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Archive for the 'Cantonese Grammar' Category

Max Out with These Advanced Cantonese Words

We’ve already compiled guides on Cantonese words for beginners and intermediate learners for those who are dedicated to acquiring this fantastic language. And now, for those who have persevered and made it to the advanced level, we have also put together this advanced Cantonese words guide. If you’re looking to become a master in Cantonese and are wondering what vocabulary words you should learn next, this one's for you! Learn the advanced Cantonese words you need! In this article, we’ll list the most important Cantonese words for advanced learners so that you can communicate, understand, and express situations more accurately. Keep reading! Table of Contents Academic Words Business Words Medical Words Legal... Show more

Cantonese Negation: Learn How to Form Negative Sentences

There seems to be a stigma attached to saying "no" nowadays. In certain cultures and social circles, it’s even considered rude or inappropriate to do so! But contrary to popular belief, saying no is a powerful way to safeguard your emotional health. It shows that you take responsibility for yourself and that you respect your own desires, wishes, and emotions. Expressing negative statements or rejection appropriately is also vital to effective communication. Wondering how to express "no" and negate statements in Cantonese? In this article, we’ll guide you through the most important aspects of Cantonese negation so that you can start asserting yourself with confidence!  → By the way, you may also want to see our vocabulary list of... Show more

Are There Tenses in Cantonese?

Depending on how long you’ve been learning Cantonese, you may already have an idea of how simple Cantonese grammar is. You may have even heard that Cantonese is "tenseless." But if that’s the case, how does one express the past, present, or future? In this article, CantoneseClass101.com will cover everything you need to know about expressing the different tenses in Cantonese—it’s easier than you think! Table of Contents Cantonese "Tenses" How to Express the Past How to Express the Present How to Express the Future How CantoneseClass101.com Can Help You Learn More Cantonese 1. Cantonese "Tenses" Cantonese is considered a tenseless language. In contrast to European languages like English or French, it... Show more

How Long Does it Take to Learn Cantonese?

Some of you might have heard about how difficult it is to learn Cantonese. After all, Cantonese is a tonal language with its own writing system based on thousands of Chinese characters!  Do you fancy to learn Cantonese but want to get a rough idea of how long it’s gonna take? Or maybe you’ve already passed the beginner stage and would like to see how your progress compares to that of your peers? Today at CantoneseClass101, we’ll answer the question: How long does it take to learn Cantonese?  Our answers will be based on the three levels of Cantonese proficiency: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. This will give you a rough idea of what to expect throughout your Cantonese learning journey and serve as a benchmark.  Let’s... Show more

Cantonese Proverbs and Idioms

Proverbs allow us to articulate our ideas and ways of thinking in a fun way! Like quotes, they provide us with wisdom and insight—they can even serve as a window into other cultures! Do you want to put some Cantonese proverbs and idioms in your pocket? Without further delay, let’s review our top thirty selections! Table of Contents Animal-Related Idioms Ghost-Related Sayings Food-Related Sayings Sayings About People Tree-Related Proverbs Other Sayings How CantoneseClass101.com Can Help You Learn More Cantonese 1. Animal-Related Idioms There are plenty of Cantonese proverbs and idioms featuring animals. Below, we’ll introduce you to our favorites!  豬乸會上樹 Romanization: zyu1 naa2 wui5... Show more

Your Guide to Basic Cantonese Grammar

Grammar is critical to every language—it is the needle that sews the bits and pieces of a language together. As a language learner, understanding the grammar will help you better express yourself and communicate with others in your target language. Cantonese has its own (relatively simple!) grammar rules. It’s vital to learn basic Cantonese grammar if you want to master this interesting language in full. You need to know the right words and sentence structure to speak fluent Cantonese and effectively communicate with native speakers.  Read on and learn about the most important Cantonese grammar rules! → Also keep in mind that we offer several other Cantonese grammar lessons on our website that go into much more detail. If you’re... Show more

Is Cantonese Hard to Learn?

You might have heard stories about how difficult it is to learn Cantonese. After all, Cantonese is a tonal language with its own writing system based on 3000 to 4000 Chinese characters! Even though Cantonese sounds complicated, and is certainly different from European languages such as English and Italian, it’s not that hard to master when you’re using the right tools and approach. So is Cantonese hard to learn? As with learning any other language, you just need to put in time, effort, and of course, your passion! In this article, we’ll cover the easiest and hardest parts of Cantonese, talk about why you should learn the language, and tell you how to learn it effectively! Table of Contents Cantonese in a Nutshell Learning... Show more

The Most Common Cantonese Mistakes You Make When Learning

Everybody makes mistakes. And yes, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll make mistakes while learning a new language, especially one as difficult as Cantonese!  Making mistakes is no big deal—as you come closer to fluency in a language, you’ll have the time to figure out what mistakes you’re still making and how to address them. And that’s exactly what this guide is about. In this article, we’ll list the most common Cantonese mistakes people make when learning  the language, covering a wide range of categories from pronunciation to word order. By the end of this article, you should be able to spot many mistakes, some of which are very easy to fix! Table of Contents Pronunciation Mistakes Vocabulary Word Mistakes Word Order... Show more

The Top 10 Most Common Cantonese Questions and Answers

Just imagine: You’re going out with a group of native Cantonese-speakers. This is the perfect opportunity to make friends and practice your Cantonese in a real-life situation! But how do you break the ice? What should you say if you run out of topics or if your Cantonese isn’t solid enough to fuel the conversation? The universal answer is: ask questions!  Among countless benefits, being able to ask questions in Cantonese will help you avoid awkward silences by keeping the conversation going. It will also make the other person feel like you want to know more about them and value their opinion, thus making you more likeable. Asking questions opens a world of new information and cultural insight! And one more perk: you don’t have to... Show more

The 10 Most Useful Cantonese Sentence Patterns

Struggle to express yourself in Cantonese? No worries—we’ve got you covered! Today at CantoneseClass101.com, we’re covering the ten most basic and useful sentence patterns. Memorize these patterns, and you’ll be able to generate hundreds of natural sentences and converse with ease and confidence. Without further ado, let’s go through the ten most useful Cantonese sentence patterns together! Table of Contents Linking Two Nouns: A is B Using Adjectives to Describe: A is Expressing "Want" Expressing "Need" Expressing "Like" or "Love" Politely Asking Someone to Do Something Asking for Permission Asking for Information About Something Asking About Time Asking About Location or Position 1. Linking Two Nouns: A is B You can... Show more