Learn about the educational system in Hong Kong and how to speak boastfully
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| INTRODUCTION |
| David: Welcome to cantoneseclass101.com. I am David. |
| Melody: 大家好，又見面啦！我係Melody。(daai6 gaa1 hou2 ，jau6 gin3 min6 laa3 ！ngo5 hai6 Melody 。) |
| David: Intermediate season 1, Lesson 14. A Busy Childhood in Hong Kong. |
| Melody: 唔，呢個對話呢應該係一個媽咪諗住幫個仔報個法文嘅補習班。(m4 ，ni1 go3 deoi3 waa6 ne1 jing1 goi1 hai6 jat1 go3 maa1 mi4 lam2 zyu6 bong1 go3 zai2 bou3 go3 faat3 man2 ge3 bou2 zaap6 baan1 。) |
| David: And this is actually a bit atypical. I mean, the Hong Kong parents keep their kids busy but they don’t usually force them to do a lot of activities outside the home. |
| Melody: 係呀！唔，而家呢個個家長都係想個仔可以望子成龍呀嘛！所以咁細個就要學咁多嘢。(hai6 aa3 ！m4 ，ji4 gaa1 ne1 go3 go3 gaa1 zoeng5 dou1 hai6 soeng2 go3 zai2 ho2 ji5 mong6 zi2 sing4 lung4 aa1 maa3 ！so2 ji5 gam3 sai3 go3 zau6 jiu3 hok6 gam3 do1 je5 。) |
| David: Yeah. Well maybe it’s getting a bit worse but it still isn’t as bad as some other places. That said, our dialogue is between a frantic mother and the manager of a local school that teaches French. This is casual Cantonese as always. Let’s get to it. |
| DIALOGUE |
| A: 唔該，我想幫我個仔報名學法文。(A: m4 goi1, ngo5 soeng2 bong1 ngo5 go3 zai2 bou3 meng2 hok6 faat3 man2.) |
| B: 佢幾歲，有冇學過法文？(B: keoi5 gei2 seoi3, jau5 mou5 hok6 gwo3 faat3 man2 ?) |
| A: 佢兩歲半，冇學過。(A: keoi5 loeng5 seoi3 bun3, mou5 hok6 gwo3.) |
| B: 佢年紀太細，我哋通常唔收咁細。(B: keoi5 nin4 gei2 taai3 sai3, ngo5 dei6 tung1 soeng4 m4 ssau1 gam3 sai3.) |
| A: 唔收？ 我有嘅係錢！(A: m4 sau1 ? ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 !) |
| B: 嗯... 咁我睇吓可唔可以安排吓...(B: ng6... gam2 ngo5 tai2 haa5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 on1 paai4 haa5...) |
| A: 我要幫佢報最高級嘅班， 要一對一，全法文教授嘅。(A: ngo5 jiu3 bong1 keoi5 bou3 zeoi3 gou1 kap1 ge3 baan1, jiu3 jat1 deoi3 jat1, cyun4 faat3 man2 gaau3 sau6 ge3.) |
| B: 佢星期六可唔可以上堂？(B: keoi5 sing1 kei4 luk6 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 soeng5 tong4 ?) |
| A: 星期六唔得，要補習。星期一要學琴，星期二要學芭蕾舞，星期三小提琴...淨係得星期四晚得。(A: sing1 kei4 luk6 m4 dak1, jiu3 bou2 zaap6. sing1 kei4 jat1 jiu3 hok6 kam4, sing1 kei4 ji6 jiu3 hok6 baa1 leoi4 mou5, sing1 kei4 saam1 siu2 tai4 kam4... zing6 hai6 dak1 sing1 kei4 sei3 maan5 dak1.) |
| David: Once more, a bit slower. |
| A: 唔該，我想幫我個仔報名學法文。(A: m4 goi1, ngo5 soeng2 bong1 ngo5 go3 zai2 bou3 meng2 hok6 faat3 man2.) |
| B: 佢幾歲，有冇學過法文？(B: keoi5 gei2 seoi3, jau5 mou5 hok6 gwo3 faat3 man2 ?) |
| A: 佢兩歲半，冇學過。(A: keoi5 loeng5 seoi3 bun3, mou5 hok6 gwo3.) |
| B: 佢年紀太細，我哋通常唔收咁細。(B: keoi5 nin4 gei2 taai3 sai3, ngo5 dei6 tung1 soeng4 m4 ssau1 gam3 sai3.) |
| A: 唔收？ 我有嘅係錢！(A: m4 sau1 ? ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 !) |
| B: 嗯... 咁我睇吓可唔可以安排吓... (B: ng6... gam2 ngo5 tai2 haa5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 on1 paai4 haa5...) |
| A: 我要幫佢報最高級嘅班， 要一對一，全法文教授嘅。(A: ngo5 jiu3 bong1 keoi5 bou3 zeoi3 gou1 kap1 ge3 baan1, jiu3 jat1 deoi3 jat1, cyun4 faat3 man2 gaau3 sau6 ge3.) |
| B: 佢星期六可唔可以上堂？(B: keoi5 sing1 kei4 luk6 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 soeng5 tong4 ?) |
| A: 星期六唔得，要補習。星期一要學琴，星期二要學芭蕾舞，星期三小提琴...淨係得星期四晚得。(A: sing1 kei4 luk6 m4 dak1, jiu3 bou2 zaap6. sing1 kei4 jat1 jiu3 hok6 kam4, sing1 kei4 ji6 jiu3 hok6 baa1 leoi4 mou5, sing1 kei4 saam1 siu2 tai4 kam4... zing6 hai6 dak1 sing1 kei4 sei3 maan5 dak1.) |
| David: And now, with the English translation. |
| A: 唔該，我想幫我個仔報名學法文。(A: m4 goi1, ngo5 soeng2 bong1 ngo5 go3 zai2 bou3 meng2 hok6 faat3 man2.) |
| A: Excuse me, I'd like to enroll my son in French classes. |
| B: 佢幾歲，有冇學過法文？(B: keoi5 gei2 seoi3, jau5 mou5 hok6 gwo3 faat3 man2 ?) |
| B: How old is he? Has he studied French before? |
| A: 佢兩歲半，冇學過。(A: keoi5 loeng5 seoi3 bun3, mou5 hok6 gwo3.) |
| A: He's two and a half years old and hasn't studied French before. |
| B: 佢年紀太細，我哋通常唔收咁細。(B: keoi5 nin4 gei2 taai3 sai3, ngo5 dei6 tung1 soeng4 m4 ssau1 gam3 sai3.) |
| B: He's too young. We usually don't accept students that young. |
| A: 唔收？ 我有嘅係錢！(A: m4 sau1 ? ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 !) |
| A: What? I've got money! |
| B: 嗯... 咁我睇吓可唔可以安排吓... (B: ng6... gam2 ngo5 tai2 haa5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 on1 paai4 haa5...) |
| B: Hmm...let me see if I can arrange something.... |
| A: 我要幫佢報最高級嘅班， 要一對一，全法文教授嘅。(A: ngo5 jiu3 bong1 keoi5 bou3 zeoi3 gou1 kap1 ge3 baan1, jiu3 jat1 deoi3 jat1, cyun4 faat3 man2 gaau3 sau6 ge3.) |
| A: I want to register him in the most advanced course, a private class conducted entirely in French. |
| B: 佢星期六可唔可以上堂？(B: keoi5 sing1 kei4 luk6 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 soeng5 tong4 ?) |
| B: Can he take class on Saturday? |
| A: 星期六唔得，要補習。星期一要學琴，星期二要學芭蕾舞，星期三小提琴...淨係得星期四晚得。(A: sing1 kei4 luk6 m4 dak1, jiu3 bou2 zaap6. sing1 kei4 jat1 jiu3 hok6 kam4, sing1 kei4 ji6 jiu3 hok6 baa1 leoi4 mou5, sing1 kei4 saam1 siu2 tai4 kam4... zing6 hai6 dak1 sing1 kei4 sei3 maan5 dak1.) |
| A: No, he has cram school on Saturday, piano on Monday, ballet on Tuesday and violin class on Wednesday...only Thursday night is open. |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Melody: 唉！我覺得咁細個學咁多嘢都未必吸收到啦! 好彩我細個嗰陣時冇咁慘啫。(aai1 ！ngo5 gok3 dak1 gam3 sai3 go3 hok6 gam3 do1 je5 dou1 mei6 bit1 kap1 sau1 dou2 laa1 ! hou2 coi2 ngo5 sai3 go3 go2 zan6 si4 mou5 gam3 caam2 ze1 。) |
| David: Right. He is learning at a young age that life is cruel and that parents can be very cruel too. |
| Melody: 唔，冇錯，冇辦法啦！香港地方太細，人又多，競爭太大啦！(m4 ，mou5 co3 ，mou5 baan6 faat3 laa1 ！hoeng1 gong2 dei6 fong1 taai3 sai3 ，jan4 jau6 do1 ，ging6 zang1 taai3 daai6 laa3 ！) |
| VOCAB LIST |
| David: Yeah. Although you know, I am not sure how French is supposed to help him in Hong Kong and maybe the family wants to move to Paris. Anyway, our vocab today is about extracurricular classes. Let’s take a listen. |
| Melody: 報名。(bou3 meng2。) |
| David: To register. |
| Melody: 報 名, 報名, 法文。(bou3 meng2, bou3 meng2, faat3 man2。) |
| David: French. |
| Melody: 法 文, 法文, 通常。(faat3 man2, faat3 man2, tung1 soeng4。) |
| David: Usually. |
| Melody: 通 常, 通常, 唔收。(tung1 soeng4, tung1 soeng4, m4 sau1。) |
| David: Not to accept. |
| Melody: 唔 收, 唔收, 高級。(m4 sau1, m4 sau1, gou1 kap1。) |
| David: Advanced. |
| Melody: 高 級, 高級, 一對一。(gou1 kap1, gou1 kap1, jat1 deoi3 jat1。) |
| David: One on one. |
| Melody: 一 對 一, 一對一, 鋼琴。(jat1 deoi3 jat1, jat1 deoi3 jat1, gong3 kam4。) |
| David: Piano. |
| Melody: 鋼 琴, 鋼琴, 小提琴。(gong3 kam4, gong3 kam4, siu2 tai4 kam4。) |
| David: Violin. |
| Melody: 小 提 琴, 小提琴, 芭蕾舞。(siu2 tai4 kam4, siu2 tai4 kam4, baa1 leoi4 mou5。) |
| David: Ballet. |
| Melody: 芭 蕾 舞, 芭蕾舞。(baa1 leoi4 mou5, baa1 leoi4 mou5。) |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| David: Let’s take a closer look at some of these words. Our first word is |
| Melody: 法文。(faat3 man2 。) |
| David: French. |
| Melody: 法文。(faat3 man2 。) |
| David: French. |
| Melody: 我哋仲有好多其他語言，譬如話德文，英文，日文，西班牙文等等。(ngo5 dei6 zung6 jau5 hou2 do1 kei4 taa1 jyu5 jin4 ，pei3 jyu4 waa6 dak1 man2 ，jing1 man2 ，jat6 man2 ，sai1 baan1 ngaa4 man2 dang2 dang2 。) |
| David: Right. You guys already know number of these languages. So Melody, what’s next? |
| Melody: 下一個詞係 通常。(haa6 jat1 go3 ci4 hai6 tung1 soeng4 。) |
| David: Usually. |
| Melody: 通常。(tung1 soeng4 。) |
| David: Usually. |
| Melody: 譬如話通常細路仔都唔鍾意上咁多課。( pei3 jyu4 waa6 tung1 soeng4 sai3 lou6 zai2 dou1 m4 zung1 ji3 soeng5 gam3 do1 fo3 。) |
| David: Usually children don’t like taking so many classes. |
| Melody: 通常細路仔都唔鍾意上咁多課, 唔, 所以通常呢係表示一般情況下, 多數嘅情況下。(tung1 soeng4 sai3 lou6 zai2 dou1 m4 zung1 ji3 soeng5 gam3 do1 fo3 , m4 , so2 ji5 tung1 soeng4 ne1 hai6 biu2 si6 jat1 bun1 cing4 fong3 haa6 , do1 sou3 ge3 cing4 fong3 haa6 。) |
| David: Right. Next up is an adjective used to describe anything that’s in an advanced level. |
| Melody: 高級。(gou1 kap1 。) |
| David: Advanced or literally advanced level. |
| Melody: 高級, 如果係低一級嘅話呢 我哋就會話 中級。( gou1 kap1 , jyu4 gwo2 hai6 dai1 jat1 kap1 ge3 waa2 ne1 ngo5 dei6 zau6 wui2 waa6 zung1 kap1 。) |
| David: Intermediate. |
| Melody: 中級。(zung1 kap1 。) |
| David: Intermediate. |
| Melody: 然之後就係 低級。(jin4 zi1 hau6 zau6 hai6 dai1 kap1 。) |
| David: Basic. |
| Melody: 低級。(dai1 kap1 。) |
| David: Basic. |
| Melody: 所以我哋而家聽緊嘅呢係一個中級嘅課程, 咁之後呢聽完你哋就會去到聽高級嘅課程。(so2 ji5 ngo5 dei6 ji4 gaa1 teng1 gan2 ge3 ne1 hai6 jat1 go3 zung1 kap1 ge3 fo3 cing4 , gam2 zi1 hau6 ne1 teng1 jyun4 nei5 dei6 zau6 wui2 heoi3 dou3 teng1 gou1 kap1 ge3 fo3 cing4 。) |
| David: Right. Now next up, we have three popular activities that kids often study in Hong Kong. |
| Melody: 鋼琴。(gong3 kam4 。) |
| David: Piano. |
| Melody: 鋼琴。(gong3 kam4 。) |
| David: Next is violin. |
| Melody: 小提琴。(siu2 tai4 kam4 。) |
| David: Violin. |
| Melody: 小提琴。(siu2 tai4 kam4 。) |
| David: And finally a group sport. |
| Melody: 芭蕾舞。(baa1 leoi4 mou5 。) |
| David: Ballet. |
| Melody: 芭蕾舞。(baa1 leoi4 mou5 。) |
| David: Melody, which do you think is the most popular? |
| Melody: 唔, 我諗應該係鋼琴。(m4 , ngo5 lam2 jing1 goi1 hai6 gong3 kam4 。) |
| David: Really, it’s not violin? |
| Melody: 唔, 我諗鋼琴學嘅人比較多啲。(m4 , ngo5 lam2 gong3 kam4 hok6 ge3 jan4 bei2 gaau3 do1 di1 。) |
| David: Hah well I would have thought because of the lack of space in a lot of apartments, people would go for violin but yeah I know Piano is very, very popular. |
| Melody: 係，冇錯。(hai6 ，mou5 co3 。) |
| David: Not ballet though. |
| Melody: 芭蕾舞可能女仔學會多啲。(baa1 leoi4 mou5 ho2 nang4 neoi5 zai2 hok6 wui2 do1 di1 。) |
| David: Huh okay. Anyway our last word is, it’s a generalizable phrase. We hear it used here to describe 1 on 1 classes. |
| Melody: 一對一 。(jat1 deoi3 jat1。) |
| David: One on one. |
| Melody: 一對一 。(jat1 deoi3 jat1 。) |
| David: And you can change these numbers if you want. |
| Melody: 冇錯, 我哋亦都可以話 一對十。(mou5 co3 , ngo5 dei6 jik6 dou1 ho2 ji5 waa6 jat1 deoi3 sap6 。) |
| David: One on ten. |
| Melody: 一對十。(jat1 deoi3 sap6 。) |
| David: Right or two on two. |
| Melody: 二對二, 二對二。(ji6 deoi3 ji6 , ji6 deoi3 ji6 。) |
| David: Right and you can go with any number that you want. |
| Melody: 係呀！任何嘅數字你都可以加入去。(hai6 aa3 ！jam6 ho4 ge3 sou3 zi6 nei5 dou1 ho2 ji5 gaa1 jap6 heoi3 。) |
| David: Right. So it’s a useful pattern to know, just switch out the numbers. Okay and that brings us to the end of our vocab section. Let’s get on to our grammar point. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| David: Our grammar point today is about the expression |
| Melody: 有嘅係... 。(jau5 ge3 hai6 ... 。) |
| David: This is a phrase. |
| Melody: 有嘅係... 。(jau5 ge3 hai6 ... 。) |
| David: We use it to emphasize when someone has something. |
| Melody: 係呀！冇錯, 最簡單嘅係 我有錢。(hai6 aa3 ！mou5 co3 , zeoi3 gaan2 daan1 ge3 hai6 ngo5 jau5 cin2 。) |
| David: I have money. |
| Melody: 我有錢。(ngo5 jau5 cin2 。) |
| David: Simple phrase, very straightforward. I have money however in our dialogue, we see this changed into the following sentence. |
| Melody: 我有嘅係錢。(ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 。) |
| David: What I’ve got is money. |
| Melody: 我有嘅係錢。(ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 。) |
| David: I’ve got a lot of money. |
| Melody: 我有嘅係錢。(ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 。) |
| David: Right as in our dialogue. So these two sentences mean the same thing. |
| Melody: 係呀！冇錯。(hai6 aa3 ！mou5 co3 。) |
| David: But there is a lot more emphasis in the second one and there is a lot more emotion there too and that’s what we want to talk about today. Now we can use this with more than money. |
| Melody: 唔, 我哋仲成日會聽到 我有嘅係時間。(m4 , ngo5 dei6 zung6 sing4 jat6 wui2 teng1 dou2 ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 si4 gaan3 。) |
| David: I’ve got a lot of time. |
| Melody: 或者話我有嘅係經驗。(waak6 ze2 waa6 ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 ging1 jim6 。) |
| David: Maybe you are interviewing for a job and you are showing off a bit. Experience, I have got tons of experience. |
| Melody: 冇錯，我有嘅係經驗。(mou5 co3 ，ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 ging1 jim6 。) |
| David: Right. So this is more emotional and it’s more empathic than just saying that you have something. |
| Melody: 係呀！我有錢同我有嘅係錢其實係一模一樣嘅意思, 但係我有嘅係錢係特別強調,有少少意思即係話你唔駛擔心啦! 我有嘅係錢 (hai6 aa3 ！ngo5 jau5 cin2 tung4 ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 kei4 sat6 hai6 jat1 mou4 jat1 joeng6 ge3 ji3 si1 , daan6 hai6 ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 hai6 dak6 bit6 koeng4 diu6 , jau5 siu2 siu2 ji3 si1 zik1 hai6 waa6 nei5 m4 sai2 daam1 sam1 laa1 ! ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2) |
| David: So there is emphasis here and there is also this emotional sense of don’t worry or maybe even how can you not believe this. I shouldn’t even need to say this. |
| Melody: 冇錯, 譬如話我有嘅係錢，我要買呢度最貴嘅！(mou5 co3 , pei3 jyu4 waa6 ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 ，ngo5 jiu3 maai5 ni1 dou6 zeoi3 gwai3 ge3 ！) |
| David: I’ve got tons of money and I want the most expensive one. |
| Melody: 我有嘅係錢，我要買呢度最貴嘅！(ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 ，ngo5 jiu3 maai5 ni1 dou6 zeoi3 gwai3 ge3 ！) |
| David: Yeah. You can’t see Melody. She is just – she is almost pointing at the ground while she is saying this. I’ve got money, I want the expensive one. Money is no object. |
| Melody: 可能咁樣我Daddy會覺得我癲咗。(ho2 nang4 gam3 joeng2 ngo5 Daddy wui2 gok3 dak1 ngo5 din1 zo2 。) |
| David: Right. Another example would be if you are out on a date with someone and they are late but you want to kind of say, oh it’s not a big deal, don’t worry about it. I’ve got plenty of time. |
| Melody: 你慢慢嚟，唔駛急，我有嘅係時間。(nei5 maan6 maan6 lai4 ，m4 sai2 gap1 ，ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 si4 gaan3 。) |
| David Don’t rush, I’ve got a lot of time. |
| Melody: 你慢慢嚟，唔駛急，我有嘅係時間。(nei5 maan6 maan6 lai4 ，m4 sai2 gap1 ，ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 si4 gaan3 。) |
| David: Right. So our lesson today, this isn’t really about grammar but it’s… |
| Melody: 冇錯。(mou5 co3 。) |
| David: Yeah it’s about how to express an emotion and it’s this way that’s really native to do it in Cantonese. |
| Melody: 係呀！所以將 有 變成 有嘅係... , 就會更加顯得你嘅語氣去強調。(hai6 aa3 ！so2 ji5 zoeng1 jau5 bin3 sing4 jau5 ge3 hai6 ... , zau6 wui2 gang3 gaa1 hin2 dak1 nei5 ge3 jyu5 hei3 heoi3 koeng4 diu6 。) |
| David: Yeah. Use this expression today when you are trying to show off. You are saying, you’ve got a lot of something, maybe other people don’t believe you. |
| Melody: 唔, 所以你強調我有嘅係錢。(m4 , so2 ji5 nei5 koeng4 diu6 ngo5 jau5 ge3 hai6 cin2 。) |
Outro |
| David: You are really putting the emphasis there. Okay so that’s our lesson for today. I am David. |
| Melody: 我係Melody。(ngo5 hai6 Melody 。) |
| David: Thanks for listening and we will see you on the site. |
| Melody: 好希望我哋可以下次再見。(hou2 hei1 mong6 ngo5 dei6 ho2 ji5 haa6 ci3 zoi3 gin3 。) |
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