: 好，小姐。你自己慢慢諗清楚囉。諗一諗自己有冇做錯過咩啦。

B: 車！好行夾唔送啦！

A: Ok, Madam. Take your time and think about it yourself. Think about whether you have done something wrong.

B: Psst! Bye! Not going to send you away, just leave.

Finally, 小姐 (Dummy PY: Shoe Je) means Ms or madam or lady. 慢慢 (Dummy PY: Man Man) literally slow slow, it means slowly or to take your time. 諗清楚 (Dummy PY: Num Ching Chore) means to think clearly. 諗 (Dummy PY: Num) like I said means to think or recall. 清楚 (Dummy PY: Ching Chore) means clear or as an adverb clearly. 囉/ 咯/ 囖 (Dummy PY: Lo) sound, can be used to express that you are saying it but not meaning it, expressing disdain emotions, unwillingness, etc. Here I think it can be understood as that the officer is expressing discontentment. Then the officer said 諗一諗自己有冇做錯過咩啦。 Again 諗一諗 (Dummy PY: Num Yat Num) literally think on think, means think about it a bit. 有冇 (Dummy PY: Yao Mo) means to have or have not, 做錯 (Dummy PY: Joe Chore) literally means do wrong. 錯 (Dummy PY: Chore) means wrong or incorrect. Again 過 (Dummy PY: Guo) is the past tense indicator here. 咩 (Dummy PY: Meh) again here means 乜野(Dummy PY: Mutt Yeah) meaning the word “What”l. So literally for 諗一諗自己有冇做錯過咩啦。means think one think oneself have or have not done wrong what La. Meaning Think a bit about whether or not you yourself have done something wrong. The LA sound 啦/喇/ 嘞 (Dummy PY: La) is used here to express regular emotions.

Then the resident replied 車(Dummy PY: Cher) as an emotion sound. 車(Dummy PY: Cher) is very similar to some of the other emotion sounds used at the beginning of the sentence to show dissatisfaction before, such as 吆 (Dummy PY: You), or 超 (Dummy PY: Chew). Basically to show dissatisfaction. Then she said 好行夾唔送啦！Then is a phrase we use in Cantonese when trying to ask someone to leave but not in a happy way. 好行(Dummy PY: Ho Hung) means good walk literally. 夾 (Dummy PY: Gap) means literally together, matching, or to pick up food with chopsticks, but here it means and or also. 唔送 (Dummy PY: Um Sung) literally means not deliver or not send or not give you for free. Here it means not sending you away, or little like, I am not walking you out. 好行夾唔送 literally is translated as Good walk and not sending you away. Basically saying bye, please just leave, not going to walk you out because we have just had an unpleasant conversation.

Amazing! Thanks for staying with me until the end, especially the end of 2020. I am happy we made it through 2020! I am going to play the conversation in Cantonese and English one more time. Happy holiday, I will talk to you next year in 2021! Special thanks to my sister on this episode. Thank you to all my listeners, you have made my 2020 very fulfilling. Happy learning in the upcoming year! Hope to catch you again next year!