Learn how to take a bus
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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 22, Riding the Bus. The bus is an important means of transportation. In many main districts in Hong Kong, we use buses more than the subway. Usually we use buses to cover both long and short distances. You can either put in some coins or use your Octopus card or what we call 八達通(baat3 daat6 tung1) . That’s the name of the card. It’s a ready to use electronic card in which you put money. You can purchase Octopus card or 八達通(baat3 daat6 tung1) at any MTR station. Upon entering the bus, you must validate your pass at a validation machine or pay with cash. |
| Now let’s imagine you are in a Hong Kong Island 香港島(hoeng1 gong2 dou2) and you want to go from central station 中環(zung1 waan4) to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2), one of the greatest parts of Hong Kong where all ferries set off. Generally if you take a bus, it is simple if you just pay with coins when you enter the bus. However if you are taking the MTR, that’s the subway in Hong Kong, you would need to buy a ticket. How can you get your subway ticket then? 唔該,一張飛去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, jat1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Now let’s hear it again 唔該,一張飛去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, jat1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Excuse me, a bus ticket to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Now let’s hear the sentence again slowly 唔 該, 一 張 飛 去 尖 沙 咀(m4 goi1, jat1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Firstly we have 唔該(m4 goi1) which means excuse me or please and then we have 一張飛(jat1 zoeng1 fei1) which literally is, one ticket 一張飛(jat1 zoeng1 fei1). |
| Now first we have the number one 一(jat1) followed by the measure word, for ticket 張(zoeng1). Let’s hear it again 張(zoeng1). It’s also a very common surname in Cantonese. 張(zoeng1), 張(zoeng1) like Jackey 張(zoeng1). He’s a famous singer 張(zoeng1). And this 張(zoeng1) is not only the measure word for ticket but for all paper 張(zoeng1) and finally we have the word for ticket 飛(fei1),飛(fei1) . No matter it’s a bus ticket, subway ticket, plane ticket or tickets to the concert, it’s called 飛(fei1), 飛(fei1). So we have 一張飛(jat1 zoeng1 fei1) one ticket and then we have the word – and then we add 去(heoi3) to the sentence 去(heoi3) which means to go to somewhere 去(heoi3) to go 去(heoi3) to go. It works with trains and planes too 去(heoi3) to go in general, to go 去(heoi3) and finally you have to name for where you want to go. In this case 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2), 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2). |
| Now let’s hear the whole sentence again 唔該,一張飛去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, jat1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Please, one ticket to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2), 唔該,一張飛去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, jat1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Note that the word for ticket 飛(fei1), it’s actually the verb to fly 飛(fei1). So you can say I wish I can fly. I wish 我識飛(ngo5 sik1 fei1). I wish I can fly but that’s a bit off the topic. Now back to the topic. What if you want to buy more than one ticket? Simply replace the number one 一(jat1) with the number you want. Let’s say you want two tickets. The Cantonese for two is 兩(loeng5), 兩(loeng5). So the sentence should be 唔該,兩張飛去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, loeng5 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Now let’s hear it again 唔該,兩張飛去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, loeng5 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Please, two tickets to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2) and let’s try three tickets. The Cantonese for three is 三(saam1). So 三張飛去尖沙咀(saam1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2), three tickets to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2), 三張飛去尖沙咀(saam1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Now after stating how many tickets you want and where you want to go, you want to know how much the ticket is. You can say 幾錢(gei2 cin2) how much 幾錢(gei2 cin2) how much. We’ve come across this word for a couple of lessons now 幾錢(gei2 cin2) how much. It’s very simple but very useful. This is very general question but in this case, if you want to be specific, you can ask 一張飛幾錢? (jat1 zoeng1 fei1 gei2 cin2), one ticket how much. Now let’s hear it again 一張飛幾錢? (jat1 zoeng1 fei1 gei2 cin2) one ticket, how much. |
| Now what if you’ve got two tickets 兩張飛幾錢? (loeng5 zoeng1 fei1 gei2 cin2) two tickets how much 兩張飛幾錢? (loeng5 zoeng1 fei1 gei2 cin2), two tickets how much. All right, let’s have a quick review for now. If you want to get a bus ticket or a subway ticket, you say 唔該,一張飛去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, jat1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Excuse me, one ticket to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2), 唔該,一張飛去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, jat1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Now if you want two tickets to the central, you say 唔該,兩張飛去中環(m4 goi1, loeng5 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zung1 waan4), 唔該,兩張飛去中環(m4 goi1, loeng5 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zung1 waan4). That’s excuse me, two tickets to central 中環(zung1 waan4). And then you ask how much is the ticket 唔該,一張飛幾錢?(m4 goi1, jat1 zoeng1 fei1 gei2 cin2). Excuse me, how much is one ticket? And sometimes you need to ask for the price for two tickets or you can simply say 幾錢?(gei2 cin2) that’s how much 幾錢?(gei2 cin2) how much. Buses have frequent schedule starting from 5 AM until 12 midnight for all places in the Hong Kong. After midnight, night buses will be running at certain districts every 30 minutes or so. Night buses cost generally double of the normal daytime prices. It is still very convenient to have the buses all night long to take you back home from the business district. |
| So when you are in Hong Kong, be sure to take a bus ride and use the phrase we just learned. All right, before we go, we’d like you to practice what you have just learned. I will provide you with the English equivalent of the phrase and you are responsible for shouting it out loud. You will as always have a few seconds before I give you the answers 加 油(gaa1 jau2)! Excuse me, one ticket please 唔該,一張飛(m4 goi1, jat1 zoeng1 fei1). Excuse me, one ticket to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2), 唔該,一張飛去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, jat1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). How much 幾錢?(gei2 cin2) How much is one ticket 一張飛幾錢? (jat1 zoeng1 fei1 gei2 cin2). All right, that about does it for today, thank you for listening. Remember to stop by cantoneseclass101.com and pick up the PDF. If you stop by, be sure to leave us a comment, bye bye. |
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