Learn how to take a taxi
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| Cantonese Survival phrases, lesson 28. Riding the Taxi. In this lesson, we will teach you how to tell a taxi driver where to go. The most basic way to do this is to say the word to followed by a destination. Let’s say you want to go to Mongkok train station, a busy shopping area. In Cantonese, to Mongkok train station is 去旺角火車站(heoi3 wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6), 去旺角火車站(heoi3 wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6) . Let’s hear again slowly 去 旺 角 火 車 站(heoi3 wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6). The word for to is 去(heoi3). Mongkok train station is 旺角火車站(wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6). 去 旺 角 火 車 站(heoi3 wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6), to Mongkok train station. How about to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2) train station. That’s 去尖沙咀火車站(heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2 fo2 ce1 zaam6). In an earlier lesson, we taught you how to ask for a train ticket to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2). 一 張火車 飛去尖沙咀(jat1 zoeng1 fo2 ce1 fei1 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). One train ticket to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2). This is the most basic way of expressing where you like to go and actually the easiest one. However speaking the local language is one of the most fun things you can do on your travels. So let’s challenge ourselves to say something more difficult. How about I would like to go to Mongkok train station. 我想去旺角火車站(ngo3 soeng2 heoi3 wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6). I like to go to Mongkok train station. 我想去旺角火車站(ngo3 soeng2 heoi3 wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6). Let’s hear that again. 我想去旺角火車站(ngo3 soeng2 heoi3 wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6). 我想(ngo3 soeng2) means I would like. 我(ngo3) is I and 想(soeng2) is to want. 我想(ngo3 soeng2) I would like or I want 我想(ngo3 soeng2). This is followed by 去(heoi3) which means to go or to go to. 我想去(ngo3 soeng2 heoi3) I want to go to. Finally you add the destination and you are done. 我想去旺角火車站(ngo3 soeng2 heoi3 wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6). I want to go to Mongkok train station. One more helpful phrase when taking a taxi is, here is fine 就呢度(zau6 ni1 dou6) , here is fine 就呢度(zau6 ni1 dou6). This phrase will allow you to get out of the taxi whenever and wherever you want 就呢度(zau6 ni1 dou6), 就呢度(zau6 ni1 dou6). Let’s break this down by syllable 就 呢 度(zau6 ni1 dou6). And let’s hear it again 就 呢 度(zau6 ni1 dou6). Usually we will say a longer sentence which is 就呢度吖,唔該 (zau6 ni dou6 aa1, m4 goi1). |
| Let’s hear it again 就呢度吖,唔該(zau6 ni dou6 aa1, m4 goi1), and this sentence means here is fine, thank you. This word 就(zau6) doesn’t meant anything. It just tells them you’ve made a decision. 就呢度吖,唔該(zau6 ni dou6 aa1, m4 goi1). Here is fine, thank you and don’t forget the 吖(aa1) which is a polite thing to say. Let’s repeat the whole sentence one more time. 就呢度吖,唔該(zau6 ni dou6 aa1, m4 goi1), 就呢度吖,唔該(zau6 ni dou6 aa1, m4 goi1). Another way of saying here is fine is 呢度停(ni1 dou6 ting4) stop here, 呢度停(ni1 dou6 ting4) stop here. Let’s hear it one more time 呢度停(ni1 dou6 ting4), 呢度停(ni1 dou6 ting4). 呢度(ni1 dou6) is here. 停(ting4) is to stop. 呢度停(ni1 dou6 ting4) stop here. 呢度停(ni1 dou6 ting4) stop here. 呢度停吖, 唔該(ni1 dou6 ting4 aa1, m4 goi1), stop here please. 呢度停吖, 唔該(ni1 dou6 ting4 aa1, m4 goi1), stop here please. Let’s hear both of the sentences again. 就呢度吖,唔該(zau6 ni dou6 aa1, m4 goi1). Here is fine, thank you. 呢度停吖, 唔該(ni1 dou6 ting4 aa1, m4 goi1). Stop here, thank you. Another useful phrase you can practice is 一百蚊有冇得找啊？(jat1 baak3 man1 jau5 mou5 dak1 zaau2 a3) This means, do you have change for HKD100 一百蚊有冇得找啊？(jat1 baak3 man1 jau5 mou5 dak1 zaau2 a3). Do you have change for HKD100. If you only have big notes, ask this before you get in the taxi. 一百蚊有冇得找啊？(jat1 baak3 man1 jau5 mou5 dak1 zaau2 a3), 一百蚊有冇得找啊？(jat1 baak3 man1 jau5 mou5 dak1 zaau2 a3). Instead of HKD100, 一百蚊(jat1 baak3 man1) you could also say HKD500 五百蚊(ng5 baak3 man1). Let’s hear it again 五百蚊(ng5 baak3 man1), HKD500. So the whole sentence will be 五百蚊有冇得找啊？(ng5 baak3 man1 jau5 mou5 dak1 zaau2 a3), 五百蚊有冇得找啊？(ng5 baak3 man1 jau5 mou5 dak1 zaau2 a3). This is getting a bit tricky but hold on, with survival phrases, you will be speaking Cantonese like this very soon. All right, that’s it for today’s lesson. Let’s go on to our regular test. I will say it in English and you will say it in Cantonese. The first one, to Mongkok train station 去旺角火車站(heoi3 wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6), to 尖沙咀(zim1 saa1 zeoi2), 去尖沙咀(heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2). I like to go to Mongkok train station. 我想去旺角火車站(ngo3 soeng2 heoi3 wong6 gok3 fo2 ce1 zaam6) Here is fine, thank you. 就呢度吖,唔該(zau6 ni dou6 aa1, m4 goi1) Stop here, thank you. 呢度停吖, 唔該(ni1 dou6 ting4 aa1, m4 goi1) Do you have change for HKD100? 一百蚊有冇得找啊？(jat1 baak3 man1 jau5 mou5 dak1 zaau2 a3) Do you have change for HKD500? 五百蚊有冇得找啊？(ng5 baak3 man1 jau5 mou5 dak1 zaau2 a3) |
| All right, that’s about does it for today. Remember to stop by cantoneseclass101.com and pick up the accompany PDF and if you stop by, be sure to leave us a comment. Bye bye. |
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