Learn how to answer in Cantonese the first question you are asked at a Cantonese restaurant
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| 大家好(daai6 gaa1 hou2)! Hello and welcome to Cantonese Survival phrases brought to you by cantoneseclass101.com, my name is Nicole and I will be your language teacher and culture guide throughout this course. This course is designed to equip you with the language skills and knowledge to enable you to get the most out of your visit to Hong Kong or anywhere else in the Cantonese world. You will be surprised at how far a little Cantonese will go. Now before we jump in, remember to stop by cantoneseclass101.com and there you will find the accompanying PDF and additional info in this post. If you stop by, be sure to leave us a comment. |
| Cantonese survival phrases lesson 11. Entering a Restaurant. There is a wide variety of Cantonese dishes and your job as a visitor is to try as many different food as possible. However before you start eating, you have to get to table. In today’s lesson, we will cover getting to the table in a restaurant. In Hong Kong, when entering a restaurant, what would be more commonly known as 餐廳(caan1 teng1) in Cantonese when you really get seated by the waiter or waitress. The customers often have to find their own table. However there are occasions where you will be asked the question, how many people are in your party? So practicing it will come in handy at some point. How many people are you in Cantonese is 幾多位(gei2 do1 wai2). let’s hear it once again 幾多位(gei2 do1 wai2), 幾 多 位(gei2 do1 wai2). First word 幾多(gei2 do1) in Cantonese means how many 幾多(gei2 do1),幾多(gei2 do1). Finally we have 位(wai2) second rising tone 位(wai2) which in Cantonese means seat. 位(wai2) ,位(wai2) And the whole sentence sounds like this 幾多位(gei2 do1 wai2). How many people are you ? 幾多位(gei2 do1 wai2) or literally how many seats 幾多位(gei2 do1 wai2). Now let’s go over how to answer. In Cantonese, you will respond by telling the waiter or waitress 三位(saam1 wai2) which in English means, we are three or literally three seats. Let’s break down these words and hear them one more time 三 位(saam1 wai2), 三位(saam1 wai2). The first sound we hear is #3 三(saam1), 三(saam1) and the second one we just learned 位(wai2),位(wai2), 三位(saam1 wai2) three seats or we are three. |
| Now we are going to review some numbers in Cantonese in case your party happens to be bigger. The numbers 1 through 5 is 1(jat1) 2(ji6) 3(saam1) 4(sei3) 5(ng5). Let’s hear them one more time (jat1) 1 (ji6) 2 (saam1)3 (sei3) 4 (ng5)5, (jat1) 1 (ji6) 2 (saam1)3 (sei3) 4 (ng5)5. One through five. You could also say, we are four people which in Cantonese is 四位(sei3 wai2), 四 位(sei3 wai2), 四位(sei3 wai2) four seats. Now let’s hear it once again 四位(sei3 wai2) but if you are just one person, the proper answer to the question is 一位(jat1 wai2) which means one person, one seat. 一位(jat1 wai2), 一位(jat1 wai2) or you can say 一個人(jat1 go3 jan4) one person 一個人(jat1 go3 jan4). Now the first sound 一(jat1) is #1. 個(go3) is the measure word for people or for anything else, it’s the most common measure word in Cantonese but you don’t have to worry about it for now. 個人(go3 jan4) is people or person 人(jan4), 一個人(jat1 go3 jan4). One person or I am alone. Now let’s hear the phrase again 一個人(jat1 go3 jan4) one person. 一個人(jat1 go3 jan4) Now let’s go over all the phrases we learned. The first one is a question. How many people are you? 幾多位(gei2 do1 wai2), 幾多位(gei2 do1 wai2) and you can answer with three 三位(saam1 wai2), 三位(saam1 wai2) or you can say, we are four people 四位(sei3 wai2), 四位(sei3 wai2) and sometimes you go there alone 一位(jat1 wai2), 一位(jat1 wai2) or 一個人(jat1 go3 jan4), 一個人(jat1 go3 jan4). Eating out is one of the greatest pleasure of Hong Kong traveling. The warm atmosphere and the happy people will make it an unforgettable experience. |
| Now if you go to a 餐廳(caan1 teng1) or a Hong Kong Restaurant, taking a seat at an empty table is the most common way. Of course if you learn very useful survival phrases today, you just try to use them. However knowing which restaurant to go can be very difficult because Hong Kong has like five restaurants on every corner. This is your chance to ask locals for the recommendations. You do this by saying 邊間餐廳好呀(bin1 gaan1 caan1 teng1 hou2 aa1) which literally means which 餐廳(caan1 teng1) do you prefer or which 餐廳(caan1 teng1) is good. Let’s hear it again 邊間餐廳好呀(bin1 gaan1 caan1 teng1 hou2 aa1) which 餐廳(caan1 teng1) is good. Going with the local favorite is always your best bet. Okay to close our today’s lesson, we’d like you to practice what you’ve just learned. I will provide you with the English equivalent of the phrase and you are responsible for shouting it out loud. You have a few seconds before I give you the answers 加 油(gaa1 jau2)! How many people are you? 幾多位(gei2 do1 wai2) We are three. 三位(saam1 wai2) We are four. 四位(sei3 wai2) Only one 一位(jat1 wai2) or 一個人(jat1 go3 jan4). All right, that about does it for today. Thank you for tuning in. I am Nicole and remember to stop by cantoneseclass101.com and pick up the PDF. If you stop by, be sure to leave us a post. Bye bye. |
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