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💬 Cantonese Particles in Conversation
Hear how 呀, 喇, 咩 and 啫 change the feel of a conversation between friends.
Dialogue
Mi
Ming
你做完功課未呀？
nei5 zou6 jyun4 gung1 fo3 mei6 aa3?Have you finished your homework?
Ya
Yan
做完喇！
zou6 jyun4 laa3!I've finished now!
Mi
Ming
你唔係話好多功課咩？
nei5 m4 hai6 waa6 hou2 do1 gung1 fo3 me1?Didn't you say you had lots of homework?
Ya
Yan
得兩題啫。
dak1 loeng5 tai4 ze1.It was only two questions.
Mi
Ming
咁快？我仲未做完呀。
gam3 faai3? ngo5 zung6 mei6 zou6 jyun4 aa3.That fast? I still haven't finished.
Ya
Yan
要唔要我幫你呀？
jiu3 m4 jiu3 ngo5 bong1 nei5 aa3?Would you like me to help you?
Mi
Ming
好呀，多謝！
hou2 aa3, do1 ze6!Yes, thanks!
Ya
Yan
而家開始喇！
ji4 gaa1 hoi1 ci2 laa3!Let's start now!
Vocabulary
呀aa3adds a conversational tone here
喇laa3signals a new situation here
咩me1marks surprise or a challenge here
啫ze1only / just; downplays something here
做完zou6 jyun4finish doing
功課gung1 fo3homework
Quiz
1. In 做完喇, what does 喇 highlight?
2. Why does Ming use 咩 in 你唔係話好多功課咩？
3. In 得兩題啫, what does 啫 suggest?