Love is quite an unexplainable matter—it can cause you to feel happy, excited, and a number of other emotions. Considering the vast breadth of feelings you’re experiencing, how can you properly express your love in Cantonese to that special someone?
In this article, we’ll not only cover the most common love phrases like “I miss you,” and “I love you,” in Cantonese, but we’ll also teach you how to express your interest and affection during each stage of your relationship. As a bonus, we’ll share some love quotes at the end (but we don’t recommend using them in your dating life unless you want to sound…cheesy).
Do note that most Hongkongers (and other people living in the Cantonese-speaking regions) are more subtle and reserved when it comes to love and dating compared to Westerners. So pay attention to the cultural differences, practice patience, and be gentle.
By the way: If you want to keep things casual at first, there are many dating apps out there for you to try.
Without further ado, our list of love phrases in Cantonese for every dating stage.
Table of Contents
- Before a Date
- On a Date
- After a Date
- Fall in Deeper: “I Love You,” and More
- Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” and More
- Bonus: Endearment Terms and Love Quotes
- How CantoneseClass101.com Can Help You Learn More Cantonese
1. Before a Date
You just saw your crush! Now’s the time to gather your courage and talk to him or her.
We’ve compiled a list of phrases that could help you express your interest and finally ask your crush out. You shouldn’t feel too uncomfortable making your move, as having lunch or dinner with someone of the opposite sex is quite normal in Hong Kong.
Are you free this weekend?
Chinese Characters: 你今個禮拜尾得唔得閒？
Romanization: nei5 gam1 go3 lai5 baai3 mei5 dak1 m4 dak1 haan4
Would you like to hang out with me?
Chinese Characters: 我哋去玩好唔好？
Romanization: ngo5 dei6 heoi3 waan2 hou2 m4 hou2
Would you like to go out to dinner with me?
Chinese Characters: 賞面同我食餐飯嗎？
Romanization: soeng2 min2 tung4 ngo5 sik6 caan1 faan6 maa3
I know a good place.
Chinese Characters: 我知道一個好地方。
Romanization: ngo5 zi1 dou3 jat1 go3 hou2 dei6 fong1
What time shall we meet tomorrow?
Chinese Characters: 我哋聽日約幾點？
Romanization: ngo5 dei6 ting1 jat6 joek3 gei2 dim2
Where shall we meet?
Chinese Characters: 我哋喺邊度等？
Romanization: ngo5 dei6 hai2 bin1 dou6 dang2
- → Need some more inspiration? Here are the 10 Most Romantic Ideas for a Date in Cantonese!
2. On a Date
Hurray! You guys are on your first date and having a great time. And what better way to make a great date even better than by offering him or her some genuine compliments? Here are some phrases you can use:
You’re so handsome.
Chinese Characters: 你好靚仔。
Romanization: nei5 hou2 leng3 zai2
Additional Note: This is only to be said to males.
You’re so beautiful.
Chinese Characters: 你好靚。
Romanization: nei5 hou2 leng3
Additional Note: This is only to be said to females.
You look great today.
Chinese Characters: 你今日好精神。
Romanization: nei5 gam1 jat6 hou2 zing1 san4
That jacket looks nice on you.
Chinese Characters: 件外套好襯你。
Romanization: gin6 ngoi6 tou3 hou2 can3 nei5
You have a great sense of humor.
Chinese Characters: 你好幽默。
Romanization: nei5 hou2 jau1 mak6
Your smile is beautiful.
Chinese Characters: 你嘅笑容好靚。
Romanization: nei5 ge3 siu3 jung4 hou2 leng3
You have good taste.
Chinese Characters: 你好有品味。
Romanization: nei5 hou2 jau5 ban2 mei6
You have a way with words.
Chinese Characters: 你好識得講嘢。
Romanization: nei5 hou2 sik1 dak1 gong2 je5
You are cute.
Chinese Characters: 你好可愛。
Romanization: nei5 hou2 ho2 oi3
- → If you’d like a few more phrases up your sleeve, here are some Common Cantonese Phrases You’ll Need for a Date and an article discussing The 20+ Most Useful Compliments in Cantonese!
3. After a Date
You guys had a blast! You want to end the date well and leave a good impression—and you hope to see them more. Here are some phrases you can use:
That was a great evening.
Chinese Characters: 今晚好開心。
Romanization: gam1 maan5 hou2 hoi1 sam1
I will drive you home.
Chinese Characters: 我車你返屋企。
Romanization: ngo5 ce1 nei5 faan1 uk1 kei2
What do you think of this place?
Chinese Characters: 你覺得呢度點？
Romanization: nei5 gok3 dak1 ni1 dou6 dim2
Can I see you again?
Chinese Characters: 我可唔可以再約你？
Romanization: ngo5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 zoi3 joek3 nei5
When can I see you again?
Chinese Characters: 幾時可以再見你？
Romanization: gei2 si4 ho2 ji5 zoi3 gin3 nei5
I’ll call you.
Chinese Characters: 我打畀你。
Romanization: ngo5 daa2 bei2 nei5
4. Fall in Deeper: “I Love You,” and More
Your relationship has progressed well since your first date. In fact, you’ve completely fallen for him or her! Try using the following love expressions in Cantonese to show how much you adore them.
I like you.
Chinese Characters: 我鍾意你。
Romanization: ngo5 zung1 ji3 nei5
I love you.
Chinese Characters: 我愛你。
Romanization: ngo5 ngoi3 nei5
Note that Cantonese speakers rarely use the exact phrase for “I love you,” as it’s considered too formal. Instead, we use the first phrase—我鍾意你 (ngo5 zung1 ji3 nei5), or “I like you”—to express our love. The word 鍾意 conveys a feeling of fondness without coming across as too strong. In fact, we can also use this phrase to talk about some of our favorite things. For example:
我鍾意食蛋撻 (ngo5 zung1 ji3 sik6 daan6 taat1) – “I like egg tarts.”
I miss you.
Chinese Characters: 我好掛住你。
Romanization: ngo5 hou2 gwaa3 zyu6 nei5
You made me a better person.
Chinese Characters: 你令我成為一個更好嘅人。
Romanization: nei5 ling6 ngo5 sing4 wai4 jat1 go3 gang3 hou2 ge3 jan4
- → Find even more sweet words and phrases on our list of 15 Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day.
5. Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” and More
Things have been going so well, and you know that he or she is the one. How do you tell them that you want to spend your life with them? Check out the proposal lines and other romantic phrases below!
Let’s spend the rest of our lives together.
Chinese Characters: 我想同你過埋下半世。
Romanization: ngo5 soeng2 tung4 nei5 gwo3 maai4 haa6 bun3 sai3
I want to grow old with you.
Chinese Characters: 我想同你白頭到老。
Romanization: ngo5 soeng2 tung4 nei5 baak6 tau4 dou3 lou5
I can’t imagine my life without you. / I can’t afford to lose you.
Chinese Characters: 我唔可以冇咗你。
Romanization: ngo5 m4 ho2 ji5 mou5 zo2 nei5
Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?
Chinese Characters: 你願唔願意做我老婆？
Romanization: nei5 jyun6 m4 jyun6 ji3 zou6 ngo5 lou5 po4
I want to be with you forever.
Chinese Characters: 我想永遠同你一齊。
Romanization: ngo5 soeng2 wing5 jyun5 tung4 nei5 jat1 cai4
Will you marry me?
Chinese Characters: 你願唔願意嫁俾我嗎？
Romanization: nei5 jyun6 m4 jyun6 ji3 gaa3 bei2 ngo5
Having you by my side completes me.
Chinese Characters: 有你喺我身邊，我嘅世界先算完整。
Romanization: jau5 nei5 hai2 ngo5 san1 bin1, ngo5 ge3 sai3 gaai3 sin1 syun3 jyun4 zing2
- → See more Marriage Proposal Lines in Cantonese and choose your favorite ones for the big moment!
6. Bonus: Endearment Terms and Love Quotes
There are two common endearment terms you can use to address your boyfriend or girlfriend:
- BB (bi4 bi1) – “Babe” [can be used in both text messages and face-to-face conversations]
- 傻豬 (so4 zyu1) – “Silly”
And if you two are married, you may call each other:
- 老婆 (lou5 po4) – “Wifey”
- 老公 (lou5 gung1) – “Hubby”
To conclude the article, we would like to share our favorite Cantonese love quotes:
Love is great….
1 – 人世間所有嘅相遇，都係久別重逢。
Romanization: jan4 sai3 gaan1 so2 jau5 ge3 soeng1 jyu6, dou1 hai6 gau2 bit6 cung4 fung4
Literal Translation: All encounters in life are reunions after long times apart.
More about the quote
- Meaning: The quote explains Yuanfen, a concept similar to Karma. The message behind it is that we should cherish the ones we love, but if we’ve tried our very best and still end up being separated, all we can do is accept the fact.
- Elaboration: It’s a famous quote from The Grandmaster, a movie directed by the internationally renowned Hong Kong film director Wong Kar-Wai. We use the quote to console a friend who is having relationship issues.
- Additional Notes: The Grandmaster is Wong’s most expensive production to date—watch the trailer of the movie here!
…and yes, you may get hurt a few times…
2 – 成世人流流長，總會愛上幾個人渣。
Romanization: seng4 sai3 jan4 lau4 lau4 coeng4, zung2 wui5 oi3 soeng5 gei2 go3 jan4 zaa1
Literal Translation: Life is long, no wonder we would fall in love with a few scoundrels in our lifetimes.
More about the quote
- Elaboration: It’s a famous quote from the movie Love in the Puff. We use this quote to console a friend who has been betrayed by her lover.
- Additional Notes: You can learn more about love and relationships in Hong Kong by watching the sequel to this movie, Love in the Buff—you can view its trailer here!
- Equivalent Quote: “We are all fools in love.” (Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen)
…but you need to be brave, for love is the greatest thing in the world!
3 – 世界上最遙遠嘅距離，唔係生同死，而係我企喺你面前，你卻唔知道我愛你。
Romanization: sai3 gaai3 soeng6 zeoi3 jiu4 jyun5 ge3 keoi5 lei4, m4 hai6 sang1 tung4 sei2, ji4 hai6 ngo5 kei5 hai2 nei5 min6 cin4, nei5 koek3 m4 zi1 dou3 ngo5 oi3 nei5
Literal Translation: The furthest distance in this world is not life and death. It is that I am standing in front of you, but you don’t know I love you.
More about the quote
- Elaboration: This quote is from Hong Kong author Amy Cheung. We use this quote to encourage a friend to express his or her love.
- Additional Notes: Amy Cheung is one of Hong Kong’s most popular writers, and she’s very well-known in Chinese communities for her books on love and relationships. She was named one of the ten richest Chinese authors in 2013!
- Equivalent Quote: If you love someone, tell them. For hearts are often broken by words left unspoken. (Stephanie Roogle)
7. How CantoneseClass101.com Can Help You Learn More Cantonese
By now, you should be well-equipped to express your love in the Cantonese language! Which of these phrases or quotes is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
After mastering these love phrases, would you like to pick up even more Cantonese to better communicate with your lover?
With CantoneseClass101.com, you can have your daily dose of Cantonese whenever and wherever you want, through mobile apps, desktop software, and our website. We offer entertaining, engaging, and effective lessons on various aspects of the Cantonese language and culture.
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Know that your hard work will pay off, and before you know it, you’ll be speaking Cantonese like a native!
