Beg 1 Lesson 5: Numbers and Family Comprehensive Guide

Classmate Introduction Activity & Common Conversational Questions

  • Classmate Introduction Activity Topics:

    • Introduce yourself by sharing your name, occupation, country of origin, and basic greetings.

    • Inquiry topics for classmates:

      • What is your name?

      • How are you?

      • Where are you from?

      • What is your nationality?

      • Can you speak Cantonese?

      • Where do you live?

      • What language(s) can you speak?

      • What is your job?

      • Are you a relationship banker?

      • Where do you work?

  • Common Conversational Questions (with Cantonese and romanization):

    • Where do you come from?: 你係邊度黎㗎? (nei5 hai6 bin1 dou6 lai4 ga3?)

    • What’s your nationality?: 你係邊度⼈? (nei5 hai6 bin1 dou6 yan4?)

    • Where do you live?: 你住係邊度啊? (nei5 jyu6 hai6 bin1 dou6 a1?)

    • What language can you speak?: 你講邊種語⾔啊? (nei5 gong2 bin1 jung2 yu5 yin4 a1?)

    • What is your job?: 你做咩野架? (Nei5 zou6 mat1 je5 gaa3?)

    • Where do you work?: 你係邊度返⼯? (nei5 hai6 bin1 dou6 faan1 gung1?)

Grammar and Sentence Structures

Distinction Between 係 (hai6) and 喺 (hai2)

  • 係 (hai6):

    • Usage: Used to be something (identity, status, name).

    • Structure for name/identity: Person + 係 (hai6) + Status/Identity/Occupation.

    • Structure for nationality: Subject + 係 (hai6) + Country + ⼈ (jan4).

    • Structure for verification: Subject + 係 (hai6) + 唔係 (m4 hai6) + Object + 呀 (aa3)?

  • 喺 (hai2):

    • Usage: Used to be somewhere (location).

    • Location Inquiry (Where is the subject from?): Subject + (喺 hai2) + (邊度 bin1 dou6) + (嚟 le4) + (㗎 gaa3)?

    • Location Response: Subject + (喺 hai2) + Place + (嚟 lei4) + (嘅 ge3).

    • Residence Inquiry: Subject + (住喺 zyu6 hai2) + (邊度 bin1 dou6) + (呀 aa3)?

    • Residence Response: Subject + (住喺 zyu6 hai2) + Place.

Indicating Possession with 嘅 (ge3)

  • General Structure: Possessor + 嘅 (ge3) + Object.

  • Personal Pronouns and Possession:

    • My / Mine: 我嘅 (ngo5 ge3)

    • Your / Yours (singular): 你嘅 (nei5 ge3)

    • His / Her / Hers / Its: 佢嘅 (keoi3 ge3)

    • Our / Ours: 我哋嘅 (ngo5 dei6 ge3)

    • Your / Yours (plural): 你哋嘅 (nei5 dei6 ge3)

    • Their / Theirs: 佢哋嘅 (keoi3 dei6 ge3)

    • Whose: 邊個嘅 (bin1 go3 ge3)

  • Intimate Possession and Relationships (Omission of 嘅 ge3):

    • It is common to express intimate relationships without using 嘅 (ge3) between the personal pronoun and the possessed person.

    • Example: Subject + Family Member/Significant Other.

    • Included Relative Terms for this exception:

      • 仔 (zai2): son

      • ⼥ (neoi2): daughter

      • 爸爸 (baa4baa1): father

      • 媽媽 (maa4maa1): mother

      • 弟弟 (dai4dai2): younger brother

      • 哥哥 (go4go1): older brother

      • 妹妹 (mui4mui2): younger sister

      • 姐姐 (ze4ze1): older sister

      • 先⽣ (sin1saang1): husband

      • 太太 (taai3taai2): wife

      • 男朋友 (naam4 pang4 jau5): boyfriend

      • ⼥朋友 (neoi5 pang4 jau5): girlfriend

      • 仔⼥ (zai2 neoi2): children

Numbers and Age

Fundamental Numbers (0-10)

  • 0: 零 (ling4)

  • 1: ⼀ (jat1)

  • 2: ⼆ (ji6)

  • 3: 三 (saam1)

  • 4: 四 (sei3)

  • 5: 五 (ng5)

  • 6: 六 (luk6)

  • 7: 七 (cat1)

  • 8: ⼋ (baat3)

  • 9: 九 (gau2)

  • 10: ⼗ (sap6)

Numbers from 11-19

  • 11: ⼗⼀ (sap6 jat1)

  • 12: ⼗⼆ (sap6 ji6)

  • 13: ⼗三 (sap6 saam1)

  • 14: ⼗四 (sap6 sei3)

  • 15: ⼗五 (sap6 ng5)

  • 16: ⼗六 (sap6 luk6)

  • 17: ⼗七 (sap6 cat1)

  • 18: ⼗⼋ (sap6 baat3)

  • 19: ⼗九 (sap6 gau2)

Multiples and Large Numbers

  • 20: ⼆⼗ (ji6 sap6)

    • Example: 21 (Ji6 sap6 jat1 / jaa6 jat1)

    • Example: 26 (Ji6 sap6 luk6 / jaa6 luk6)

  • 30: 三⼗ (saam1 sap6)

    • Example: 33 (Saam1 sap6 saam1)

    • Example: 35 (Saam1 sap6 ng5)

  • 40: 四⼗ (sei3 sap6)

    • Example: 43 (Sei3 sap6 saam1)

    • Example: 48 (Sei3 sap6 baat3)

  • 50: 五⼗ (ng5 sap6)

  • 60: 六⼗ (luk6 sap6)

  • 70: 七⼗ (cat1 sap6)

  • 80: ⼋⼗ (baat3 sap6)

  • 90: 九⼗ (gau2 sap6)

  • 100: ⼀百 (jat1 baak3)

  • 1,000: ⼀千 (jat1 cin1)

  • 10,000: ⼀萬 (jat1 maan6)

Special Numeric Notes

  • 兩 (loeng5): Represents "Two," a couple, or a pair. It is exclusively used with measure words.

  • 廿 (jaa6): Represents "Twenty." It is only used in vocabularies containing two or more characters (e.g., 26 can be expressed as 廿六 jaa6 luk6).

Inquiring and Stating Age

  • Question Structure: Subject + (今年 gam1 nin4) + 幾多 (gei2 do1) + 歲 (seoi3) + 呀 (aa3)?

    • Translation: How old are you this year?

    • Third Person Example: How old is he/she?: 佢今年幾多歲呀? (Keoi5 gam1 nin4 gei2 do1 seoi3 aa3?)

  • Answer Structure: Subject + (今年 gam1 nin4) + Number + 歲 (seoi3).

    • Example: 我今年三⼗三歲 (Ngo5 gam1 nin4 saam1 sap6 saam1 seoi3) - I am 33 years old.

Telecommunications and Contact Information

Inquiring and Stating Phone Numbers

  • Question: Noun + 嘅 (ge3) + 電話 (din6 waa2) + 幾多 (gei2 do1) + 號 (hou6) + 呀 (aa3)?

    • Example: 你嘅電話幾多號呀? (Nei5 ge3 din6 waa2 gei2 do1 hou6 aa3?)

  • Answer: Noun + 嘅 (ge3) + 電話 (din6 waa2) + (係 hai6) + Number.

    • Note: 係 (hai6) is optional and used primarily for emphasis.

    • Example Response: 我嘅電話係九⼀七⼋⼆六零四五三 (ngo5 ge3 din6 waa2 hai6 gau2 jat1 cat1 baat3 ji6 luk6 ling4 sei3 ng5 saam1) - My phone number is 917 − 826 − 0453.

Directory for Contact Examples

  • Home (屋企 uk1 kei2): 718 − 440 − 0358

  • School (學校 hok6 haau6): 212 − 446 − 5735

  • Company (公司 gung1 si1): 212 − 566 − 0879

  • Office (辦公室 baan6 gung1 sat1): 347 − 554 − 6622

  • School Principal (校⻑ haau6 zoeng2): 929 − 816 − 8743

  • Dr. Wong (王醫⽣ wong4 ji1 sang1): 201 − 678 − 9215

Currency and Money Slang

Standard Currency Units

  • Dollar: 蚊 (man1)

  • 1 cent: ⼀分 (jat1 fan1)

  • 2 cents: ⼆分 (ji6 fan1)

  • 5 cents: 五分 (ng5 fan1)

  • 10 cents: ⼀毫 (jat1 hou4)

  • 20 cents: ⼆毫 (ji6 hou4)

  • 25 cents: ⼆毫半 (ji6 hou4 bun3) or ⼆毫五分 (ji6 hou4 ng5 fan1)

  • 50 cents: 五毫 (ng5 hou4)

Money Slang and Informal Terms

  • 1 dollar: ⼀蚊雞 (jat1 man1 gai1)

  • 10 dollars: ⼀草 (jat1 cou2), ⼀條 (tiu4), or ⼀兜嘢 (jat1 dau1 je5)

  • 100 dollars: ⼀⽀ (jat1 zi1) or ⼀差嘢 (jat1 caa1 je5)

  • 1,000 dollars: ⼀⽪ (jat1 pei4) or ⼀餅 (jat1 beng2)

  • 10,000 dollars: ⼀球 (jat1 kau4)

  • 1,000,000 dollars: ⼀舊⽔ (jat1 gau6 seoi2)

Family Members (家族成員 Gaa1 Zuk6 Sing4 Jyun4)

Parent Terms

  • Father: 爸爸 (baa4baa1)

  • Mother: 媽媽 (maa4maa1)

Sibling Terms (兄弟姊妹 Hing1 Dai6 Ze2 Mui6)

  • Older Brother: 哥哥 / ⼤佬 (go4go1 / daai6lou2)

  • Younger Brother: 弟弟 / 細佬 (dai4dai2 / sai3lou2)

  • Older Sister: 家姐 / 姐姐 (gaa1 ze1 / ze4ze1)

  • Younger Sister: 妹妹 / 細妹 (mui4mui2 / sai3mui2)

Paternal Relatives

  • Grandfather: 爺爺 (je4je2)

  • Grandmother: 嫲嫲 (maa4maa4)

Maternal Relatives

  • Grandfather: 外公 / 阿公 (ngoi6 gung1 / aa3 gung1)

  • Grandmother: 外婆 / 阿婆 (ngoi6 po4 / aa3 po4)

Extended Family and Domestic Terms

  • Family/Home: 屋企 (uk1 kei2)

  • Family members: 屋企⼈ (uk1 kei2 jan4)

  • Husband: 先⽣ (sin1 saang1)

  • Wife: 太太 (taai3 taai2)

  • Kids: 仔⼥ (zai2 neoi2)

  • Only son: 獨仔 (duk6 zai2)

  • Only daughter: 獨⼥ (duk6 neoi2)

Non-Relative Connections

  • Friends: 朋友 (pang4 jau5)

  • Best Friends / Close Friends: 好朋友 (hou2 pang4 jau5) / 死黨 (sei2 dong2)

  • Boyfriend: 男朋友 (naam4 pang4 jau5)

  • Girlfriend: ⼥朋友 (neoi5 pang4 jau5)

Discussing Family (Daily Sentences)

  • Question regarding size: 你屋企有幾多個⼈呀? (Nei5 uk1 kei2 jau5 gei2 do1 go3 jan4 aa3?)

  • Response regarding size example: 我屋企有四個⼈ (Ngo5 uk1 kei2 jau5 sei3 go3 jan4) - There are four people in my family.

  • Question regarding members: 你屋企有乜嘢⼈呀? (Nei5 uk1 kei2 jau5 mat1 je5 jan4 aa3?)

  • Response regarding members example: 我屋企有爸爸媽媽, 同⼀個哥哥 (Ngo5 uk1 kei2 jau5 baa4 baa1, maa4 maa1, tung4 jat1 go3 go4 go1) - I have a father, mother, and one older brother.

  • Inquiring about siblings: 你有幾多個兄弟姊妹呀? (Nei5 jau5 gei2 do1 go3 hing1 dai6 zi2 mui6 aa3?)

Time and the Chinese Zodiac

Inquiring about Dates

  • What month is it?: ⽽家幾多⽉呀? (ji4 gaa1 gei2 do1 jyut6 aa3?)

  • What year is it?: 今年喺咩年呀? (gam1 nin4 hai2 me1 nin4 aa3?)

The Twelve Months (Jyut6)

  1. January: ⼀⽉ (jat1 jyut6)

  2. February: ⼆⽉ (ji6 jyut6)

  3. March: 三⽉ (saam1 jyut6)

  4. April: 四⽉ (sei3 jyut6)

  5. May: 五⽉ (ng5 jyut6)

  6. June: 六⽉ (luk6 jyut6)

  7. July: 七⽉ (cat1 jyut6)

  8. August: ⼋⽉ (baat3 jyut6)

  9. September: 九⽉ (gau2 jyut6)

  10. October: ⼗⽉ (sap6 jyut6)

  11. November: ⼗⼀⽉ (sap6 jat1 jyut6)

  12. December: ⼗⼆⽉ (sap6 ji6 jyut6)

The Chinese Zodiac Animals (Ci4 Wui6)

  • Rat: ⿏ (syu2)

  • Ox: ⽜ (ngau4)

  • Tiger: ⻁ (fu2)

  • Rabbit: 兔 (tou3)

  • Dragon: ⿓ (lung4)

  • Snake: 蛇 (se4)

  • Horse: ⾺ (maa5)

  • Goat: ⽺ (joeng4)

  • Monkey: 猴 (hau4)

  • Rooster: 雞 (gai1)

  • Dog: 狗 (gau2)

  • Pig: 豬 (zyu1)

Cultural Greetings and Expressions

Expressing Exclusivity (Only)

  • Structure: Subject + 淨係 (zing6 hai6) + Predicate + (啫 ze1).

  • Example: 我淨係有⼀個妹妹啫 (Ngo5 zing6 hai6 jau5 jat1 go3 mui4 mui2 ze1) - I only have one younger sister.

Chinese New Year Blessings

  • Happy Chinese New Year: 新年快樂 (san1 nin4 faai3 lok6)

  • May you be happy and prosperous: 恭喜發財 (gung1 hei2 faat3 choi4)

  • Good Health to You: 身體健康 (san1 tai2 gin6 hong1)

  • Great Progress in Your Studies: 學業猛進 (hok6 yip6 maang5 jeun3)

  • Bless your work to go smoothly: ⼯作順利 (gung1 jok3 seun6 lei6)

  • May all your wishes come true: ⼼想事成 (sam1 seung2 si6 sing4)

Renri (Everyone's Birthday)

  • Definition: Seventh day of the first lunar month: 初七⼈⽇ (co1 cat1 jan4 jat6).

  • Greeting: Wishing everyone a happy birthday: ⼈⼈都⽣⽇ (jan4 jan4 dou1 saang1 jat6).

Farewell

  • Goodbye: 拜拜 (baai1 baai3)

  • See you next week: 下個禮拜⾒ (haa6 go3 lai5 baai3 gin3)

Phonetics and Vocabulary Practice (Dim Sum and Onset Practice - Seng1 Mous)

  • Shrimp dumpling: 蝦餃 (haa1 gaau2)

  • BBQ pork buns: 叉燒包 (caa1 siu1 baau1)

  • Chinese radish cake: 蘿蔔糕 (lo4 baak6 gou1)

  • Deep-fried dumplings: 鹹⽔⻆ (haam4 seoi2 gok3)

  • Pork dumpling: 燒賣 (siu1 maai2)

  • Beef ball: ⽜⾁ (ngau4 juk6)

  • Pork chop: 排⻣ (paai4 gwat1)

  • Chicken feet: 鳳⽖ (fung6 zaau2)

  • Egg tart: 蛋撻 (daan6 taat1)

  • Steamed creamy custard bun: 奶⿈包 (naai5 wong4 baau1)