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HK Gong Cantonese v1

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ngo5

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Jyutping

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Question-only training with natural English + literal structure. Use Practice Controls above for filters.

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Book

Reference section for foundations, sounds, characters, sentence structure, and spoken patterns.

Foundations

What Is Cantonese?

Cantonese is a Chinese language spoken mainly in:

Hong Kong

Macau

Parts of southern China

Overseas Chinese communities

What makes it different?

Its own pronunciation

Its own tones

Its own common vocabulary

Its own grammar patterns

Its own spoken particles

What beginners need to know

Tones: part of the word

Jyutping: how sounds are written

Characters: how words look

Grammar: how sentences work

Particles: how speech sounds natural

Beginner focus order

Do not try to master everything at once. Start with:

1) Sounds

2) Tones

3) Jyutping

4) Character structure

5) Basic grammar

6) Spoken patterns

Sounds

Tones

In Cantonese, tone is part of the word.

Same sound + different tone = different word.

The 6 main tones

Tone 1: high + level (high, flat). Example: gaa1.

Tone 2: rising (like a short question). Example: hou2 (good).

Tone 3: mid + level (calm, even). Example: jiu3 (want).

Tone 4: low + falling (lower, heavier). Example: lei4 (come).

Tone 5: low + rising (starts lower than tone 2). Example: ngo5 (I).

Tone 6: low + level (low, steady). Example: hai6 (is).

Good beginner words

hou2 -> good

jiu3 -> want

ngo5 -> I

hai6 -> is

lei4 -> come

Remember: tone is not extra. Tone = part of the word.

Sounds

Jyutping: Tricky Sounds

Jyutping uses Roman letters, but not English sound rules.

Do not read it like English.

Common tricky sounds

ng: like the end of song, but at the start. Example: ngo5.

j: like y in yes, not English j. Example: jiu3.

z: light j / dz sound, not English z. Example: zi1.

c: airy ch sound. Example: cin2.

eoi: tight, rounded vowel. Example: heoi3.

oe: rounded uh-like vowel. Example: soeng2.

yu: like ee with rounded lips. Example: jyu5.

aa: like a in father. Example: aa3.

-p / -t / -k: short closed endings. Stop quickly. Examples: sap6, jat6, sik6.

m4: just m by itself. Example: m4.

Quick tip

Cantonese sounds are often shorter.

Cantonese sounds are often tighter.

Cantonese sounds are often less stretched than English.

Remember: read Jyutping as Cantonese sound spelling, not English spelling.

Characters

How to See the Parts

Many Chinese characters are built from smaller parts.

Do not read a new character as one big block.

Look for big parts, repeated shapes, meaning clues, and inner structure.

Start with easy examples

木: tree / wood

林: 木 + 木 -> two trees = woods

森: 木 + 木 + 木 -> three trees = forest

Some characters show meaning directly

休: 亻 + 木 -> person + tree = rest

晶: 日 + 日 + 日 -> three suns

品: 口 + 口 + 口 -> three mouths

众 / 眾: 人 + 人 + 人 -> three people

Common meaning clues

亻 -> person

口 -> mouth / speaking

女 -> female-related meaning

木 -> tree / wood

氵 -> water / liquid

心 / 忄 -> heart / feelings / mind

言 / 讠 -> speech / words

Meaning clue + another part

河: 氵 is the water clue, 可 is another part. Think water-related and part-built.

喝: 口 is the mouth clue, right side is another part. Think mouth-action related.

More complex characters: see big parts first

想 -> main parts: 相 and 心. Then inside 相: 木 and 目.

請 / 请 -> main parts: 言 / 讠 (speech clue) and 青.

See big blocks first. Do not split everything too early.

Best reading method

Step 1: Find the biggest visible parts.

Step 2: Ask if you know a meaning clue or recognize a common shape.

Step 3: Only then look at smaller parts.

Remember: you do not need to explain every tiny piece. Start by seeing structure.

Sentence Basics

Core Patterns

Good news: Cantonese grammar is often simpler than English.

Verbs usually do not change by person (I/you/he/she/they).

ngo5 heoi3 -> I go

keoi5 heoi3 -> he/she goes

Same verb.

Basic order

subject + verb + object

ngo5 sik6 faan6 -> I eat

keoi5 jam2 seoi2 -> he/she drinks water

nei5 maai5 syu1 -> you buy a book

To be

hai6 = to be

ngo5 hai6 hok6saang1 -> I am a student

keoi5 hai6 lou5si1 -> he/she is a teacher

m4 hai6 = not to be

ngo5 m4 hai6 lou5si1 -> I am not a teacher

Have / do not have

jau5 = have

mou5 = do not have

ngo5 jau5 cin2 -> I have money

ngo5 mou5 cin2 -> I do not have money

Want / do not want

jiu3 = want / need

m4 jiu3 = do not want

ngo5 jiu3 seoi2 -> I want water

ngo5 m4 jiu3 -> I do not want it

Most useful negative word

m4 hai6 -> not be

m4 jiu3 -> do not want

m4 zi1 -> do not know

m4 ming4 -> do not understand

m4 hou2 -> not good / do not

Very common yes/no pattern

verb + m4 + verb

jiu3 m4 jiu3? -> want or not?

hai6 m4 hai6? -> is it or not?

jau5 m4 jau5? -> have or not?

dak1 m4 dak1? -> can or not?

nei5 jiu3 m4 jiu3 aa3?

nei5 jau5 m4 jau5 cin2 aa3?

nei5 dak1 m4 dak1 aa3?

Remember: think in patterns, not long rule lists.

Sentence Basics

Longer Sentences

Main idea: build sentences one piece at a time.

person + time + action + place

person + action + object + extra information

Time usually comes early

ngo5 gam1jat6 heoi3 gung1zok3 -> I go to work today

keoi5 ting1jat6 lei4 -> he/she comes tomorrow

ngo5 ji1gaa1 m4 dak1haan1 -> I am busy now

gam1jat6 = today

ting1jat6 = tomorrow

ji1gaa1 = now

Place often uses hai2

hai2 = at / in

ngo5 hai2 uk1kei2 -> I am at home

keoi5 hai2 hoeng1gong2 -> he/she is in Hong Kong

cisou2 hai2 bin1dou6? -> where is the toilet?

Going somewhere

heoi3 = go

ngo5 heoi3 uk1kei2 -> I go home

nei5 heoi3 bin1dou6 aa3? -> where are you going?

Coming

lei4 = come

keoi5 lei4 uk1kei2 -> he/she comes home

nei5 ting1jat6 lei4 m4 lei4 aa3? -> are you coming tomorrow?

Adjectives

Cantonese often uses hou2 before adjectives.

ni1 go3 hou2 gwai3 -> this is very expensive

keoi5 hou2 leng3 -> he/she is pretty

ni1 go3 hou2 hou2 sik6 -> this is very tasty

Because / so

jan1wai6 = because

so2ji5 = so

jan1wai6 ngo5 hou2 m4 syuufuk6, so2ji5 ngo5 m4 heoi3

jan1wai6 keoi5 hou2 mong4, so2ji5 keoi5 m4 lei4

Can / cannot

dak1 = can

m4 dak1 = cannot

ngo5 dak1

ngo5 m4 dak1

ji1gaa1 m4 dak1

nei5 dak1 m4 dak1 bong1 ngo5 aa3?

With someone

tung4 = with

ngo5 tung4 keoi5 heoi3

ngo5 tung4 pang4jau5 sik6 faan6

Remember: do not translate English word by word. Learn short sentence shapes and add one piece at a time.

Speaking Patterns

Questions

Two easy ways to ask questions:

1) Question words

2) A-not-A questions

What? (mat1je5)

ni1 go3 hai6 mat1je5?

nei5 jiu3 mat1je5?

Who? (bin1go3)

keoi5 hai6 bin1go3?

bin1go3 lei4 aa3?

Where? (bin1dou6 / hai2 bin1dou6)

nei5 hai2 bin1dou6 aa3?

cisou2 hai2 bin1dou6?

nei5 heoi3 bin1dou6 aa3?

When? (gei2si4)

nei5 gei2si4 heoi3 aa3?

keoi5 gei2si4 lei4 aa3?

How much? (gei2do1 cin2)

ni1 go3 gei2do1 cin2?

jat1 bui1 ce4 gei2do1 cin2?

How many? (gei2do1)

nei5 jau5 gei2do1 aa3?

nei5 jiu3 gei2do1?

Which? (bin1 go3)

nei5 jiu3 bin1 go3?

bin1 go3 hai6 nei5 ge3?

A-not-A questions

verb + m4 + verb

nei5 jiu3 m4 jiu3 aa3?

nei5 hai6 m4 hai6 hok6saang1 aa3?

nei5 jau5 m4 jau5 cin2 aa3?

nei5 dak1 m4 dak1 aa3?

Helpful particle

aa3 often makes questions softer and more natural.

nei5 hou2 m4 hou2 aa3?

nei5 heoi3 bin1dou6 aa3?

Remember: keep the sentence shape. Add a question word, or use verb + m4 + verb.

Speaking Patterns

Particles

Main idea: particles are small words, often at the end of a sentence.

They usually do not change basic meaning. They change feeling and tone.

They can make a sentence softer, more natural, more spoken, more obvious, or more friendly.

Important beginner rule

Do not translate particles word by word. Ask: softer, question-like, suggestion, obvious, or natural spoken tone?

aa3

Often softer, more open, conversational, and question-like.

nei5 hou2 aa3

ngo5 m4 zi1 aa3

nei5 heoi3 bin1dou6 aa3?

laa1 / laa3

Often suggestion, movement, decision, "okay then," or "come on."

heoi3 laa1

sik6 faan6 laa1

hou2 laa3

gaa3

Often explanatory or descriptive, like stating something.

keoi5 hou2 hou2 gaa3

ni1 go3 hou2 gwai3 gaa3

ngo5 m4 zi1 gaa3

maa3

Often obvious, expected, lightly confirmed.

hai6 maa3?

nei5 zi1 maa3

keoi5 hai6 hok6saang1 maa3

lo1

Often matter-of-fact, natural result, then / so.

m4 heoi3 lo1

hou2 lo1

ge3

Very common. Beginner uses: describing / identifying, plus natural spoken description.

ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 ge3

keoi5 hai6 hou2 hou2 ge3

jit6 ge3

dung3 ge3

Best beginner set

aa3

laa1 / laa3

maa3

ge3

Quick comparison

Without particle: ngo5 m4 zi1 -> I do not know

With particle: ngo5 m4 zi1 aa3 -> I do not know / not sure

Without particle: heoi3 -> go

With particle: heoi3 laa1 -> let's go / go now

Remember: particles do not just add meaning. They change the tone and feeling of speech.

Study Sheet

Grouped Lines

This page groups high-frequency words by category in a near-grammar learning order, so you can review the most useful Cantonese building blocks quickly.

Time

尋日cam4 jat6yesterday 今日gam1 jat6today 聽日ting1 jat6tomorrow 後天hau6 tin1day after tomorrow 而家ji4 gaa1now
之前zi1 cin4before 之後zi1 hau6after 稍後saau2 hau6later 遲啲ci4 di1later 嗰陣go2 zan6at that time

Time of Day

早晨zou2 san4morning 中午zung1 ng5noon 下午haa6 ng5afternoon 黃昏wong4 fan1dusk 晚上maan5 soeng5night

Location

呢度ni1 dou6here 嗰度go2 dou6there 餐廳caan1 teng1restaurant 學校hok6 haau6school 巿場si5 coeng4market
公司gung1 si1company 酒店zau2 dim3hotel 醫院ji1 jyun2hospital 藥房joek6 fong2pharmacy 洗手間sai2 sau2 gaan1toilet

Pronouns and Core

ngo5I / me nei5you dei5plural marker 呢個ni1 go3this one 嗰個go2 go3that one 呢啲ni1 di1these 嗰啲go2 di1those
m4not hai6to be sik1know / can ge3possessive / "of" particle

Auxiliary Verbs

soeng2want 鍾意zung1 ji3like 喜歡hei2 fun1like 想要soeng2 jiu3want to have jiu3need / want
應該jing1 goi1should wui5will 將會zoeng1 wui5will (future) jau5have mou5not have

Aspect and Particles

zo2completed action gwo3experienced before jyun4finished gan2ongoing action faan1back / again
aa3final particle laa3final particle laa1final particle laak3final particle lo1final particle

Adverbs

可能ho2 nang4maybe 或者waak6 ze2or / maybe 常常soeng4 soeng4often 有時jau5 si4sometimes 成日sing4 jat6all day / always
已經ji5 ging1already zoi3again dou1also / all zau6then / exactly 好多hou2 do1a lot

Core Verbs

heoi3go wui4return sik6eat jam2drink gong2speak teng1listen
tai2see / watch se2write duk6read maai5buy maai6sell 明白ming4 baak6understand
haang4walk lai4come jung6use gin3see / meet zi1know king1chat
daap3take (transport) daa2hit / do co5sit zaam6stand wan2find si3try
gei3remember hoi1open gwaan1close jap6enter 離開lei4 hoi1leave ting4stop

Adjectives and Feelings

peng4cheap gwai3expensive leng3beautiful cau2ugly faai3fast maan6slow
jit6hot dung3cold 開心hoi1 sam1happy 傷心soeng1 sam1sad gui6tired laat6spicy

Prepositions and Position

soeng6on haa6under 入面jap6 min6inside 外面ngoi6 min6outside gan6near jyun5far
zo2left jau6right hai2at / in tung4with jau4from kaau3near / beside

Measure Words

go3general classifier wai6polite person classifier zoeng1flat objects gin6pieces / clothing tiu4long objects bui1cups

Everyday Nouns

Food

faan6rice / meal min6noodles 水果seoi2 gwo2fruit coi3vegetables juk6meat tong1soup

Personal

手機sau2 gei1mobile phone 銀包ngan4 baau1wallet 鎖匙so2 si4keys doi2bag 眼鏡ngaan5 geng3glasses 雨傘jyu5 saan3umbrella

Places

學校hok6 haau6school 醫院ji1 jyun2hospital 超市ciu1 si5supermarket 餐廳caan1 teng1restaurant 公園gung1 jyun4park 銀行ngan4 hong4bank

Transport

巴士baa1 si2bus 地鐵dei6 tit3MTR 的士dik1 si2taxi 小巴siu2 baa1minibus 火車fo2 ce1train 單車daan1 ce1bicycle

Culture moved

Culture content is now in Stories → Culture.

Fun

Fun area with mini stories, culture notes, and games.

Story of the day

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Tap any highlighted Hanzi to open quick explanation.

Games

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Hanzi Match-3

Tap 2 neighboring tiles to swap. Match 3+ same Hanzi.

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Idle

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Match Hanzi to reveal meaning.

Help Me: -50 · Pause: -20 · Wrong Quiz: -100 · Idle 20s: -5 · Shuffle + New Game appear when no moves are left.

Press Start to begin.

Cantonese Blitz Challenge

Tap Start. A popup challenge opens with 60 seconds, 5 wins target, and mixed Translate + Listen + Tone rounds.

You can close the challenge anytime with the X button.

Mini Stories

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Jyutping

English

Lens

Select a story and tap Play.

Tap any highlighted Hanzi to open quick explanation.

Culture

Quick History Background

Hong Kong started as a fishing village and trading port. After the Opium Wars, Britain took control (Hong Kong Island in 1842, then Kowloon and the New Territories later). In 1997, it returned to China as a Special Administrative Region under "one country, two systems".

Why interesting? This created a strong East-West fusion: British-era systems and English influence, together with deep Cantonese roots from southern China.

In one day you can see double-decker buses, afternoon tea, and yum cha culture together.

Population and Areas

Population in 2026 is around 7.4-7.5 million (small variation by source). Hong Kong is compact (about 1,100 km²), so density is very high and people live vertically.

Hong Kong Island: Central business core, Peak views, finance and offices.

Kowloon: dense streets, markets, Temple Street, Mong Kok energy.

New Territories: villages, country parks, hills, and quieter districts.

Islands: over 260 islands, including Lantau (Big Buddha, Disney).

You can move from skyscrapers to hiking trails or beaches in under an hour.

Cultural Highlights

Food: Dim sum, roast meats, congee, egg tarts, cha chaan teng classics.

Yum cha: social tea + food time; people chat for long sessions.

Street food: fish balls, egg waffles, milk tea (奶茶 naai5 caa4).

Transport: left-side driving, iconic ferries, very high transit usage.

Octopus: card used for MTR, buses, shops, and many daily payments.

Cost of Living Snapshot

Housing is one of the biggest cost pressures. Central areas can be very expensive, while transport and local meals can still be relatively affordable compared with rent.

Small flat in central zones: often very high monthly rent.

Street meal: often around HK$50-100 range.

Typical MTR trip: often around HK$10-20 range.

Language and Local Style

Cantonese in Hong Kong is expressive and full of particles and slang. English loanwords are common in everyday speech.

巴士 (baa1 si2) = bus

波士 (bo1 si6) = boss

Particles like , , add tone and emotion in conversation.

Festivals and City Feeling

Lunar New Year fireworks, Dragon Boat races, Mid-Autumn lanterns, Cheung Chau Bun Festival.

Temples next to luxury malls, global brands next to old local shops.

Hong Kong feels fast, resilient, food-focused, and proudly Cantonese while still globally connected.

你嚟香港一定會愛上佢㗎! (You will likely fall in love with Hong Kong when you visit.)

Street-ready Cantonese for taxi rides, markets, minibuses, restaurants, and crowded places.

Content Manager

Use built-in starter words, or import a full translator dictionary dataset (English ↔ Cantonese).

Built-in translator dictionary: CC-Canto (Creative Commons BY-SA 3.0).

Supported import formats
{
  "words": [
    {
      "id": "w1",
      "hanzi": "我",
      "jyutping": "ngo5",
      "mandarin_hanzi": "我",
      "pinyin": "wǒ",
      "english": "I / me",
      "mandarin_english": "I / me",
      "intent_id": "pronoun_i",
      "category": "pronoun",
      "example": "我學廣東話。"
    }
  ],
  "patterns": [...],
  "quiz": [...]
}

or CSV:
hanzi,jyutping,english
我,ngo5,I / me
聽日,ting1 jat6,tomorrow

or CEDICT-style TXT:
傳統 简体 [romanization] /english gloss/

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