Learn how to take a bus
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| 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 23, Riding the Bus 2. In the previous lesson, we covered how to get a ticket. So now that you have your ticket, get ready to jump on your bus and start the tour but wait a moment! Before you get on the bus, you need to confirm if it’s going to your destination. We can accomplish this by asking 唔該, 經唔經(m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1). Now let’s hear it again, 唔該, 經唔經(m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1). Now, this is very simple. We started with 唔該(m4 goi1), which is "excuse me," and then we have 經唔經(ging1 m4 ging1) that’s, "does it pass or not pass somewhere." We can accomplish this by asking 唔該, 經唔經(m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1). Now let’s hear it again, 唔該, 經唔經(m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1) "Excuse me, does this bus pass by..." and then add in your destination. As you can see, you can omit "this bus" in Cantonese because it is easy to understand that you are referring to it. |
| You have firstly 唔該(m4 goi1) which you know very well by now, "excuse me" or "please." Then you have 經(ging1), which is the first word comprising the verb 經過(ging1 gwo1) "to pass by," and then 唔經(m4 ging1), which is the negation form of the verb meaning "pass by." 唔經(m4 ging1) is "not to pass by." So this question is a typical Cantonese yes or no question. 經唔經(ging1 m4 ging1) "to pass by or not to pass by," 經唔經(ging1 m4 ging1). Now, this 經(ging1) has the first high flat tone 經(ging1). 經唔經(ging1 m4 ging1), "to pass by or not to pass by." Now, let’s hear the whole sentence again 唔該, 經唔經(m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1), "excuse me, does the bus pass by..." and then add your destination. |
| Now, let’s say we are going to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2), one of the greatest spots in Hong Kong where all Ferries set off. 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2). The whole sentence becomes 唔該, 經唔經尖沙咀(m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Excuse me, does this bus pass 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2). Now I will say it one more time slowly and I want you to repeat what I say 唔該, 經唔經尖沙咀(m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). "Excuse me, does the bus pass or not pass 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2)." |
| Another way of asking if the bus is going to somewhere is to ask 唔該, 去唔去(m4 goi1, heoi3 m4 heoi3) somewhere. Now let’s hear it again 唔該, 去唔去(m4 goi1, heoi3 m4 heoi3) somewhere. |
| Now, first, we have 唔該(m4 goi1) which means "excuse me," and then instead of saying 經唔經(ging1 m4 ging1) we say 去唔去( heoi3 m4 heoi3). Now we replace 經(ging1) with 去(heoi3) which is the verb "go" 去(heoi3), "go." We’ve learned this in the last lesson when we want to get a ticket to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2), we say 一張飛去尖沙咀(jat1 zoeng1 fei1 heoi2 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). One ticket to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2) and the verb here is 去(heoi3), same as the word as "do you go" 去唔去( heoi3 m4 heoi3). Let’s hear it again, 去唔去( heoi3 m4 heoi3). And the whole sentence sounds like this, 唔該, 去唔去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, heoi3 m4 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2) "Excuse me, do you go to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2)?” or "excuse me, does the bus go to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2)?" Please note that we generally omit the subject in here. In Cantonese, we usually start a sentence with verbs instead of subject or nouns, so you hear sentences like this a lot. 唔該, 去唔去尖沙咀(m4 goi1, heoi3 m4 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2) “Excuse me do you go or does the bus go to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2)?” |
| Now, let’s imagine that you are in central and you have to go to 天星碼頭( tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4), the "Star Ferry port." Let’s hear again, 天星碼頭( tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4), the "Star Ferry port," a very famous landmark in 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2). What would you ask the bus driver? Now let’s go over to two ways we’ve learned to ask if the bus stops at your destination. First we have 唔該, 經唔經天星碼頭(m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1 tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4 ). Now let’s hear it again 唔該, 經唔經天星碼頭(m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1 tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4 ). Excuse me, does the bus pass by 天星碼頭( tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4), the Star Ferry port? Excuse me, does the bus go to The Star Ferry port? |
| And the other way we’ve learned to ask this is 唔該, 去唔去天星碼頭?(m4 goi1, heoi3 m4 heoi3 tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4?) Excuse me, does the bus go to 天星碼頭(tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4)? 唔該, 去唔去天星碼頭?(m4 goi1, heoi3 m4 heoi3 tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4?) |
| Now, there is a third way of asking this. Instead of saying 經(ging1) or 去(heoi3), we say 停(ting4). It literally means “to stop,” 停(ting4), 停(ting4). Now, it has the lowest flat tone 停(ting4), 停(ting4). So we can also form this yes or no question by asking “to stop or not to stop,” which is 停唔停(ting4 m4 ting4). Now this might be a bit difficult because we have three lowest flat tones in Cantonese, 停唔停(ting4 m4 ting4), 停唔停(ting4 m4 ting4). Now, let’s hear the whole sentence again. If you want to ask if the bus stops at 天星碼頭(tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4), we can say 唔該, 停唔停天星碼頭?(m4 goi1, ting4 m4 ting4 tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4?) Let’s hear it again, 唔該,停唔停天星碼頭?(m4 goi1, ting4 m4 ting4 tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4?) “Excuse me, does the bus stop at the Star Ferry port?” 唔該,停唔停天星碼頭?(m4 goi1, ting4 m4 ting4 tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4?) |
| Imagine that you are visiting a city for the first time. You have no idea of the distances between your favorite destinations and you need to ask the bus driver how long the bus takes. So in Cantonese, you can say 唔該(m4 goi1) “excuse me,” 去(heoi3) your destination 要幾耐 (jiu3 gei2 noi6). Let’s hear it again, 唔該去(m4 goi1 heoi3) [somewhere] 要幾耐(jiu3 gei2 noi6), “how long does it take to go to [somewhere].” |
| Now, if you break it down, we first have 唔該(m4 goi1) “excuse me,” 去(heoi3) “to go,” [somewhere] (Please fill in your destination), 要幾耐(jiu3 gei2 noi6) “need how long.” |
| 要(jiu3), it’s “to need,” 要(jiu3), 要(jiu3). We’ve learned this verb in previous lesson when we want to say that I will like something or I want something or I need something, 要(jiu3). 我要(ngo5 jiu3) “I want” or “I need,” 我要(ngo5 jiu3). And finally, we have 幾耐(gei2 noi6), “how long,” 幾耐(gei2 noi6), “how long” or “how much time.” It’s specifically asking for the time “how long” or “how much time,” it’s asking for a duration. 幾耐(gei2 noi6), 幾耐(gei2 noi6). Now if you break this phrase down, 幾(gei2) is “how much,” 幾(gei2) “how much.” |
| We’ve learned how to ask for the price of something, 幾錢?(gei2 cin2), it’s literally “how much money;” and here, we are asking “how much time,” 幾耐(gei2 noi6), 幾耐(gei2 noi6). That’s “how long” or “how much time,” 幾耐(gei2 noi6). |
| So if you are going to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2) and we want to know how long does it take to go there, we can say, 唔該, 去尖沙咀要幾耐? (m4 goi1, heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2 jiu3 gei2 noi6?) “Excuse me, how long does it take to go to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2)?” |
| Let’s hear again, 唔該去尖沙咀要幾耐?(m4 goi1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2 jiu3 gei2 noi6?) |
| All the buses in Hong Kong have the destinations written on them in both Chinese and English, but to be on the safe side in case they forgot to add the destinations in the small town bus, you can always ask the bus driver or ask other passengers on the bus. All right, we have quite a long lesson today. Let’s go over all the things we’ve learned. |
| First, we have, “excuse me, does this bus go to…?” 唔該, 去唔去…? (m4 goi1, heoi3 m4 heoi3…?) |
| And then we have, “excuse me, does this bus pass by [somewhere]?” 唔該, 經唔經…? (m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1…?) |
| And then we have, “excuse me, does this bus stop at [somewhere]?” 唔該, 停唔停…? (m4 goi1, ting4 m4 ting4…?) |
| And finally, we have the sentence asking for “how long does it take to get to [somewhere]?” 唔該, 去[somewhere]要幾耐?(m4 goi1, heoi3 [somewhere] jiu3 gei2 noi6?) |
| All right, we have covered four sentences in today’s lesson. The first three are yes and no questions. They are simple. All you need to do is to replace the verb, it’s either “to pass by” 經(ging1), or t”o go” 去(heoi3), or “to stop” 停(ting4). So in Cantonese, it’s either “to pass by or not to pass by” 經唔經(ging1 m4 ging1), “to go or not to go” 去唔去(heoi3 m4 heoi3), “to stop or not to stop” 停唔停(ting4 m4 ting4). And lastly, we learned a very useful 幾耐(gei2 noi6), “how long” or “how much time.” |
| Now before we go, we would like you to practice what we’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. So 加油(gaa1 jau2)! |
| “Excuse me, does this bus go to…?” - 唔該, 去唔去…? (m4 goi1, heoi3 m4 heoi3…?) |
| “Excuse me, does this bus pass by…?” - 唔該, 經唔經…? (m4 goi1, ging1 m4 ging1…?) |
| “Excuse me, does this bus stop at [somewhere]?” - 唔該, 停唔停…? (m4 goi1, ting4 m4 ting4…?) |
| And lastly, we want to ask, “how long does it take to get to 天星碼頭(tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4), the Star Ferry Port?” - 唔該, 去天星碼頭要幾耐? (m4 goi1, heoi3 tin1 sing1 maa5 tau4 jiu3 gei2 noi6?) |
| All right, that about does it for today. Thank you for listening. Remember to stop by CantoneseClass101.com and pick up the PDF. Seeing the PDF really helps your memorization. If you stop by, be sure to leave us a comment. 再見(zoi3 gin3). |
Comments
Hide