Daily 5-minute Cantonese Lesson

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Planning New Year Trip

TEXT

A:新年想去邊度玩啊?
san1 nin4 soeng2 heoi3 bin1 dou6 waan2 aa3?

B:我想去日本睇櫻花。
ngo5 soeng2 heoi3 jat6 bun2 tai2 jing1 faa1.

A:咁要早啲book酒店。
gam2 jiu3 zou2 di1 book zau2 dim3.

TRANSLATION

A: Where do you want to go for New Year?

B: I want to go to Japan to see cherry blossoms.

A: Then you need to book the hotel early.

BREAKDOWN

A: 新年想去邊度玩啊?
新年 (san1 nin4): New Year; (soeng2): want; (heoi3): go;邊度 (bin1 dou6): where; (waan2): play/have fun; (aa3): question particle

B: 我想去日本睇櫻花。
(ngo5): I; (soeng2): want; (heoi3): go;日本 (jat6 bun2): Japan; (tai2): see;櫻花 (jing1 faa1): cherry blossoms

A: 咁要早啲book酒店。
(gam2): then; (jiu3): need;早啲 (zou2 di1): earlier;book (book): book;酒店 (zau2 dim3): hotel

NOTES

■ “Book” is borrowed English word commonly used in Cantonese for “to book/reserve” – code-switching is common in Cantonese

■ Cantonese often uses sentence particles like “啊” (aa3) to soften questions.