Are you planning on studying or teaching in Hong Kong? Do you know the most common classroom phrases in Cantonese for students or teachers alike? Whether you’re about to join a university as a foreign student or to teach your native language as a teacher, you will have to learn how to communicate in the classroom. If you’re a student, not only will you need to learn how to address your teachers, but also to understand their instructions. And vice versa if you’re in the teacher’s shoes! You will also need to learn some basic vocabulary, such as school subjects, supplies, and infrastructure. In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know as a teacher or a student, from common phrases to vocabulary, instructions, and a list of... Show more

Hong Kong is a food paradise! Not only does it have the highest density of restaurants in the world, but there is also a great variety of local dishes and mouth-watering delicacies worth trying. On top of the famous dim sum, there are other Cantonese foods, such as egg tarts and fish balls, that are too good to be missed. There's a saying in Cantonese that reveals how much we care about food: 民以食為天 (man4 ji5 sik6 wai4 tin1) - "Food is god to people."  Indeed, food is one of the most important aspects of life: it brings you energy and joy, and you need it every single day. To ensure that you won’t miss out on the great food in Hong Kong, we have compiled a list of Cantonese phrases for you to navigate through the local... Show more

Have you ever started a conversation only to blurt out a bunch of inarticulate words? Or have you asked a question, but when the other person answered, you couldn’t make anything out of it? This guide will teach you how to improve your Cantonese conversation skills, not just general Cantonese-speaking skills but specifically how to deal with Cantonese conversations: It all starts with making your own unique conversation “language profile cheat sheet”, then identifying the words and sentences YOU need the most. The Art of conversation is one you can’t learn from academic teaching and books. You need to learn about specific ‘oral’ tricks such as filler words, reaction phrases, or conversation starters.  Once you’ve got it all lined... Show more

Are you an advanced Cantonese learner or aiming to become one? If you’ve decided to step up your game by consuming content made for native speakers, like Cantonese songs and movies, I bet you’re getting a little confused.  Advanced Cantonese content tends to be full of idioms, slang, and proverbs that make no sense when translated literally. A traditional approach won’t cut it; you’ll have to learn not only words but also entire phrases.  In this article, we have listed 40+ advanced Cantonese phrases and sentences for advanced learners that will help you level up. Some of them are straightforward and easy to understand, while others are heavily idiomatic and will just require memorization.  Learn all the advanced phrases you... Show more

Are you having trouble jumping the gap from beginner Cantonese to an intermediate level? It can feel daunting to leave the comfort of simple sentence structures and common words, and even more so to start treading the uncharted grounds of complex ideas and subtle feelings. But once you’ve made the initial move toward learning intermediate Cantonese, you’ll find a lot of satisfaction in honing your skills on the more challenging aspects of the language.  ➜ In case you’re struggling to reach the intermediate level, see our lesson 5 Tips to Reach Intermediate Level! In this article, you’ll find 30+ intermediate Cantonese phrases covering different aspects of life, from making recommendations to putting your best foot forward in... Show more

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

In a previous article, we introduced you to the most important beginner Cantonese words for those who are new to this fantastic language. But what if you’re not a newbie anymore? No worries—we’ve got you covered. We’ve put together this guide to intermediate Cantonese words, so you can continue adding to your Cantonese vocabulary well past the beginner stage.  Learn the intermediate words you need! In this article, we’ll list the essential Cantonese words for the intermediate level that will allow you to handle many everyday situations, whether you want to talk, listen, or both. Keep reading! Table of Contents Numbers Nouns Verbs Adjectives Adverbs Prepositions Conjunctions Final Particles ... Show more

What’s your favorite animal? Do you have any pets?  Questions like these make great conversation starters. Animals are a topic of interest for many people, and we sure do love our pets! What better way to break the ice and get to know someone than by asking about their favorite furry, scaly, or feathery creatures? Fancy putting some Cantonese animal words in your pocket? In this article, you’ll learn many animal names in Cantonese for different categories: pets, farm animals, wild beasts, sea creatures, birds, and all sorts of tiny bugs. We’ll spice it up with some animal proverbs and the “Twelve Zodiac Animals” story. Read on! Table of Contents At Home (Pets) On the Farm (Farm Animals) In the Wild / Forest / Safari... Show more

Do you get nervous when the phone rings?  Telephone phobia is the fear of talking on the phone, though it can even make you afraid of the ringing itself!  Perhaps you fear criticism or judgement from the person who’s calling, or maybe you’re afraid of hearing an unfamiliar voice.  While phone calls can be stressful enough in your mother tongue, making one in a foreign language can be especially tense. Because the language is less familiar to you, it might be more difficult to find the right words and accurately communicate your points.  However, you can alleviate at least some of your worries by learning the most essential Cantonese phone phrases. Knowing them by heart will enable you to better understand the other speaker,... Show more

There are over 10,000 Cantonese characters. Considering the vast number of ways these characters can be combined, it would be an understatement to say that this language has a lot of words!  → If you want to learn more about Cantonese characters and the language’s writing system, visit our guide on CantoneseClass101.com. Feeling overwhelmed? Keep in mind that even native Cantonese speakers only know a fraction of these words! To start having conversations, you’ll only need a few hundred basic Cantonese words.  In this article, we’ll list the most useful Cantonese words for beginners. Knowing these words will allow you to handle many everyday situations, whether you want to talk, listen, or both. Keep reading! Table of... Show more