Learn how to talk about special cases and circumstances
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Echo: Welcome to cantoneseclass101.com. I am Echo. |
| Oscar: 大家好，我係Oscar。(daai6 gaa1 hou2, ngo5 hai6 Oscar.) |
| Echo: And we are here today with lower intermediate, season 1, Lesson 14. A Special Birthday Treat in China. |
| Oscar: 一份特別嘅生日大餐。(jat1 fan6 dak6 bit6 ge3 saang1 jat6 daai6 caan1.) |
| Echo: Yes in Hong Kong, everyone goes out to eat on their birthday. So our dialogue takes place in a restaurant. |
| Oscar: 發生喺 一對小情侣身上嘅事。(faat3 sang1 hai2 jat1 deoi3 siu2 cing4 leoi5 san1 soeng6 ge3 si6.) |
| Echo: And they are speaking casual Cantonese as always. |
| Oscar: 咁我哋而家去聽下。 (gam2 ngo5 dei6 ji4 gaa1 heoi3 teng1 haa5.) |
| DIALOGUE |
| A: 我哋要魚定蝦好呢？(Ngo5 dei6 jiu3 jyu2 ding6 haa1 hou2 ne1 ?) |
| B: 不如要蟹吖？(Bat1 jyu4 jiu3 haai5 aa1 ?) |
| A: 新鮮嘅蟹好貴喔。(San1 sin1 ge3 haai5 hou2 gwai3 o6.) |
| B: 但係呢間係海鮮酒樓嚟咖... 同埋今日係我生日呀！(Daan6 hai6 ni1 gaan1 hai6 hoi2 sin1 zau2 lau4 lai4 gaa6... tung4 maai4 gam1 jat6 hai6 ngo5 saang1 jat6 aa6!) |
| A: 咁...(Gam2...) |
| B: 唔該你吖！(Ng4 goi1 nei5 aa1 !) |
| A: 好啦，見係你生日咋。(Hou2 laa1, gin3 hai6 nei5 saang1 jat6 zaa3.) |
| David: One more time, a bit slower. |
| A: 我哋要魚定蝦好呢？(Ngo5 dei6 jiu3 jyu2 ding6 haa1 hou2 ne1 ?) |
| B: 不如要蟹吖？(Bat1 jyu4 jiu3 haai5 aa1 ?) |
| A: 新鮮嘅蟹好貴喔。(San1 sin1 ge3 haai5 hou2 gwai3 o6.) |
| B: 但係呢間係海鮮酒樓嚟咖... 同埋今日係我生日呀！(Daan6 hai6 ni1 gaan1 hai6 hoi2 sin1 zau2 lau4 lai4 gaa6... tung4 maai4 gam1 jat6 hai6 ngo5 saang1 jat6 aa6!) |
| A: 咁...(Gam2...) |
| B: 唔該你吖！(Ng4 goi1 nei5 aa1 !) |
| A: 好啦，見係你生日咋。(Hou2 laa1, gin3 hai6 nei5 saang1 jat6 zaa3.) |
| David: And now with the English translation. |
| A: 我哋要魚定蝦好呢？(Ngo5 dei6 jiu3 jyu2 ding6 haa1 hou2 ne1 ?) |
| A: Should we get fish or shrimp? |
| B: 不如要蟹吖？(Bat1 jyu4 jiu3 haai5 aa1 ?) |
| B: How about crab? |
| A: 新鮮嘅蟹好貴喔。(San1 sin1 ge3 haai5 hou2 gwai3 o6.) |
| A: Fresh crab is so expensive. |
| B: 但係呢間係海鮮酒樓嚟咖... 同埋今日係我生日呀！(Daan6 hai6 ni1 gaan1 hai6 hoi2 sin1 zau2 lau4 lai4 gaa6... tung4 maai4 gam1 jat6 hai6 ngo5 saang1 jat6 aa6!) |
| B: But this is a seafood restaurant...and it's my birthday. |
| A: 咁...(Gam2...) |
| A: Well... |
| B: 唔該你吖！(Ng4 goi1 nei5 aa1 !) |
| B: Come on... |
| A: 好啦，見係你生日咋。(Hou2 laa1, gin3 hai6 nei5 saang1 jat6 zaa3.) |
| A: Ok, it's only because it's your birthday. |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Oscar: Echo, 你鐘唔鐘意食海鮮㗎？(Echo, nei5 zung1 m4 zung1 ji3 sik6 hoi2 sin1 gaa3?) |
| Echo: I am allergic to seafood. So I never have it. |
| Oscar: 唔係啩！海鮮好正架！啲蝦好鬼甜，蟹呢就好鬼多肉。(m4 hai6 gwaa3! hoi2 sin1 hou2 zeng3 gaa3! di1 haa1 hou2 gwai2 tim4, haai5 ne1 zau6 hou2 gwai2 do1 juk6.) |
| Echo: Oscar…. |
| Oscar: 仲有啲象拔蚌呀，好彈牙㗎！(zung6 jau5 di1 zoeng6 bat6 pong5 aa3, hou2 daan6 ngaa4 gaa3!) |
| Echo: Come on, Oscar! |
| Oscar: 咁我哋而家去睇下今日嘅單詞先啦！(gam2 ngo5 dei6 ji4 gaa1 heoi3 tai2 haa6 gam1 jat6 ge3 daan1 ci4 sin1 laa1 !) |
| Echo: Okay. |
| VOCAB LIST |
| Oscar: 海鮮。(hoi2 sin1.) |
| Echo: Seafood. |
| Oscar: 海 鮮, 海鮮, 魚。(hoi2 sin1, hoi2 sin1, jyu4.) |
| Echo: Fish. |
| Oscar: 魚, 魚, 龍蝦。(jyu4, jyu4, lung4 haa1.) |
| Echo: Lobster. |
| Oscar: 龍 蝦, 龍蝦, 青口。(lung4 haa1, lung4 haa1, ceng1hau2.) |
| Echo: Mussels. |
| Oscar: 青 口, 青口, 蝦。 (ceng1 hau2, ceng1hau2, haa1.) |
| Echo: Shrimp. |
| Oscar: 蝦, 蝦, 蟹。(haa1, haa1, haai5.) |
| Echo: Crab. |
| Oscar: 蟹, 蟹, 新鮮。(haai5, haai5, san1 sin1.) |
| Echo: Fresh. |
| Oscar: 新 鮮, 新鮮, 冰凍。(san1 sin1, san1 sin1, bing1 dung3.) |
| Echo: Frozen. |
| Oscar: 冰 凍, 冰凍, 見係。(bing1 dung3, bing1 dung3, gin3 hai6.) |
| Echo: It’s only because |
| Oscar: 見 係, 見係。(gin3 hai6, gin3 hai6.) |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| Echo: Let’s have a closer look at some of the words from this lesson. Our first word is |
| Oscar: 海鮮。(hoi2 sin1.) |
| Echo: Seafood. |
| Oscar: 海鮮。(hoi2 sin1.) |
| Echo: And as everyone knows, Hong Kong is famous for its seafood. |
| Oscar: 眾所週知，香港嘅海鮮好出名。(zung3 so2 zau1 zi1, hoeng1 gong2 ge3 hoi2 sin1 hou2 ceot1 meng2.) |
| Echo: As everyone knows, Hong Kong is famous for its seafood. |
| Oscar: 眾所週知，香港嘅海鮮好出名。(zung3 so2 zau1 zi1, hoeng1 gong2 ge3 hoi2 sin1 hou2 ceot1 meng2.) |
| Echo: Now if you go to a seafood restaurant, you’ve got a lot of choices and that’s what we want to talk about today. One of the most popular types of seafood is shrimp. |
| Oscar: 蝦。(haa1.) |
| Echo: Shrimp. |
| Oscar: 蝦(haa1)。 好多人喺海鮮酒樓都會點蝦食。(hou2 do1 jan4 hai2 hoi2 sin1 zau2 lau4 dou1 wui2 dim2 haa1 sik6.) |
| Echo: Right. A lot of people will order shrimp when they eat out, but it’s not the only choice. You can also order crab. |
| Oscar: 蟹。(haai5.) |
| Echo: Crab. |
| Oscar: 蟹。(haai5.) |
| Echo: Or lobster. |
| Oscar: 龍蝦。(lung4 haa1.) |
| Echo: Lobster. |
| Oscar: 龍蝦。(lung4 haa1.) |
| Echo: Mussels. |
| Oscar: 青口。(ceng1 hau2.) |
| Echo: Mussels. |
| Oscar: 青口。(ceng1 hau2.) |
| Echo: Or Oysters. |
| Oscar: 生蠔。(saang1 hou4.) |
| Echo: Oysters. |
| Oscar: 生蠔。(saang1 hou4.) |
| Echo: Let’s review this again quickly. Lobsters are probably the most expensive. They are definitely more expensive than crabs. |
| Oscar: 龍蝦比蟹貴好多㗎！(lung4 haa1 bei2 haai5 gwai3 hou2 do1 gaa3 !) |
| Echo: Can we listen to that again. |
| Oscar: 龍蝦比蟹貴好多㗎！(lung4 haa1 bei2 haai5 gwai3 hou2 do1 gaa3 !) |
| Echo: Right. So do people eat them much in Hong Kong? |
| Oscar: 龍蝦? (lung4 haa1 ?) |
| Echo: Uhoo… |
| Oscar: 太貴喇！就好似牛扒咁, 所以啲人唔會經常食。(taai3 gwai3 laa3! zau6 hou2 ci5 ngau4 paa4 gam2, so2 ji5 di1 jan4 m4 wui2 ging1 soeng4 sik6.) |
| Echo: So it’s more common to eat crab. |
| Oscar: 係呀！蟹係一種好常見嘅香港海鮮。(hai6 aa3! haai5 hai6 jat1 zung2 hou2 soeng4 gin3 ge3 hoeng1 gong2 hoi2 sin1.) |
| Echo: Crab is a common ingredient in Cantonese seafood. |
| Oscar: 蟹係一種好常見嘅香港海鮮。(haai5 hai6 jat1 zung2 hou2 soeng4 gin3 ge3 hoeng1 gong2 hoi2 sin1.) |
| Echo: Right and of course Shrimp too. |
| Oscar: 梗係, 蝦同埋蟹都好受香港人嘅歡迎。(gang2 hai6, haa1 tung4 maai4 haai5 dou1 hou2 sau6 hoeng1 gong2 jan4 ge3 fun1 jing4.) |
| Echo: What about Mussels and Oysters? |
| Oscar: 好多人 鐘意宵夜嘅時候點青口同埋生蠔。(hou2 do1 jan4 zung1 ji3 siu1 je2 ge3 si4 hau6 dim2 ceng1 hau2 tung4 maai4 saang1 hou4.) |
| Echo: Right. People always order mussels and oysters when they eat midnight snack. Finally, there are two words you need to know if you want to eat seafood. These are fresh. |
| Oscar: 新鮮。(san1 sin1.) |
| Echo: Fresh |
| Oscar: 新鮮。(san1 sin1.) |
| Echo: And frozen |
| Oscar: 冰凍。(bing1 dung3.) |
| Echo: Frozen |
| Oscar: 冰凍。(bing1 dung3.) |
| Echo: Fresh seafood. |
| Oscar: 新鮮 海鮮。(san1 sin1 hoi2 sin1.) |
| Echo: Once again |
| Oscar: 新鮮 海鮮。(san1 sin1 hoi2 sin1.) |
| Echo: Frozen seafood. |
| Oscar: 冰凍 海鮮。(bing1 dung3 hoi2 sin1.) |
| Echo: Again. |
| Oscar: 冰凍 海鮮。(bing1 dung3 hoi2 sin1.) |
| Echo: In most Cantonese restaurants, the seafood should be fresh. Oscar, if people are looking for a good place to eat though, where should they go? |
| Oscar: 彌敦道周圍都係海鮮酒樓。(nei4 deon1 dou6 zau1 wai4 dou1 hai6 hoi2 sin1 zau2 lau4.) |
| Echo: Right. There are a lot of seafood restaurants on Nathan road. It’s a good place to have a birthday dinner too since the food won’t be as expensive as in other places. |
| Oscar: 梗係啦！彌敦道太多好味嘅餐廳喇！慶祝生日 一流呀！(gang2 hai6 laa1 ！nei4 deon1 dou6 taai3 do1 hou2 mei6 ge3 caan1 teng1 laa3 ！hing3 zuk1 saang1 jat6 jat1 lau4 aa3 !) |
| Echo: Okay. So we learned a lot of seafood words today. Let’s review quickly. |
| Oscar: 海鮮, 蝦, 龍蝦, 蟹, 青口，生蠔。(hoi2 sin1, haa1, lung4 haa1, haai5, ceng1 hau2, saang1 hou4.) |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Oscar: It’s grammar time. |
| Echo: Our grammar point today is about special cases. |
| Oscar: 好特別㗎！(hou2 dak6 bit6 gaa3!) |
| Echo: In our dialogue, we heard the following line. |
| Oscar: 見係你生日咋。(gin3 hai6 nei5 saang1 jat6 zaa3.) |
| Echo: It’s only because it’s your birthday. |
| Oscar: 見係你生日咋。(gin3 hai6 nei5 saang1 jat6 zaa3.) |
| Echo: It’s only because |
| Oscar: 見係。(gin3 hai6.) |
| Echo: It’s only because |
| Oscar: 見係。(gin3 hai6.) |
| Echo: You can use this to start a sentence. For instance, it’s only because I love you. |
| Oscar: 見係 我鍾意你咋。(gin3 hai6 ngo5 zung1 ji3 nei5 zaa3.) |
| Echo: It’s only because I love you that we are eating lobsters. |
| Oscar: 見係 我鍾意你咋，我哋食龍蝦啦！(gin3 hai6 ngo5 zung1 ji3 nei5 zaa3, ngo5 dei6 sik6 lung4 haa1 laa1 !) |
| Echo: It’s only because I love you that we are eating crab. |
| Oscar: 見係 我鍾意你咋，我哋食蟹啦！(gin3 hai6 ngo5 zung1 ji3 nei5 zaa3, ngo5 dei6 sik6 haai5 laa1 !) |
| Echo: It’s only because I got paid today that we are eating seafood. |
| Oscar: 見係 我今日出糧咋，我哋食海鮮啦！(gin3 hai6 ngo5 gam1 jat6 ceot1 loeng4 zaa3, ngo5 dei6 sik6 hoi2 sin1 laa1 !) |
| Echo: Look at the way we end these sentences. |
| Oscar: 見係...咋。(gin3 hai6... zaa3.) |
| Echo: One more time. |
| Oscar: 見係...咋。(gin3 hai6... zaa3.) |
| Echo: Right. This helps make the reason you are doing something clear. |
| Oscar: 見係 啲 龍蝦唔新鮮 咋, 我哋買牛扒啦！(gin3 hai6 di1 lung4 haa1 m4 san1 sin1 zaa3, ngo5 dei6 maai5 ngau4 paa4 laa1 !) |
| Echo: It’s only because lobsters are not fresh, we bought steak. |
| Oscar: 見係 啲 龍蝦唔新鮮 咋, 我哋買牛扒啦！(gin3 hai6 di1 lung4 haa1 m4 san1 sin1 zaa3, ngo5 dei6 maai5 ngau4 paa4 laa1 !) |
| Echo: It’s only because lobsters are not fresh, we bought steak. |
| Oscar: 係喇！(hai6 laa3!) |
| Echo: So this is simple pattern to start your sentence with. |
| Oscar: 見係。(gin3 hai6.) |
| Echo: Give a reason and then say |
| Oscar: 咋。(zaa3.) |
| Echo: And then finish your sentence. |
| Oscar: 見係 你今日咁聽話咋。(gin3 hai6 nei5 gam1 jat6 gam3 teng1 waa6 zaa3.) |
| Echo: It’s only because you are good today that we are going to a seafood restaurant for dinner. |
| Oscar: 見係 你今日咁聽話咋，我哋去海鮮酒樓食飯啦！(gin3 hai6 nei5 gam1 jat6 gam3 teng1 waa6 zaa3, ngo5 dei6 heoi3 hoi2 sin1 zau2 lau4 sik6 faan6 laa1 !) |
| Echo: It’s only because you are good today that we are going to a seafood restaurant for dinner. |
| Oscar: 見係 你今日咁聽話咋，我哋去海鮮酒樓食飯啦！(gin3 hai6 nei5 gam1 jat6 gam3 teng1 waa6 zaa3, ngo5 dei6 heoi3 hoi2 sin1 zau2 lau4 sik6 faan6 laa1 !) |
Outro |
| Echo: Right. And that’s our grammar point for today. And if you have any questions, leave us comment on our website. The address is cantoneseclass101.com |
| Oscar: 多謝收聽，我哋網上見。(do1 ze6 sau1 teng1, ngo5 dei6 mong5 soeng6 gin3.) |
| Echo: Bye bye. |
| Oscar: 下次見。(haa6 ci3 gin3.) |
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