Cantonese Level UpCantonese Level UpLesson 10 · Describing & Modifying
Stative verb patterns (same as Mandarin) and Cantonese-specific intensifiers: 好 hou2, 超 ciu1.
For Mandarin Speakers
Adjective grammar is nearly identical to Mandarin — adjectives are stative verbs and don't need 係/是. The main difference is intensifier vocabulary: Cantonese uses 好 hou2 where Mandarin uses 很 hěn, and has unique intensifiers like 超 ciu1 and 幾 gei2.
Cantonese adjectives work as stative verbs, exactly like Mandarin. You do NOT need 係 (or Mandarin 是) before an adjective. Just say subject + adjective: 佢靚 keoi5 leng3 (she is pretty). This is the same as Mandarin 她漂亮 — no 是 required.
The most important difference is the intensifiers. In Mandarin, the default intensifier is 很 hěn (very). In Cantonese, 好 hou2 takes this role. Where Mandarin says 很好, Cantonese says 好好 hou2 hou2. Where Mandarin says 很貴, Cantonese says 好貴 hou2 gwai3. Think of 好 as the Cantonese 很.
Beyond 好, Cantonese has several other intensifiers: 超 ciu1 (super, very — colloquial and emphatic), 幾 gei2 (quite, fairly — softer than 好), and 真係 zan1 hai6 (really, truly — for emphasis). For example: 超靚 ciu1 leng3 (super pretty), 幾好 gei2 hou2 (quite good), 真係大 zan1 hai6 daai6 (really big).
When using adjectives to modify nouns, add 嘅 ge3 between the adjective and noun, just like Mandarin uses 的: 好靚嘅衫 hou2 leng3 ge3 saam1 (very pretty clothes) = Mandarin 很漂亮的衣服. Short, common adjective-noun pairs can drop 嘅, same as Mandarin drops 的.
Cantonese also uses reduplication for a softening or endearing effect. For adjectives, this often sounds cute or casual: 靚靚 leng3 leng3 (pretty~), 大大 daai6 daai6 (biggish). This is similar to Mandarin reduplication (漂漂亮亮) but Cantonese more commonly uses simple doubling of single-character adjectives.
Mandarin: 這間餐廳很漂亮 zhè jiān cāntīng hěn piàoliang
好 hou2 = Mandarin 很 — the default Cantonese intensifier
超 ciu1 = super/very — colloquial intensifier unique to Cantonese
Mandarin: 今天天氣挺好的 jīntiān tiānqì tǐng hǎo de
幾 gei2 = quite/fairly — softer than 好, like Mandarin 挺
Mandarin: 他真的很高 tā zhēn de hěn gāo
真係 zan1 hai6 = really/truly — emphatic, like Mandarin 真的
Mandarin: 很漂亮的花 hěn piàoliang de huā
Adjective + 嘅 + noun — same structure as Mandarin adj + 的 + noun
Fill in the Blank
Convert to Cantonese: 這個很好吃 (This is very tasty) → 呢個___好食
Multiple Choice
Which Cantonese intensifier means 'quite/fairly' and is softer than 好?
Translate
Translate to Cantonese (with Jyutping): 'This dress is super pretty.' (這條裙子超漂亮)
Multiple Choice
Which sentence is CORRECT in Cantonese?
Fill in the Blank
To say 'really big' with emphasis in Cantonese, you say: ___大 (two characters)