Cantonese "Yuqici" 語氣詞 (Jyu hei ci)...:P

hitokiri6993
 January 10, 2009, 06:23 AM posted in General Discussion

"Borrowed" from cantonese.sheik.co.uk

Pronunciation
 Character
 Explanation
 Example
aa3
 呀 Used in neutral questions.  Also used to soften the tone of affirmative statements so they don't sound as abrupt.

你去邊處呀?

nei5 heoi3 bin1 syu3 aa3?

Where are you going?

 

我返屋企呀

ngo5 faan1 uk1 kei5
I'm going home.
ge3
 嘅 Used in assertions where something is emphasized (usually 係 hai6 is in front of what is being emphasized).  Pronouncing it as ge2 adds a sense of puzzlement about the situation.  This is equivalent to the Mandarin/written Chinese 的 dik1.

我係今日返屋企嘅

ngo5 hai6 gam1 jat6 faan1 uk1 kei5
I'm going home today.  (the "today" is emphasized)
gaa3
 㗎/o架 Contraction of the combination 嘅呀 ge3 aa3.  Pronouncing it as gaa2 adds a sense of reservation or doubt about the situation.

你係幾時返來o架?

nei5 hai6 gei2 si4 faan1 loi4 gaa3?
When are you coming back?  (the "when" is emphasized)
laak3 嘞 Indicates a change of situation or a past event that has occured and adds a sense of current relevence to the statement.  This is equivalent to the Mandarin/written Chinese sentence final 了 liu5.

佢返咗屋企嘞

keoi5 faan2 zo2 uk1 kei5 laak3
 He went home.
laa3 嚹 or 啦 (same as 嘞 laak3)
laa1 喇 or 啦 Used in requests and imperatives.  This is one particle where leaving it out could make the sentence sound rude, so learners should attempt to master this particle.  This is equivalent to the Mandarin/written Chinese sentence final 吧 baa6.

返來喇

faan1 loi4 laa1
Come back [please].
mei6
 未 Used in questions asking whether an action has been done yet.

佢返來未?

keoi5 faan1 loi4 mei6 ?
Has he come back yet?
sin1
 先 Can be used to mean "first" in a sentence.  In questions, it may impart a sense of impatience.

我哋等佢返來先

ngo5 dei6 dang2  keoi5 faan1 loi4 sin1.
We'll wait for him to come back first.

你返唔返來先?

nei5 faan1  m4 faan1 loi4 sin1?
Are you coming back or not?  [Answer me quickly.]
tim1
 添 Can be used to mean "also," "too," or "as well" in a sentence (usually occurs with 重 zung6).

我重要返屋企添

ngo5 zung6 jiu3 faan1 uk1 kei5 tim1.
I still have to go home as well.
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hitokiri6993
 January 10, 2009, 06:24 AM

Pronunciation
 Character
 Explanation
 Example
aa1 吖 or ㄚ Can indicate enthusiastic consent or a sarcastic retort.  Can also be used like 喇 laa1.
 好吖! 我跟你返屋吖!
Okay!  I'll follow you home!
我點返屋企吖?
How am I supposed to be able to go home?  (sarcastically)
返來吖
Come back [please].
aa4
 吖 or 呀 Used in questions expecting agreement, sometimes with a sense of disapproval.
 你返屋企吖?
You're going home?  [But really I don't want you to.]
gaa4
 㗎 Contraction of the combination 嘅吖 ge3 aa4. 你係今日返屋企㗎? 
You're going home today? [But really I don't want you to.  Can't you wait until tomorrow?]   (the "today" is emphasized)
me1 咩 Used in questions expressing surprise or disbelief. 佢今日返來咩?
He's coming back today?  [Really?  I wasn't aware of this.]
ne1
 呢 Used in follow up questions or when a question is repeated but for a different subject.  Also used for rhetorical questions where an answer is not expected (especially when the speaker is wondering to himself/herself).
 佢返咗來,你返唔返來呢?
He came back, are you coming back?
佢點解返屋企呢?
I wonder why he's going home.
maa3
 嗎 Used to change a statement into a neutral question.  This is used more often in Mandarin/written Chinese, but can still be heard in Cantonese. 你返屋企嗎?
Are you coming home?
zek1
 啫 Can be used to mean "only" or "that's all," or used to play down the significance of the situation.
 佢返一日啫
He's only coming back for one day.
ze1
 嗻 (same as 啫 zek1)
zaa3
 咋 Contraction of the combination 啫呀/嗻呀 ze1 aa3. 佢返一日咋
He's only coming back for one day.  (slightly less abrupt than 佢返一日啫)
zaa4
 咋 Contraction of the combination 啫吖/嗻吖 ze1 aa4. 佢返一日咋?
He's only coming back for one day?  [Only one day?  I wish it was more.]
gwaa3
 啩 Indicates uncertainty in a statement.
 佢返咗屋企啩
He went home [but I'm not completely sure of this].
wo3
 喎 Indicates information is being reported.  Pronouncing it as wo5 adds the indication that the information is second-hand and the speaker may not agree with it. 爸爸叫你返屋企喎
Father is telling you to come home.
bo3
 噃 Indicates that the sentence is a reminder.
 揸車返屋企好快噃
It is quick to go home by car.  (used in the context where the person being addressed may not have thought about driving home)
lo1
 囉 Indicates a suggestion or conclusion that should be obvious (usually occurs with 咪 mai6).
 我冇車咪返唔到屋企囉  
Without a car, [then of course] I am unable to go home.
lo3
 囉 or 咯 Indicates an agreement with the previous speaker. 好,我跟你返屋企囉
Okay, I will follow you home.
haa2
 吓 Used to soften an instruction, similar to adding "okay?" in English.
 記得買奶吓
Remember to buy milk, okay?
ho2
 呵 Used to check whether a statement is correct, similar to adding "right?" in English. 你買咗奶呵?
You bought the milk, right?
aa1 maa3
 呀嘛 Used in response to a question where the answer is obvious.
 佢返屋企呀嘛!
He's going home!  [So of course he can't go to the movies with us.]
laa1 maa3
 啦嘛 Contraction of the combination 嘞呀嘛/嚹呀嘛 laa3 aa1 maa3. 佢返咗屋企啦嘛!
He went home!  [So of course he can't be here right now.]
gaa1 maa3
 咖嘛 Contraction of the combination 嘅呀嘛 ge3 aa1 maa3.
 我係聽日返屋企咖嘛! 
I'm coming home tomorrow!  [So of course I won't be able to see you today.]  (the "tomorrow" is emphasized)
zaa1 maa3
 咋嘛 Contraction of the combination 啫呀嘛/嗻呀嘛 ze1 aa1 maa3. 佢返一日咋嘛!
He's only coming back for a day!  [So of course he won't have time to visit all of us.]
zi1 maa3
 之嘛 Can be used to mean "only". 我返屋企之嘛
I'm only going home.  [...and nothing else.  What else are you expecting from me?]

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hitokiri6993
 January 10, 2009, 11:07 AM

Please post if you do know more Yuqici's.

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sebastian
 January 11, 2009, 04:30 PM

waa2 / 話

Used to ask someone to repeat what was just said. 

你幾時返嚟話?

nei5 gei2 si4 faan1 lai4 waa2

"When did you say you were coming back?"

le5 / 咧

Used to invite agreement or appreciation. Similar to "isn't it" or "huh?" in English.

好食咧

hou2 sik6 le5

"Tasty, huh?"