3 SYNTACTIC CATEGORIES: PARTS OF SPEECH IN CANTONESE

3.1 COMPARABILITY OF SYNTACTIC CATEGORIES

3.1.1 VERBS VERSUS ADJECTIVES

唔係
Ngóh mhaih hóu suhk kéuih
I not-be very familiar him
‘I don’t know him very well.’

3.1.2 VERBS AND AUXILIARIES

A: 邊個 鍾意 唧?
Bīngo wúih jūngyi júng yàhn ge jēk?
who would like this kind person SFP SFP
‘Who would like a person like that?’
B:
Kéuih jauh wúih laak
s/he then would SFP
‘She would.’

3.1.3 COVERBS/PREPOSITIONS

Ngóh tùhng kéuih paak-gán-
I with him date-PROG
‘I’m going out with him.’

3.1.4 LOCALIZERS/POSTPOSITIONS

入便
Yahpbihn yáuh hóu
inside have very many flowers
‘There are lots of flowers inside.’

3.1.5 CLASSIFIERS

呢個問題 lī go mahntàih ‘this problem’

3.1.6 ADVERBS

司機
Go sīgēi dāk taai faai
CL driver drive ADV too fast
‘The driver’s going too fast.’

細路仔 大聲 講嘢
Go sailouhjái daaih-sēng gám góng-yéh
CL kid very big-voice so speak-things
‘The kid spoke very loudly.’

3.1.8 CONJUNCTIONS

Léih m̀h séung dōu yiu heui ge la
you not want also need go SFP SFP
‘Even if you don’t want to go, you still have to.’