The Focus of This Lesson is Cantonese Essentials
你好，我叫王家衛。
nei5 hou2, ngo5 giu3 wong4 gaa1 wai6.
"Hello, I'm Wong Kar-Wai."

Self-Introductions

你好(nei5 hou2)
"Hello" in Chinese is made up of two words: 你, meaning "you," and 好, meaning "good."

叫 (giu3)
The verb 叫 (giu3) means "to call." So to introduce yourself, you are simply saying "I'm called ______."

Responses

我叫張曼玉。好高興認識你。
ngo5 giu3 zoeng1 maan6 juk2. hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5.
"My name's Maggie Cheung. Very nice to meet you."

我都係。
ngo5 dou1 hai6.
"I am, too."

認識 (jing6 sik1)
The verb 認識 (jing6 sik1) means "to know" or "to be familiar with," however, in the context of the phrase 好高興認識你。(hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5), the implication is that of "to meet," since this meeting signifies a making of one's acquaintance, and thus, thereafter, they will "know" each other.

我都係。(ngo5 dou1 hai6.)
This phrase literally means "I also am." In this dialogue, it is said in response to the statement "Nice to meet you," to express a corresponding feeling.

Names in Cantonese

Names in Cantonese are generally made up of either two or three characters. The surname is one character, given first, followed by the given name or names.

For Example:

1. 王家衛（wong4 kaa1 wai6）
   "Wong Kar-Wai"
2. 張曼玉 (zoeng1 maan6 juk6)
   "Maggie Cheung"

Sometimes, in more formal settings, a person will simply ask for a person's surname. They will do this by asking:

1. 你貴姓？
   nei5 gwai3 sing3?
   "Your surname is?"

To which one would respond:

1. 我姓____。
   ngo5 sing3 ____.
   "My surname is ____."

Language Expansion

There are other ways to say "Nice to meet you" in Cantonese. Both of these phrases are acceptable as well:

1. 幸會(hang6 wui6)
   "I've long heard of you."
2. 久仰 (gau2 joeng5)
   "I've long heard of you."

你好 (nei5 hou2) is the universal word for "hello" in Cantonese. You can use it for both formal and informal occasions. 认识 (jing6 sik1) means "to know" or "to be familiar with." However, in some contexts, as in this lesson's dialogue, we can use 認識 (jing6 sik1) for a first meeting, to say that you are happy to "meet" or "know" a person.

Choosing the Correct Cantonese Name

When learning a new language, you may be interested in getting a new name. It may be tempting to pick something that sounds good to your own ear; after all, you always hated that name you were stuck with from mom and dad. But take it under advisement...you're going to need to call in a favor on this aspect. Cantonese names are full of meaning and not just anything goes! There are certain characters that are last names; not just any word will do. Also, certain combinations of characters are more typically male or female names. So, unless you want to end up with some odd looks and maybe a few laughs, make sure to ask a Cantonese friend to help you choose an appropriate name.

Sometimes Cantonese people will choose a name for you that sounds similar to your English name. Other times, they will choose one that's meaning suits you or your personality or character. Nowadays however, many Cantonese people have their own English names and prefer to be called those rather than their original Cantonese names, especially when interacting with a foreigner. They're also pretty comfortable with using your English name, so you don't need to have a Cantonese name unless you want one.