Adverbs of Time, Frequency & Duration

Time adverbs in Cantonese follow the same grammatical rules as Mandarin: they go before the verb, often after the subject (or before the subject for emphasis). The word order is identical. The challenge is that the vocabulary is almost entirely different.

Essential replacements for 'now' and 'just now': 而家 ji4 gaa1 = 現在 xiànzài (now), 頭先 tau4 sin1 = 剛才 gāngcái (just now / a moment ago). These are among the most common Cantonese time words. Example: 我而家好忙 ngo5 ji4 gaa1 hou2 mong4 (I'm busy now).

For days, the replacements are: 尋日 cam4 jat6 = 昨天 zuótiān (yesterday), 聽日 ting1 jat6 = 明天 míngtiān (tomorrow), 今日 gam1 jat6 = 今天 jīntiān (today — this one is similar!). Note: 琴日 kam4 jat6 is another common way to say 'yesterday' in Cantonese.

For frequency: 成日 seng4 jat6 = 總是/老是 zǒngshì (always, all the time — often with a complaining nuance), 間中 gaan3 zung1 = 有時候 yǒu shíhòu (sometimes, occasionally), 好少 hou2 siu2 = 很少 hěn shǎo (rarely). Example: 佢成日遲到 keoi5 seng4 jat6 ci4 dou3 (he's always late).

Duration expressions follow the same structure as Mandarin (verb + duration), but watch for vocabulary: 耐 noi6 = 久 jiǔ (long time). 好耐 hou2 noi6 = 很久 hěn jiǔ (a long time). 幾耐 gei2 noi6? = 多久? duō jiǔ? (how long?). Example: 等咗好耐 dang2 zo2 hou2 noi6 (waited a long time).