CantoneseClass101.com Blog

Hong Kong is a colorful city with lots to offer. With a breathtaking skyline, numerous shopping arcades and markets, a great deal of bustling bars, and the highest concentration of restaurants offering both international and local cuisines, this tiny city has it all. Can’t wait to visit Hong Kong and see one of the world’s greatest cities? Then dive into this Hong Kong travel guide from CantoneseClass101.com for practical travel tips, a list of places you just have to see, and some survival phrases in Cantonese to help you make the most of your trip! Table of Contents Before You Go Must-See Places for a 1-3 Day Trip Highly Recommended Places for a 4-7 Day Trip (or Longer) Personal Picks Cantonese Survival Phrases ... Show more

Did you know that English is quite popular in Hong Kong? In fact, many HongKongers love mixing English words into their Cantonese conversations. The history of Hong Kong English dates back to when Hong Kong was a British colony. Even after the 1997 Handover of Hong Kong from the U.K. to China, English remained one of the official languages alongside Cantonese. English is widely used in the government, business, and education sectors. Road signs, railway signs, government websites, and paper notes are all bilingual! Table of Contents What is Hong Kong English? Hong Kong English Examples Loanwords from English in Cantonese English Words Derived from Cantonese Bonus: Famous Names in Cantonese How... Show more

Hong Kong is truly an amazing place—it’s one of the world’s greatest cities and boasts a unique "East meets West" culture. Wondering why this crowded, tiny city (we’re 293 times smaller than Norway with 1.4 times the population) attracts millions of visitors every year? Or would you like to know a bit more about Hong Kong’s culture before settling here? In either case, you’ve come to the right place. In this lesson from CantoneseClass101, we’ll give you a practical overview of Cantonese culture, so read on! Table of Contents Core Values and Beliefs Arts Food Holidays Bonus: Our Everyday Lives Why is CantoneseClass101 the Best Place to Learn Cantonese? 1. Core Values and Beliefs A key element in... 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 (which we have an entire section on later), 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. It's also a great way to experience another culture and it makes for a lovely conversation starter.  Can’t wait... Show more

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

Quotes can be a great tool to help you stay motivated. They also offer cultural insight, provide universal words of wisdom, and tastefully season a pleasant conversation. Do you want to put some Cantonese quotes in your pocket? We’ve compiled some of the greatest Cantonese quotes with English translations and equivalents, handpicked just for you! Without further delay, here are the top twenty quotes in Cantonese. Table of Contents Quotes About Life Quotes About Love Quotes About Wisdom Quotes About Success Bonus: Quotes About Language Learning How CantoneseClass101.com Can Help You Learn More Cantonese 1. Quotes About Life What is life all about, and how should a person live? These are questions people... Show more

The world of work can be wildly different from one country to another, and when traveling somewhere—either permanently or as a visitor—you’ll have to quickly leave a good impression to make the best of your new business environment. Mastering the local language certainly helps.  This is just as true for visitors to Hong Kong as it is for visitors to any other country. Even though English is one of the official languages, many local businesses and companies prefer candidates who can speak Cantonese. Knowing even basic Cantonese for business will definitely help you maintain good relationships with your colleagues and business partners! Can’t wait to put some Cantonese business phrases in your pocket? Keep reading and let... Show more

Learning Cantonese can be a real headache—after all, with nine tones and 20k+ characters, Cantonese is one of the most difficult languages to master! But, with the right tools, you can certainly learn Cantonese a lot quicker and more effectively.  Did you know that in your search for effective Cantonese lessons, YouTube can be an excellent resource?  Just think of all those nights aimlessly scrolling through YouTube videos, watching one after another. Before you know it, it’s three in the morning and...what time was your alarm clock set for?  What if you could combine YouTube and language learning to get the best of both worlds? Faster progress and endless entertainment! As a learner myself, I strongly believe in the power of... Show more

Do you want to leave a dashing and lasting impression after meeting someone new? It’s time to work on your grand exit! Earlier on this blog, you learned the various ways to say hello. Now it's time to study how to say goodbye in Cantonese when it’s time to part ways.  A proper goodbye shows courtesy and respect, and helps you hone your relationships. This is especially true in Asian societies like Hong Kong, where we value politeness, good manners, and filial piety. There are many ways to say goodbye depending on the situation. In this article, we’ll cover the most common ways to say goodbye in Cantonese so you can be ready for any situation. What are you waiting for? Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary... Show more

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