Greetings & Introductions (Everyday Conversations)

Hello! Nice to meet you.

你好！好高興認識你。
nei5 hou2! hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5

• [你 (nei5): you]
• [好 (hou2): good / very]
• [高興 (gou1 hing3): happy / glad]
• [認識 (jing6 sik1): to know / to meet]
• [你 (nei5): you]

Hello! What is your name?

你好！你叫咩名呀？
nei5 hou2! nei5 giu3 me1 meng2 aa3

• [你 (nei5): you]
• [好 (hou2): good]
• [叫 (giu3): to be called / named]
• [咩 (me1): what]
• [名 (meng2): name]
• [呀 (aa3): sentence-ending particle]

My name is Chan Tai Man. You can call me David.

我叫陳大文。你可以叫我David。
ngo5 giu3 can4 daai6 man4. nei5 ho2 ji5 giu3 ngo5 David.

• [我 (ngo5): I / me]
• [叫 (giu3): to be called / named]
• [陳 (can4): Chan (a common surname)]
• [大文 (daai6 man4): Tai Man (a common given name)]
• [你 (nei5): you]
• [可以 (ho2 ji5): can / may]
• [叫 (giu3): to call]
• [我 (ngo5): I / me]

I am David's friend. My name is Mary.

我係David嘅朋友。我叫Mary。
ngo5 hai6 David ge3 pang4 jau5. ngo5 giu3 Mary.

• [我 (ngo5): I / me]
• [係 (hai6): to be (am/is/are)]
• [David: David]
• [嘅 (ge3): possessive particle (similar to 's)]
• [朋友 (pang4 jau5): friend]
• [我 (ngo5): I / me]
• [叫 (giu3): to be called / named]

Mary, are you a Hong Kong person?

Mary，你係唔係香港人呀？
Mary, nei5 hai6 m4 hai6 hoeng1 gong2 jan4 aa3?

• [Mary: Mary]
• [你 (nei5): you]
• [係唔係 (hai6 m4 hai6): is / are or not (used to form a yes/no question)]
• [香港人 (hoeng1 gong2 jan4): Hong Konger / Hong Kong person]
• [呀 (aa3): sentence-ending particle]

No, I am an American. I just arrived in Hong Kong.

唔係，我係美國人。我啱啱到香港。
m4 hai6, ngo5 hai6 mei5 gwok3 jan4. ngo5 aam1 aam1 dou3 hoeng1 gong2.

• [唔係 (m4 hai6): no / not so]
• [我 (ngo5): I / me]
• [係 (hai6): to be (am/is/are)]
• [美國人 (mei5 gwok3 jan4): American person]
• [我 (ngo5): I / me]
• [啱啱 (aam1 aam1): just now / recently]
• [到 (dou3): to arrive at / to reach]
• [香港 (hoeng1 gong2): Hong Kong]

Welcome to Hong Kong! Do you like it here?

歡迎嚟香港！你鍾唔鍾意呢度呀？
fun1 jing4 lai4 hoeng1 gong2! nei5 zung1 m4 zung1 ji3 ni1 dou6 aa3?

• [歡迎 (fun1 jing4): welcome]
• [嚟 (lai4): to come / to]
• [香港 (hoeng1 gong2): Hong Kong]
• [你 (nei5): you]
• [鍾唔鍾意 (zung1 m4 zung1 ji3): like or not (used to form a yes/no question)]
• [呢度 (ni1 dou6): here / this place]
• [呀 (aa3): sentence-ending particle]

Yes, I really like Hong Kong food.

鍾意呀，我好鍾意香港啲嘢食。
zung1 ji3 aa3, ngo5 hou2 zung1 ji3 hoeng1 gong2 di1 je5 sik6.

• [鍾意 (zung1 ji3): to like]
• [呀 (aa3): sentence-ending particle]
• [我 (ngo5): I / me]
• [好 (hou2): very]
• [鍾意 (zung1 ji3): to like]
• [香港 (hoeng1 gong2): Hong Kong]
• [啲 (di1): those / some / possessive particle (equivalent to 's or "of")]
• [嘢食 (je5 sik6): food]

Where do you work?

你喺邊度返工呀？
nei5 hai2 bin1 dou6 faan1 gung1 aa3?

• [你 (nei5): you]
• [喺 (hai2): at / in]
• [邊度 (bin1 dou6): where]
• [返工 (faan1 gung1): to go to work / to work]
• [呀 (aa3): sentence-ending particle]

Notes:
It’s ok to replace 返工 (faan1 gung1) with 做嘢 (zou6 je5) [do things].

I work at a bank.

我喺銀行返工。
ngo5 hai2 ngan4 hong4 faan1 gung1.

• [我 (ngo5): I / me]
• [喺 (hai2): at / in]
• [銀行 (ngan4 hong4): bank]
• [返工 (faan1 gung1): to go to work / to work]

I am an English teacher. Let's exchange phone numbers.

我係英文老師。我哋交換電話號碼吖。
ngo5 hai6 jing1 man4 lou5 si1. ngo5 dei6 gaau1 wun6 din6 waa2 hou6 maa5 aa1.

• [我 (ngo5): I / me]
• [係 (hai6): to be (am/is/are)]
• [英文 (jing1 man4): English language]
• [老師 (lou5 si1): teacher]
• [我哋 (ngo5 dei6): we / us]
• [交換 (gaau1 wun6): to exchange]
• [電話號碼 (din6 waa2 hou6 maa5): phone number]
• [吖 (aa1): sentence-ending particle (used for making friendly suggestions)]

Great, this is my phone number. Call me when you have time!

好呀，呢個係我嘅電話號碼。得閒call我吖！
hou2 aa3, ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 ge3 din6 waa2 hou6 maa5. dak1 haan4 call ngo5 aa1!

• [好呀 (hou2 aa3): okay / sure]
• [呢個 (ni1 go3): this one]
• [係 (hai6): to be (am/is/are)]
• [我 (ngo5): I / me]
• [嘅 (ge3): possessive particle (similar to 's)]
• [電話號碼 (din6 waa2 hou6 maa5): phone number]
• [得閒 (dak1 haan4): when free / having leisure time]
• [call: to call / to ring up (commonly used English loanword in Cantonese)]
• [我 (ngo5): I / me]
• [吖 (aa1): sentence-ending particle (used for making friendly suggestions)]