Daily 5-minute Cantonese Lesson

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Asking About Friend’s Work

TEXT

A:你而家返緊咩工啊?
nei5 ji4 gaa1 faan1 gan2 me1 gung1 aa3?

B:喺間旅行社做緊文書。
hai2 gaan1 leoi5 hang4 se5 zou6 gan2 man4 syu1.

A:唔錯喎,幾錢一個月啊?
m4 co3 wo3, gei2 cin2 jat1 go3 jyut6 aa3?

TRANSLATION

A: What job are you working now?

B: Doing paperwork at a travel agency.

A: Not bad. How much per month?

BREAKDOWN

A: 你而家返緊咩工啊?
(nei5): you;而家 (ji4 gaa1): now;返緊 (faan1 gan2): working; (me1): what; (gung1): job; (aa3): softening particle

B: 喺間旅行社做緊文書。
(hai2): at; (gaan1): classifier for companies;旅行社 (leoi5 hang4 se5): travel agency;做緊 (zou6 gan2): doing;文書 (man4 syu1): paperwork/admin

A: 唔錯喎,幾錢一個月啊?
唔錯 (m4 co3): not bad; (wo3): surprise particle;幾錢 (gei2 cin2): how much;一個月 (jat1 go3 jyut6): per month; (aa3): question particle

NOTES

■ The “緊” in “返緊” / “做緊” shows continuous aspect (like “-ing”) – here’s a link explaining Cantonese tenses and grammar.

■ Cantonese often uses sentence particles like “啊” (aa3) and “喎” (wo3) to soften questions/sentences.