Cantonese Level UpCantonese Level UpLesson 18 · Verbs & Actions
緊 vs Mandarin 在/正在 for ongoing actions; 住 for sustained states.
For Mandarin Speakers
Cantonese 緊 gan2 replaces Mandarin 在/正在 for marking ongoing actions, but it goes AFTER the verb (not before like Mandarin). 住 zyu6 sustains a state and is similar to Mandarin 著 zhe but with some different uses.
To express an action in progress ('is doing'), Cantonese places 緊 gan2 directly after the verb: 食緊飯 sik6 gan2 faan6 (eating — in progress). This replaces Mandarin's 在/正在 which goes BEFORE the verb (在吃飯). The meaning is the same, but the position is reversed: Mandarin puts the marker before; Cantonese puts it after.
More examples of verb + 緊: 睇緊書 tai2 gan2 syu1 (reading), 做緊嘢 zou6 gan2 je5 (doing something / busy), 傾緊電話 king1 gan2 din6 waa2 (on the phone). The phrase 做緊嘢 zou6 gan2 je5 is especially common — it's the go-to way to say 'I'm busy'.
住 zyu6 after a verb indicates a sustained or continuing state, similar to Mandarin 著 zhe. Examples: 企住 kei5 zyu6 (standing), 坐住 co5 zyu6 (sitting), 攞住 lo2 zyu6 (holding). The key idea is that the state is maintained, not a one-time action.
住 zyu6 also appears in commands meaning 'hold on / wait': 等一等住 dang2 jat1 dang2 zyu6 or simply 等住 dang2 zyu6 (hold on, wait). And in the pattern verb + 住先 zyu6 sin1 meaning 'do this for now first': 食住先 sik6 zyu6 sin1 (eat this for now), 用住先 jung6 zyu6 sin1 (use this for now).
You can combine 緊 with questions naturally: 你做緊咩？ nei5 zou6 gan2 me1? (What are you doing?) = Mandarin 你在做什麼？This is one of the most common Cantonese questions. Note 咩 me1 replaces Mandarin 什麼.
Mandarin: 我在吃飯 wǒ zài chīfàn
緊 gan2 goes AFTER the verb — opposite position from Mandarin 在
Mandarin: 你在做什麼？ nǐ zài zuò shénme?
做緊咩 = very common question; 咩 me1 = Mandarin 什麼
Mandarin: 他站著在那裡 tā zhàn zhe zài nàlǐ
住 zyu6 = sustained state — similar to Mandarin 著 zhe
住先 zyu6 sin1 = 'for now first' — common Cantonese pattern
Mandarin: 我在忙，晚點再聊 wǒ zài máng, wǎndiǎn zài liáo
做緊嘢 = 'doing things' = I'm busy — everyday expression
Fill in the Blank
Convert to Cantonese: 我在看書 (I'm reading) → 我睇___書
Multiple Choice
Where does 緊 gan2 go in relation to the verb?
Translate
Translate to Cantonese (with Jyutping): 'What are you doing?' (你在做什麼？)
Multiple Choice
What does 食住先 sik6 zyu6 sin1 mean?
Multiple Choice
Which is the most natural way to say 'I'm busy' in Cantonese?